在气候变化辩论中脱颖而出

Look at the people around you. Look at the people across this amazing country.

Whether they’re Republicans or Democrats, rich or poor, from red states or blue, born in small towns or big cities, or from the many beliefs, ethnicities, genders and orientations that make up America, they all have something in common. They all want a better future for their children. So do you. So do I. In fact, we all share that fundamental, human desire: We want our children to be happy, safe, healthy and secure. That instinct is baked inside us. It’s part of what makes us human.

但是，要使我们的孩子真正蓬勃发展，我们需要停止损害我们周围的自然世界，即滋养我们，保护我们并维持我们的生活的自然世界。我们需要保护我们所有人都依赖的环境系统 - 提供清洁的空气，清洁的水，安全的食物，安全的气候以及许多其他必需品。

We need to protect and sustain the planet, because it protects and sustains us.

The bigger problem right now is that we’re not listening to the science we’ve already done.

替代方案简直是不可想象的。如果我们最终破坏了地球的关键环境系统，我们可能会使子孙后代拥有破碎的生态系统，这是完全改变的气候和消失的自然资源。这可能是一个危险的世界，很难蓬勃发展。环境灾难可能成为常态，在世代相传的人类状况中主导了人类状况 - 主要是因为我们今天没有明智地行动。

No one actually wants this. No matter one’s partisan leanings, tax bracket, ethnicity or upbringing, no one wants to leave a wrecked planet — a world that is depleted, damaged and dangerous — to their children. None of us want to be the first people in history to knowingly imperil their children’s future.

但这就是我们现在正在做的事情，无论我们是否承认。我们需要扭转它。

I believe — no, I know — that we can leave a better world for our children. We have the knowledge, the tools and the ability to do it. We can change course, today, and leave a thriving planet for future generations.

So why don’t we?

是什么使我们无法前进？

Acting on what we have

Are we limited by our science? No, not really. While we need more scientific research to help us better understand how we are affecting the planet and to spur new ideas for how we can live more sustainably, we already know so much — and yet we still don’t act. While we definitely need science to continue and help steer us in the right direction, the bigger problem right now is that we’re not listening to the science we’ve already done.

Are we held back by our technology? Probably not. While better technology certainly would help us build a more sustainable world, I would argue that much of what we need is already at hand. We already can invent better cities, better transportation networks, a better food system and a better energy economy. And while technological innovations will continue to make this easier, we are not currently limited by the lack of technologies. We have more tools available today than we are actually using.

Are we limited by education? Again, not really. While improving education, especially related to the environment, is certainly a good thing, I don’t think it’s limiting us in our transition to a better world. We already know so much, but we still don’t act.

虽然我们总是需要更多的科学，更多的技术和更多的教育，但我认为最限制我们建立更美好世界的是文化。

文化很重要

This might sound strange, coming from someone who has spent his life in scientific research and education, but I’m convinced that aspects of our culture — especially how we currently frame and discuss environmental issues as a society — are keeping us from building a better world.

文化很重要。它确实针对我们面临的其他挑战，包括降低吸烟率和相关疾病，减少饮酒和驾驶事件，使同性恋婚姻合法化并实现更广泛的公民权利。尽管科学研究，技术创新，政策变化和广泛的教育在这些战斗中至关重要，但文化变革和接受确实帮助他们达到了临界点。

这也是我们对环境的需求。否则，我们将继续拖延，选择不倾听，不采取行动，不要建立更美好的世界，而不是倾听科学的聆听，倾听科学的倾听，采取行动。

恐惧会吞噬极端，并瘫痪中间。

And I think we all agree that this needs to change.

How did we get so stuck? I think it’s because many of us have framed, discussed and debated environmental issues in the wrong way.

The way we frame and discuss environmental issues today often leaves us anxious, depressed and feeling fatalistic. It also leads to denial and polarization and can cause us to fight, even when we agree on so much. In the end, we are left either paralyzed or fighting, instead of working together and solving our common problems. And that’s where change is needed most.

How might we solve this?

首先，我想在谈论我们星球的未来时，我们需要更多地关注希望，而不是恐惧。恐惧很容易；这就像肾上腺素的快速打击。一个关于气候变化的令人恐惧的故事，例如，充满了恐怖的火灾，飓风，溺水熊和倒塌的冰山的恐怖图像，这肯定会使人群困扰。但这主要激励人们参加我们环境辩论的极端极点。

它吓坏了热心的环保主义者，其中包括一些似乎对未来灾难叙事的沉迷。这会导致其他人的内在否认，他们不想相信存在任何类型的环境问题，这一切都必须是一个很大的阴谋。但是，我们中间的绝大多数人只是吓坏了，想躲在我们的床下。因此，我们大多数人都通过调整，打开Netflix或撤退到Facebook来应对。恐惧会吞噬极端，并瘫痪中间。我们中间的绝大多数人都是受希望的动机。但是那里没有足够的希望。这就是我们最需要的，我认为我们可以改变世界。

解决方案赤字

与此相类似，我们需要更多地谈论解决环境问题的解决方案，而不仅仅是关注问题。We already know about climate change, deforestation, the loss of species around the world and so on and so on and so on. Stop it already. Bashing people over the heads with more information about these problems isn’t helping.

我们没有关于问题的信息 - 科学沟通者称之为“信息赤字模型”。我们有解决方案的赤字。我们需要的是关于解决环境挑战的解决方案的更多讨论。当人们看到大多数解决方案已经在这里并且对我们有好处时 - 创造新的工作，促进我们的经济，改善我们的健康和安全并加强国家安全 - 他们会感到兴奋。请记住：试驾新特斯拉的测试使人们比听到有关气候变化的另一项研究更加兴奋。

Andwe need to find ways to collaborate in implementing these solutions, instead of drawing ourselves into endless and unnecessary conflicts。我们的媒体和政治体系已经非常擅长分裂我们 - 为自己获得评分，投票和金钱 - 但这使我们崩溃了。让我们停止被愤世嫉俗的政客和媒体操纵。比我们分裂我们的美国人更加团结我们，我们应该专注于此。我们都希望为孩子们一个更好的世界。清新的空气。干净的水。不会污染的能源，并在美国保留工作。以及一个适合子孙后代的安全星球。我们都想要这些东西，所以让我们开始像这样。

So when it comes to building a better future, I think we need to change how our culture sees and discusses our environmental issues. We need to replace fear with hope, problems with solutions and conflict with cooperation and collaboration. That may be the biggest set of environmental solutions of all.