The debate on action over climate change is stuck. Despite copious words and many international conferences, including a UN summit in New York this week, emissions of greenhouse gases continue their upward march. Could this change? One can at least identify the necessary conditions. One is leadership. But the most important one is evidence that tackling climate change is compatible with prosperity. The possibility of combining the elimination of runaway climate change with rising living standards could help transform the debate.
圍繞如何應對氣候變化的辯論陷入了僵局。儘管各方發表了很多言論,還舉行了多次國際會議——包括本週在紐約舉行的聯合國(UN)峯會,溫室氣體的排放量依然保持上升勢頭。這種局面能改變麼?我們至少可以分析一下各項必要條件。領導力就是其中之一。但最重要的條件是,要有應對氣候變化與經濟繁榮並不牴觸的證據。遏止氣候變化失控與不斷提高生活水準相結合的可能性,可能有助於轉變這場辯論。