The global movement to restore nature's biodiversity | Thomas Crowther

Transcriber: TED Translators Admin Reviewer: Rhonda Jacobs

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Amanda Zhu

（鳥叫聲）

(Birds chirping)

What you're hearing

各位聽到的是南歐 一座原生森林的聲音。

is the sound of a native forest in Southern Europe.

The calm, tranquil feeling we all get is not a coincidence.

我們所感受到的平靜、安詳 並不是巧合。

We all evolved in ecosystems like this,

我們都在這樣的生態系統中演化；

where the sounds of birds and insects

鳥類和昆蟲的叫聲

indicated the possibility of food, medicines

代表那裡可能有食物、藥物，

and all the resources we need for survival.

及各種我們生存所需要的資源。

Ecosystems and their biodiversity still hold the key to life on this planet.

生態系統及其生物多樣性

仍然是地球上生命存在的關鍵。

I'm obsessed with this biodiversity,

生物多樣性讓我深深著迷，

the magic of the infinite network,

這無限大的網路有種魔力，

where every species depends on others to survive.

當中的每個物種 都要仰賴其他物種才能生存。

For most of my career,

我的職涯大多都專注在

I focused on just one of those fascinating connections

昆蟲及土壤裡的真菌類 之間神奇的連結。

between insects and fungi in the soil.

I longed to understand the scale of these networks

我渴望能了解這些網路的規模

and to understand how they might help us

及它們能如何幫助我們

with one of the greatest challenges facing humanity:

迎接人類所面臨的最大挑戰之一：

our rapidly warming planet.

地球快速暖化。

The problem is clear.

問題很清楚。

We know we need to reduce our emissions

我們知道我們得減少排放，

and draw the existing carbon out of the atmosphere,

並將大氣中既有的碳移除；

stop the damage and start the repair.

停止破壞、開始修復。

And this is where forests can help.

這就是森林能幫上忙的地方。

Like all plants, trees capture carbon from the atmosphere,

和所有的植物一樣，

樹木能從大氣中捕集碳，用於生長。

and they use it for growth.

And some of that carbon enters the soil,

而部分的碳會進入土壤，

並在那裡待上數百甚至數千年。

where it can stay for hundreds or even thousands of years.

If we could stop the losses of forests around the world,

如果我們能阻止 世界各地的森林消失，

we could directly help to cut our annual emissions.

我們就能直接協助降低年排放量。

And if we could start to tip the balance in the other direction,

如果我們能開始扭轉情勢，

we might even help the repair process.

我們甚至可以 在修復的過程中有所幫助。

But if people were really going to invest their valuable time and energy

但如果真的要大家 把可貴的時間、心力

投入在像這樣的解決方案中，

in a solution like this,

we needed to comprehend the size of this opportunity

我們就必須理解這個機會有多大，

and understand the impacts that we can have as individuals.

並了解我們每一個人 能夠造成的影響。

But comprehending something of this scale

但對我及我的同事來說，

was a completely new challenge for me and my colleagues.

理解這麼大規模的東西 完全是個全新的挑戰。

For this, we needed the knowledge of experts all over the world.

為達此目的，我們需要 全世界專家的知識。

So we began building a new network.

所以我們開始建造一個新網路。

The more people we contacted, the more data we received,

我們接觸越多人，獲得的數據就越多，

and the more clearly patterns began to emerge.

模式就會更清楚地浮現。

With data from over 1.2 million forests,

有了來自一百二十萬座森林的數據，

we were able to build new machine learning models

我們得以建立新的機器學習模型，

to predict forest structure around the world.

來預測世界各地的森林結構。

For the first time,

我們頭一次看到了

we could see that our earth is home to just over three trillion trees,

地球上有超過三兆棵樹木，

almost half of what existed before human civilization.

跟人類文明出現之前相比， 接近其半數。

We could see where the different species are distributed

我們可以看到不同樹種的分佈，

and how carbon is stored in this massive system.

以及碳如何在這個巨大的系統中貯存。

But this approach could also show us something more transformative.

這個方法還能讓我們看到 自然的變化怎麼發生。

Using the same models, we could begin to see where trees might naturally grow

用同樣的模型，我們能開始看到

在既有的氣候下， 樹木可以在哪裡自然生長。

under the existing climate.

And this suggested

結果發現，在都市及農業地區之外，

that outside of urban and agricultural areas,

there's 0.9 billion hectares where trees would naturally exist.

樹木可以自然存在的區域 有九億公頃的面積，

And this is room for just over one trillion new trees.

