人類成氣候變化受害者全新代言人

????節約能源的工作其實做得很不錯，也產生了巨大的影響。幾個月前，國際能源機構(IEA)發布了另一份報告，但它的受關注度遠遜于IPCC報告，或許是因為這份報告傳遞的是好消息。

????IEA報告詳細介紹了人類通過投資能源效率和節能改造節省下來的能源。與上世紀70年代相比，每年節省的“被避免使用能源”數量大約相當于年能源消耗量的三分之二。這個數量幾乎是全球石油、天然氣和煤炭的年產量總和。

????換句話說，如果能源利用效率沒有得到改善，我們就必須使用兩倍于目前的石油、天然氣和煤炭數量，才能剛剛滿足眼下的使用需求。

????這么大規模的節省并不是自動出現的。自從上世紀70年代以來，全球社會已經為改善能源效率投下巨資。具體多少錢呢？2011年，我們在這個領域投資了超過3,000億美元——相當于全球石油、天然氣和煤炭的投資總額。僅在中國，能源效率投資就從2005年的零美元增加至2010年的120億美元。

????不幸的是，比較而言，全球在氣候適應領域的投資依然顯得微不足道。在一些國家，比如英國，近些年來在這方面的投資其實下降了！在美國，加利福尼亞州和美國西南部的持續干旱使奧巴馬總統大為震驚，他最近呼吁國會提供10億美元的氣候適應資金。目前還不清楚他是否會得償所愿。

????如果不盡早投資于氣候適應領域，我們將錯失一個減弱氣候變化最壞影響的巨大機會。如果發生這種情況，我們將遭受后代無情地唾罵。

????國家和個人層面能夠獲得的回報是刺激能源效率投資急劇增長的一個重大因素。拜電器節能技術所賜，城市的煙霧，個人的電費賬單都下降了不少。每個人都獲得了好處。

????我們也可以采用類似的理由來論證基于生態系統的氣候適應努力，我的同事法比奧?斯卡拉諾上周早些時候發表的一篇博客文章就彰顯了這一點。

????保護和恢復紅樹林和珊瑚礁不僅有助于保護城市免受熱帶氣旋和海潮的侵襲，還可以為可持續的漁業提供食物，薪材和繁殖場。設立基金以確保水力發電或防洪所需的集水區也會帶來一系列輔助收益，比如生態旅游，干凈的飲用水等等。

????再造退化的森林不僅可以從大氣中吸收二氧化碳，還有助于催生降雨，管理恰當的話，還能夠提供建筑材料，食用植物和其他林產品。洪泛區不僅能吸收特大暴風雨帶來的水流，還可以作為水禽棲息地，同時為巨型漁場提供支持。

????結論：我們在能源效率領域的投資正在取得回報。我們現在需要對氣候適應進行類似的投資，讓大自然引導我們獲得最大的回報。（財富中文網）

????譯者：葉寒

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????Conserving energy has worked remarkably well and has had a massive impact. A few months ago, another report — this one by the International Energy Agency (IEA) — was released to far less fanfare that the IPCC report, perhaps because it spelled out good news.

????The IEA report detailed how much energy has been saved by investing in energy efficiency and retrofitting. Compared with the 1970s, the amount of “avoided energy” saved each year is equivalent to about two-thirds of current annual consumption — almost as much as the combined global output of oil, gas and coal.

????Put another way, without improving energy efficiency, we would have had to double our use of oil, gas and coal simply to maintain current use.

????This massive savings did not come automatically. Since the 1970s, our global society has invested heavily in energy efficiency. How much? Well, in 2011 we invested over US$ 300 billion in energy efficiency — equivalent to worldwide investment in oil, gas and coal combined. In China alone, energy efficiency investments went from zero in 2005 to $12 billion by 2010.

????Unfortunately, our global investment in adaptation is paltry by comparison. In some countries like the U.K. it has actually gone down in recent years! In the U.S., shaken by the drought that has gripped California and the American Southwest, President Obama recently called for $1 billion in climate adaptation funds. It’s unclear if he will get it.

????Without early investments in adaptation, we will miss a huge opportunity to blunt the worst impacts of climate change. If this happens, we will have the full blame of future generations to bear.

????One of the factors that spurred such rapid growth in energy efficiency investments was the return on investment that accrued at the national and individual levels. Thanks to more efficient appliances, cities could cut smog while individuals paid less in electricity bills. Everybody won.

????A similar argument could be made for ecosystem-based adaptation, which my colleague Fabio Scarano highlighted in a blog earlier this week.

????Protecting and restoring mangroves and coral reefs not only protects cities from tropical cyclones and sea surge but also provides food, fuelwood and nurseries for sustainable fisheries. Setting up funding to secure watersheds for hydroelectricity or flood control provides a host of secondary benefits, from ecotourism to clean drinking water.

????Replanting degraded forests not only soaks up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, it also generates rain and — when managed sustainably — provides building materials, edible plants and other forest products. Floodplains not only absorb runoff from monster storms but also act as habitat for waterfowl, and support huge fisheries.

????Here’s the bottom line: Our investment in energy efficiency is paying off. We need to invest similarly in adaptation now, and use nature as a guide to maximize our returns.