来源：《基督科学箴言报》
原文刊登日期：2021年7月12日
本文适合英语二考生
The pandemic sent shock waves through many sectors, but 2020 was a banner year for renewable energy. The industry saw the largest year-over-year increase in 20 years, with nearly 280 gigawatts going online last year, according to the International Energy Agency. Newly added fossil fuel-based projects, on the other hand, declined from 64 GW in 2019 to just 60 GW in 2020, according to the International Renewable Energy Agency.
疫情冲击了许多行业，但2020年是可再生能源的丰年。根据国际能源署的数据，新能源行业去年的发电量同比增长近280千兆瓦，是20年来的最快增长。另一方面，根据国际可再生能源署的数据，新增加的化石燃料项目从2019年的64千兆瓦下降到2020年的仅60千兆瓦。
The shift is a big win for the environmental community. Yet many renewable projects face sharp head winds from environmentalists all the same. A recent news centers on a dam project in Indonesia that would slash carbon emissions but also threatens the survival of the rare Tapanuli orangutan.
这一转变对环保团体来说是一个巨大的胜利。然而，许多可再生能源项目仍然面临着环保主义者的强烈反对。最近一则新闻关注的是印度尼西亚的一个大坝项目，该项目将削减碳排放，但也会威胁到稀有的塔帕努里猩猩的生存。
Similar concerns dog renewable projects around the world. Solar fields, wind farms, and hydroelectric dams all require large swaths of land. The batteries that bring reliability to intermittent power sources require extraction of rare earth metals from the land. At a time when the United Nations has warned of unprecedented and accelerated extinction of global species, the loss of even a small habitat can have cascading effects on ecosystems.
类似的担忧也困扰着世界各地的可再生能源项目。太阳能发电厂、风力发电场和水力发电大坝都需要大片的土地。间歇性电源带来可靠性的电池需要从土地中提取稀土金属。在联合国警告全球物种空前加速灭绝的时候，即使是一小块栖息地的丧失也会对生态系统产生连锁影响。
But these two ecological values don’t have to be in opposition, says Jean Su, energy justice director for the Center for Biological Diversity. “We actually have the ability to build both a climate-safe future as well as one that can be just,” she says.
但这两种生态价值并不一定是对立的，生物多样性中心的能源正义主任Su说。她说：“我们实际上有能力建设一个气候安全的未来，也有能力建设一个公正的未来。”
One way to achieve both of those goals is to invest in rooftop solar and localized power generation on already degraded or built environments, she says. This approach not only avoids disruption of pristine habitat, but also puts the potential savings from renewable energy directly in the pockets of consumers.
她说，实现这两个目标的一种方法是在已经退化或建成的环境中投资屋顶太阳能和本地化发电。这种方法不仅避免了对原始栖息地的破坏，而且还将可再生能源的潜在节省直接为消费者省钱。
When it comes to large, utility-scale projects, she points to California’s Desert Renewable Energy and Conservation Plan as a model for thoughtful siting of both electricity development and land conservation. The plan looked at the region holistically and carved off specific areas for both preservation and development.
谈到大型公用事业项目，她指出加州沙漠可再生能源和保护计划是电力开发和土地保护深思熟虑选址的典范。该计划从整体上审视了该地区，并划分了具体的保护和开发区域。
Innovations are emerging throughout the sector. In the American Midwest, the nation’s so-called wind belt, The Nature Conservancy has developed Site Wind Right, an interactive map that uses geospatial data to cover key wildlife habitats. The tool revealed potential for 1,000 GW of wind power that could be developed away from critical habitats. In southwest Oregon, researchers found that solar farms can also be used to cultivate pollinator habitat.
整个行业都在不断创新。在美国中西部，这个国家所谓的风带，自然保护协会开发了一种交互式地图，利用地理空间数据覆盖主要的野生动物栖息地。该工具揭示了在远离关键栖息地的地方开发1000兆瓦风能的潜力。在俄勒冈州西南部，研究人员发现太阳能发电厂也可以用来培育授粉昆虫的栖息地。
The bottom line is “this is not a zero-sum game,” Ms. Su says. “In the current climate, people get so oppositional. When we’re talking about our climate emergency and our biodiversity crisis, there are going to be zealous advocates on both sides. The solution has to be right down the middle of both concerns. But both can actually be achieved together with extremely thoughtful, careful planning.”
苏女士说，底线是“这不是一场零和游戏”。“在目前的形势下，人们变得非常对立。当我们谈论气候紧急情况和生物多样性危机时，双方都会有热心的支持者。解决方案必须正好在两个关注点之间。但实际上，这两者都可以通过极其深思熟虑的周密计划来实现。”