足夠讓一兆棵樹生長。

We estimated that if we could protect these areas in the long term,

我們估計，如果能長期保護這些區域，

then the soils and vegetation

大氣多餘的碳中高達 30%

might capture up to 30 percent of the excess carbon in the atmosphere,

可能會被土壤和植披捕集。

capturing decades of human emissions.

這等於人類數十年的排放量。

We now have a wealth of ongoing research to refine these initial estimates.

現在有許多研究 正在校準這些初始估計值。

But the scale of this potential

但這潛力的規模之大，

suggests that along with all the other benefits these ecosystems provide,

代表著這些生態系統 除了能提供各種益處之外，

they might also represent a valuable role in our fight against climate change.

它們可能在我們 對抗氣候變遷的奮戰中

也扮演一個重要的角色。

When our research was accepted to be published in the journal Science,

當《科學》期刊刊載我們的研究時，

nothing could have prepared us for the media explosion that followed.

我們完全沒料到後續 會在媒體上爆紅。

Suddenly, it seemed like the whole world was talking about the potential of trees.

突然，好像全世界 都在談樹木的潛力。

Under the umbrella of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration,

在「聯合國生態系復原 十年計畫」的推動下，

the World Economic Forum launched their Trillion Trees Campaign

世界經濟論壇推出了「兆樹計畫」，

to go alongside similar efforts from the WWF and United Nations.

世界自然基金會及聯合國 也都推出了類似方案。

Suddenly, governments and companies all around the world

突然，世界各地的政府和企業

were pledging their commitment to the restoration of earth's forests.

都許下承諾要恢復地球的森林。

And with the job creation that would result,

因為也能帶來大量的工作機會，

the idea of a global restoration movement was becoming a reality.

全球森林復原運動的想法就成真了。

But in the excitement of it all,

我有機會帶來夢寐以求的正面影響，

and with the chance to make that positive impact I'd always dreamed of,

但卻在興奮之際，

I made some naive and stupid mistakes in communication

犯下了溝通上天真又愚蠢的錯誤，

that threatened the entire message.

進而威脅到我們想傳達的訊息。

The simplicity of our message was its strength,

我們的訊息很簡單，這是個優點，

but it came at the expense of nuance that is so important.

但代價就是犧牲了非常重要的細節。

And as the headlines began to emerge,

隨著新聞標題逐一出現， 我恨不得將這訊息收回來。

I desperately just wanted to pull them back in.

Because to some, it seemed like we were proposing restoration

因為在有些人耳裡，我們似乎是在說

as the single solution to climate change.

只要復原森林 就能解決氣候變遷的問題。

And this is the opposite of what this movement needs.

這完全不是這個運動所需要的。

When viewed through this lens,

從這個角度來看， 復原森林似乎是個簡單的解套方式，

restoration just seems like an easy way out,

a chance for us to "offset our emissions" by planting a few trees

好像種一些樹，就有機會 「抵消我們的排放」，

and ignore the very real and urgent challenges of cutting emissions

就可以忽視非常真實且迫切的挑戰：

減少排放以及保護目前的生態系統。

and protecting the ecosystems that we currently have.

Restoration is not a silver bullet.

復原森林並非萬靈丹。

There is no silver bullet.

萬靈丹並不存在。

It is just one of a huge portfolio of solutions

這只是我們迫切需要的 多種解決方案中的其中一種。

that we so desperately need.

And this view of trees as an easy way out is such a tempting perspective,

將種樹視為唯一的方式 是種非常誘人的觀點，

but it is a real threat to the climate change movement

但這麼做反而會威脅到氣候變遷運動

and to the ecosystems that still remain.

以及目前尚存的生態系統。

(Faint sounds)

（微弱的聲音）

This is also the sound of trees.

這也是樹木的聲音。

It's a eucalyptus plantation

這是個人造桉樹林，距離一開始 提到的那座森林只有幾哩路。

that exists just a couple of miles away from where we began.

Notice how there were no sounds of birds or insects.

注到聽，沒有蟲鳴鳥叫。

The songs of biodiversity are gone.

生物多樣性的歌聲不見了。

That's because what you're hearing is not an ecosystem.

那是因為各位聽到的不是生態系統。

It's a monoculture of one single tree species

它是單一樹種的栽培，

planted for rapid tree growth.

因為桉樹成長快速。

Along with the biodiversity that used to live here,

這個地方已經失去 曾經擁有的生物多樣性，

this local community has now lost the benefits those ecosystems provided,

當地居民也失去了 那些生態系統所提供的益處，

like clean water, soil fertility,

比如乾淨的水、土壤肥沃度，

and most urgently,

還有最迫切的，

protection from the intense fires that now threaten the region every summer.

