Representatives from more than 190 nations are attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in the Mexican resort of Cancun. They're trying to reach accords on a number of issues but are leaving a comprehensive, legally binding agreement for next year. Environmental activists from non-governmental organizations are also in Cancun. They're pushing for action to curb greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
190多个国家的代表聚集在墨西哥旅游胜地坎昆参加联合国气候变化大会。他们寻求在一系列议题上达成一致，争取在明年签署一项全面的、有法律约束力的条约。来自非政府组织的环保人士也聚集在坎昆，力促采取行动，削减温室气体的排放。他们中的很多人认为，能够拯救地球的时间已所剩不多。地球变暖与人类活动是否造成全球气温上升的问题是联合国气候大会上人们关注的议题。
Activists lobby
As conference delegates meet elsewhere, author Bill McKibben makes the rounds in the hotel lobbies, talking about the need for action now.
在与会代表开会期间，作家比尔.麦克基本在饭店大堂里走来走去，跟人们讨论现在采取行动的必要性。
In his best-selling book Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet, McKibben argues that an eight-tenths-of-one-percent rise in temperature has already changed the planet irreversibly and that catastrophe awaits if it goes much higher.
麦克基本在他撰写的畅销书《地球》 一书中争辩说，气温上升0.8度就已经无可挽回地改变了地球，如果气温升得更高，等待人类的将是一场重大灾难。
"The arctic is melting quickly, Russia caught on fire this summer, Pakistan drowned [in floods], the ocean is 30 percent more acid than it used to be," McKibben said. "We are in tough shape with less than a degree of temperature increase."
他说：“北极正在迅速融化，俄罗斯今年夏天遭大火，巴基斯坦被洪水淹没，海洋的酸度比过去提高了30%。我们所处境况不妙，地球气温再上升哪怕不到一度，就会造成灾难。”
McKibben says the threat is confirmed, continually, by scientific data, yet world leaders have yet to produce an effective plan to meet the challenge.
麦克基本说，科学家的数据已经不断证实这一威胁，可是世界各国领导人却仍然拿不出来一个应对挑战的计划。
"The scientific method has worked pretty well. The political method has not worked at all," he added.
“科学的方法行之有效，但政治的手段却一事无成。”
Presence of private companies
But while delegates debate possible agreements, many people around the world, on their own, have developed plans to reduce emissions.
正当代表团在坎昆辩护有关可能达成的协议时，世界各地的很多人正在想方设法减少温室气体排放。
Even private companies are contributing ideas.
就连私营公司也在献计献策。
Google is here with a large version of Google Earth that allows people to visit various parts of the world to check on the effects of climate change.
谷歌在大会展示了一个大型谷歌地球场景视频，让人们看到地球的各个角落，查看气候变化造成的影响。
Google representative Raleigh Seamster says a tribe in Brazil put its forest online to gain international support.
谷歌代表罗利.西姆斯特说，巴西的一个部落为了保护他们的森林，为了赢得国际支持，把森林上了网。
"Now that these partners have their forest visualized on Google Earth, they can use this to create a Google Earth tour that explains why the forest is important," said Seamster. "They can show it to people, they can demo it to decision makers and they can also create YouTube videos."
他说：“这些合作者把他们的森林展现在谷歌地球场景视频上，他们可以利用视频制作一个谷歌地球观光，让网友参观森林，告诉大家为什么树林特别重要。他们可以展示给大家，展示给政策制定者们，还可以制作YouTube 录像。”
'Youngo' push for action
The Internet was also key in drawing hundreds of young people around the world to join a coalition called Youngo. They keep in touch by email and social media, and they came here to push for action.
互联网还是吸引世界各地成百上千年轻人加入全球青年NGO联盟--YOUNGO的关键途径。他们以电子邮件和社交网站保持联系，他们也来到坎昆推动采取环保行动。
Jeremy Osborn from New York City says his generation sees what needs to be done to curb climate change.
来自纽约市的杰里米.奥斯伯恩说，他们这一代人看到如何能为抗击气候变化出力。
"Young people are probably making those connections more easily because they have been brought up with the issue and with the science much more so than older generations, but everyone is beginning to get on board," Osborn said.
“比起老一辈人，年轻人也许更容易建立起这些联系，因为他们就是跟这些议题、跟科学一起成长起来的。有越来越多的人加入我们的行列。”
One Youngo member who came here is Logaswari from Singapore. She says she connected with other young activists online and is now here with them, meeting with delegates and decision makers.
来自新加坡的洛加斯沃丽是他们中的一员。她说，她跟年轻的环保活动人士在网上保持联系，现在又跟他们一起来到坎昆，与各国代表和政策制定者们会面。
"Over here, you are able to talk to the person," said Logaswari. "You get to meet everybody and you can work in a more relaxed manner because you can go out for coffee. It is a lot more efficient, really."
她说：“在这里你可以找到人谈话，可以见到所有的人，你可以以一种更轻松的方式工作，因为大家可以一起出去喝咖啡。这样做真是更效率。”
These young people hope their activism will eventually bring about change that could prevent the worst consequences of global warming.
这些年轻人希望，他们的积极活动能够最终带来改变，防止气候变化造成的最坏后果真正发生。 |