ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Rob Harmon - Natural resources expert
Rob Harmon is an expert on energy and natural resources policy -- looking at smart ways to manage carbon, water and the energy we use every day.

Why you should listen

Taking the true measure of our environmental footprint is something that Rob Harmon has been doing for years. Starting as an energy auditor in Massachusetts, Harmon went on to manage an international marketing effort in the wind energy industry and, in 2000, develop and launch the first carbon calculator on the Internet.

Harmon joined Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) in 1999, and is credited with developing their Green Tag program. In 2004, he was awarded the national Green Power Pioneer Award for his introduction of the retail Green Tag (Renewable Energy Certificates) and his ongoing efforts to build a thriving and credible Green Tag market in the United States. He also conceptualized and directed the development of BEF's national Solar 4R Schools program. His latest venture is the creation of BEF's Water Restoration Certificate business line, which utilizes voluntary markets to restore critically de-watered ecosystems. He recently contributed chapters to the book Voluntary Carbon Markets: A Business Guide to What They Are and How They Work. Rob left BEF in November 2010 to explore his next venture, ConvenientOpportunities.com.

More profile about the speaker
Rob Harmon | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxRainier

Rob Harmon: How to keep rivers and streams flowing

Rob Harmon:如何利用市場機制讓河川暢流不息

Filmed:
665,582 views

過度用水造成溪流和河川乾涸,Rob Harmon建構了一個巧妙的市場機制,讓河川回復暢流。啤酒公司和農民們發現,他們的命運交織在耐人尋味的仙人掌球溪的百年故事之中。
- Natural resources expert
Rob Harmon is an expert on energy and natural resources policy -- looking at smart ways to manage carbon, water and the energy we use every day. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:18
This is a river.
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這是一條河
00:20
This is a stream.
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這是一條溪
00:23
This is a river.
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這也是一條河
00:25
This is happening事件 all over the country國家.
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全國到處都發生這種情況
00:28
There are tens of thousands數千 of miles英里
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美國的河川溪流
00:30
of dewatered脫水 streams in the United聯合的 States狀態.
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有數萬英里沒有水
00:33
On this map地圖,
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在這張地圖上
00:35
the colored有色 areas represent代表 water conflicts衝突.
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著色區塊表示有用水衝突的問題
00:39
Similar類似 problems問題 are emerging新興 in the east as well.
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美國東部也有類似的問題
00:42
The reasons原因 vary變化 state to state,
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各州的原因雖然不同
00:44
but mostly大多 in the details細節.
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但差別大多在於細節
00:46
There are 4,000 miles英里 of dewatered脫水 streams
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單單蒙大拿這一州
00:49
in Montana蒙大拿 alone單獨.
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缺水的河流就有4千英里
00:52
They would ordinarily按說 support支持 fish and other wildlife野生動物.
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原本提供魚類和野生動物生息
00:56
They're the veins of the ecosystem生態系統,
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原本是生態系統血脈的
00:58
and they're often經常 empty veins.
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河流如今經常乾涸了
01:02
I want to tell you the story故事
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我想告訴各位
01:04
of just one of these streams
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其中一條河流的故事
01:06
because it's an archetype原型 for the larger story故事.
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因為它將是一個更大故事的雛形
01:09
This is Prickly仙人球 Pear Creek.
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這條溪叫仙人掌球溪
01:11
It runs運行 through通過 a populated人口稠密 area
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流經居住地區
01:13
from East Helena海倫娜 to Lake Helena海倫娜.
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從東海倫娜流到海倫娜湖裡
01:16
It supports支持 wild野生 fish
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它提供野生魚類生息
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including包含 cutthroat殺手, brown棕色
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割喉鱒、褐鱒
01:20
and rainbow彩虹 trout鱒魚.
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還有虹鱒
01:22
Nearly幾乎 every一切 year
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一百多年來
01:24
for more than a hundred years年份,
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這條河幾乎每年夏天
01:27
it's looked看著 like this in the summer夏季.
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看起來都像這樣
01:30
How did we get here?
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怎會變成這樣的呢?
01:32
Well, it started開始 back in the late晚了 1800s
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話說19世紀末期
01:35
when people started開始 settling解決 in places地方 like Montana蒙大拿.
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有人開始移居像蒙大拿這樣的地方
01:39
In short, there was a lot of water
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簡單來說,當時水源豐沛
01:41
and there weren't very many許多 people.
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居民也不多
01:44
But as more people showed顯示 up wanting希望 water,
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但用水的人越來越多
01:46
the folks鄉親 who were there first got a little concerned關心,
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先到者開始有點擔心
01:49
and in 1865, Montana蒙大拿 passed通過 its first water law.
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1865年蒙大拿通過第一部水資源法
01:53
It basically基本上 said, everybody每個人 near the stream
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基本上說,凡居住河流附近者
01:56
can share分享 in the stream.
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皆有權共享河流的水
01:58
Oddly奇怪, a lot of people showed顯示 up wanting希望 to share分享 the stream,
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怪的是許多人都來要共享河水
02:01
and the folks鄉親 who were there first
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先到者感到憂慮
02:03
got concerned關心 enough足夠 to bring帶來 out their lawyers律師.
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便找來律師