防止現在每年夏天 都會威脅該地區的烈火。

The UN suggests that almost half of reforested areas around the world

聯合國指出，

世界各地重新造林的區域，

近半數都是像這樣的單一樹種栽培，

are monocultures just like this,

planted for rapid timber production or carbon capture.

目的在快速生產木材或碳捕集。

Just like a farm, these plantations may be valuable for timber,

就像農場一樣，

這些人造林可能有生產木材的價值，

but they are not the restoration of nature.

但它們無法找回大自然。

And monocultures are just one of the many ways

而單一栽培是一種 傷害生態系統的方式。

we can damage ecosystems

when we offset our emissions without considering the local ecology

這種方式抵消了我們的排放， 但未考量當地生態，

or the people that depend on it.

也不顧仰賴當地生態的人。

Following these mistakes, a second wave of articles flooded in,

在這些錯誤之後，第二波文章湧入，

warning of the risks of restoration done wrong.

警告若沒有把復原的方法做對 會產生什麼風險。

And this criticism was so painful

這批評讓我非常痛苦，

because it was entirely correct.

因為它完全正確。

But most of all,

但我最害怕的是 我們會浪費掉這個大好機會，

I was terrified that we would squander this incredible opportunity,

because restoration has such enormous potential for positive impact.

因為復原生態系具有 產生正面影響的極大潛力，

But just like every good idea, it only works if we get it right.

但和所有的好點子一樣， 要做對才有用。

But as the dust settled,

塵埃落定後，我們才發現這段時期

we realized that this was actually a time

when the entire movement gained real momentum.

其實是這整個運動 真正氣勢大增的時期。

More people than ever were interested in global restoration,

以前從來沒有這麼多人 對全球性生態系復原感興趣。

and with messages flooding in

隨著世界各地復原計畫

about the successes and failures of restoration projects around the world,

成功或失敗的訊息不斷湧入，

we had access to the lessons that can help us to get it right.

我們也得以汲取這些經驗， 把事情做對。

Every new criticism offered incredible opportunities to learn and grow.

每一個批評都是 學習和成長的極佳機會。

Every failed restoration example

每一次復原失敗的例子

was a lesson on how to improve future projects.

都讓我們上了一堂課， 教我們如何改善未來的計畫。

These learnings were an entirely new source of data --

這些學習的過程是全新的數據來源，

data from the real heroes of this movement,

這個運動背後有一群真正英雄 讓我們有這些數據，

from the people on the ground

他們在全世界各地付出，

who were conserving and managing ecosystems around the world.

實地從事保育和管理生態系統的工作。

No one knows their ecosystems more,

他們最了解他們的生態系統，

and no one is more aware of the risks of restoration done wrong

最清楚復原失敗的風險是什麼。

and the need for accurate ecological information

他們也知道正確的生態資訊

to show the best areas to focus on,

才能讓他們知道該著重哪些區域、

which species can exist in those regions,

哪些物種可以在該地生存，

and what benefits those species can provide to the community.

以及那些物種怎麼嘉惠當地居民。

Historically, these are questions that have been addressed

在歷史上，處理這些問題的方式

through years of rigorous trial and error.

是用經年不斷的嘗試錯誤。

But we started wondering:

但我們開始納悶：

What if we fed this deep on-the-ground knowledge

要是我們把這些實地獲得的知識

back into our machine-learning models

用在我們的機器學習模型上，

to learn from the thousands of successes and failures?

從數以千計的成功和失敗 當中學習呢？

Could this help us to identify

這樣做能否協助我們找出世界各地

which strategies are working and failing around the world?

哪些策略行得通、哪些行不通？

And about a year ago, we started working with Google

大約一年前， 我們開始和 Google 合作，

to help build and scale this idea into a functioning online ecosystem,

協助建立並將規模擴大成 能運作的線上虛擬生態系統，

where projects from around the world can learn and grow together.

讓世界各地的計畫 能夠一起學習與成長。

By pairing Google's technology and our models,

將 Google 的技術 和我們的模型結合，

this ever-growing network of scientists, restoration projects, and NGOs

這個不斷成長，

由科學家、復原計畫、 非政府組織組成的網路

could now build the platform that could serve the restoration movement.

現在能建立平台 來協助生態系復原運動。

And I am so excited to give you a first glimpse

我很興奮能帶大家先睹為快，

of what we've been working on.

看看我們在做些什麼。

This is Restor, an open data platform for the restoration movement,

這是 Restor，

它是復原運動的開放資料平台，

providing free ecological insights

能提供免費的生態系解析，

to show which species of trees, grasses, or shrubs might exist in that region,

呈現某區域可能會有 哪幾種樹木、草，或灌木，

monitoring of projects

並監控各地的計畫， 讓我們大家都能看見實地的進展。

so that we can all see the developments happening on the ground.

And most importantly,

最重要的是，

for the sharing of ecological information

它也能分享生態資訊，

so that restoration organizations can learn one another

讓復原組織能彼此學習，

and so that funders can find and track projects to support.

出資者也能找到想資助的計畫，

並加以追蹤。

Restor is a digital ecosystem for restoration.

Restor 是一個數位生態系統， 目的在協助生態系復原。

The more data the community uploads, the stronger the predictions get

各地上傳的資料越多， 預測能力就會越強，

and the more informed action we can all take.

我們也越能採取有效的行動，

Putting the learnings of thousands of projects

並將從數以千計的計畫中獲得的知識

into the hands of people everywhere.

交到各地民眾的手上。

And this ecosystem is much bigger than just planting trees.

這個數位生態系統的目的 不只是種樹而已。

Trees are just the symbol for entire ecosystem restoration.

樹木只是整個生態系統恢復的徵兆。

Restor is for the protection of land so trees can recover,

Restor 的目的是保護土地， 讓樹木可以復原；

for the amendment of soil so vegetation can return,

改善土壤，讓植被能夠再出現；

and for the thousands of other approaches used

也能協助其他數以千計的方法，

to promote the health of grasslands, peatlands,

來促進草地、泥炭地等

and all other ecosystems that are equally important for life on earth.

對所有生命都很重要的 生態系統的健康。

Whether you want to support a wetland conservation project

不論你想要支持減碳潛力 很大的濕地保育計畫，

with huge carbon potential

or simply find which species of plant might exist in your garden

或只是想知道你的花園中 種得活哪幾種植物、

and how much soil carbon they could accumulate,

這些植物能累積多少土壤碳量，

with this tool,

有了這項工具，我們希望各地的所有人

we hope that everyone everywhere

will have a chance to engage in the restoration movement.

都有機會參與這個生態系復原運動。

The word "restore" is defined

「復原」一詞的定義 是將某種東西還原到原始狀態，

as the act of returning something back to its original state,

but it's also the act of returning it back to its original owners.

也是交還給原始的擁有者。

The restoration of nature is for the local biodiversity

復原大自然是為了當地的生物多樣性

and the communities that depend on it.

以及仰賴當地生態的居民。

And as that network grows, the collective action benefits everyone.

隨著交流網路的成長，

集體的行動會讓每個人都受益。

And these benefits go far beyond the threat of climate change.

而所帶來的益處遠超過 因應氣候變遷的威脅。

Even if climate change stopped right now,

就算氣候變遷現在就停止了，

the protection and rebuilding of earth's biodiversity

地球生物多樣性的保護和重建

would still be a top priority because it underpins all life on earth.

都仍應擺在第一優先，

因為它是地球上所有生命的基礎。

It can help us with all other global threats,

它能協助我們處理 所有其他的全球性威脅，

including extreme weather events, droughts,

包括極端天氣事件、乾旱、

food shortages and global pandemics.

食物短缺，及疾病的全球疫情。

But global restoration won't be easy,

但全球性的生態系復原並不容易，

and it will not be solved by tech solutions alone.

且不能單靠科技方案來解決。

These tools can inform us,

這些工具能提供我們資訊，

but ultimately the challenge is one that can only be addressed by us,

但最終，

能處理這難題的還是我們，

by all of us.

我們所有人。

Just like the interdependent species that make up natural ecosystems,

就如同自然生態系統中 相互依賴的物種，

we humans are deeply dependent on one another.

我們人類彼此之間也有很深的依賴。

We need the immense network of limitless connections,

我們需要無限連結 所形成的巨大網路：

the farmers and project leaders on the ground

集結農民、實地的計畫領導人，

who need local markets and industries to make use of sustainable products.

他們需要當地的市場和產業 來使用永續產品；

The scientists, governments, NGOs, businesses, you, me,

集結科學家、政府、企業、 非政府組織、你、我，

we are all needed to keep this movement going.

我們都必須參與才能 讓這個運動持續下去。

We need the whole ecology of humanity.

人類的整個生態都必須參與。

Thank you.

謝謝。