02:05
There were precedent-setting先例 suits西裝
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於是1870和1872年
02:07
in 1870 and 1872,
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發生了兩樁訴訟先例
02:09
both involving涉及 Prickly仙人球 Pear Creek.
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都與仙人掌球溪有關
02:11
And in 1921,
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1921年
02:13
the Montana蒙大拿 Supreme最高 Court法庭
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蒙大拿最高法院
02:15
ruled統治 in a case案件 involving涉及 Prickly仙人球 Pear
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裁定了一樁有關仙人掌球溪的案子
02:18
that the folks鄉親 who were there first
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凡先到該地區的居住者
02:20
had the first, or "senior前輩 water rights權利."
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有優先使用該地水源的權利
02:24
These senior前輩 water rights權利 are key.
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水源的優先使用權是關鍵
02:27
The problem問題 is that all over the west西 now
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現在美國西部
02:29
it looks容貌 like this.
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也開始出現同樣的問題
02:31
Some of these creeks小溪
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這些溪流當中
02:33
have claims索賠 for 50 to 100 times more water
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有些配出的用水權
02:35
than is actually其實 in the stream.
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高達實有溪水的50到100倍以上
02:38
And the senior前輩 water rights權利 holders持有人,
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有優先用水權的人
02:40
if they don't use their water right,
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如果不行使他們的用水權
02:43
they risk風險 losing失去 their water right,
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可能就會失去用水權
02:45
along沿 with the economic經濟 value that goes with it.
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也同時失去其他附帶的經濟價值
02:48
So they have no incentive激勵 to conserve養護.
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因此他們不受到節約用水的鼓勵
02:52
So it's not just about the number of people;
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這不只是用水人數的問題
02:55
the system系統 itself本身 creates創建 a disincentive不利因素 to conserve養護
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而是制度不鼓勵節約用水
02:58
because you can lose失去 your water right if you don't use it.
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因為你不用水就會失去用水權
03:03
So after decades幾十年 of lawsuits訴訟
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因此經過幾十年訴訟
03:05
and 140 years年份, now, of experience經驗,
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累積了140年的經驗
03:07
we still have this.
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老問題還是沒有解決
03:10
It's a broken破碎 system系統.
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這是個失敗的制度
03:12
There's a disincentive不利因素 to conserve養護,
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不能鼓勵節約用水
03:14
because, if you don't use your water right,
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因為不行使用水權
03:16
you can lose失去 your water right.
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就會失去用水權
03:18
And I'm sure you all know, this has created創建 significant重大 conflicts衝突
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我相信大家都知道
03:21
between之間 the agricultural農業的 and environmental環境的 communities社區.
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這造成了農業和環保團體間的嚴重衝突
03:25
Okay. Now I'm going to change更改 gears齒輪 here.
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好,我現在換個方式來說
03:28
Most of you will be happy快樂 to know
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在座的各位大概都
03:30
that the rest休息 of the presentation's演示的 free自由,
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會高興知道以下的演講是免費的
03:33
and some of you'll你會 be happy快樂 to know that it involves涉及 beer啤酒.
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有些人還會高興知道這裡有供應啤酒
03:36
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
03:39
There's another另一個 thing happening事件 around the country國家,
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全國到處還發生另一件事
03:41
which哪一個 is that companies公司 are starting開始 to get concerned關心
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有些公司也開始憂慮
03:43
about their water footprint腳印.
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他們的"水足跡"相關問題(水足跡指製作產品時消費地球水資源的程度)
03:46
They're concerned關心 about securing確保 an adequate充足 supply供應 of water,
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他們關心能否保有充足的水源
03:49
they're trying to be really efficient高效 with their water use,
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他們試圖有效地利用水資源
03:52
and they're concerned關心 about how their water use
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也關心自己的用水情況
03:54
affects影響 the image圖片 of their brand.
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將如何影響到公司的形象
03:57
Well, it's a national國民 problem問題,
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好,這是全國性的問題
03:59
but I'm going to tell you another另一個 story故事 from Montana蒙大拿,
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不過我再說個蒙大拿州的故事
04:01
and it involves涉及 beer啤酒.
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這跟啤酒有關
04:03
I bet賭注 you didn't know, it takes about 5 pints品脫 of water
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我猜大家可能沒想到釀造一品脫的啤酒
04:06
to make a pint品脫 of beer啤酒.
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需要大約五品脫的水
04:08
If you include包括 all the drain排水,
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所有的廢水都算進來
04:10
it takes more than a hundred pints品脫 of water to make a pint品脫 of beer啤酒.
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釀造一品脫啤酒需要用到超過一百品脫的水
04:13
Now the brewers啤酒製造商 in Montana蒙大拿
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當今蒙大拿州的釀酒商
04:15
have already已經 doneDONE a lot
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已經盡了很大的努力
04:17
to reduce減少 their water consumption消費,
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節約用水
04:19
but they still use millions百萬 of gallons加侖 of water.
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但還是用了數百萬加侖的水
04:21
I mean, there's water in beer啤酒.
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我是說啤酒裡不能沒有水
04:25
So what can they do
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那麼針對生態環境方面
04:28
about this remaining其餘 water footprint腳印
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可能會造成嚴重影響的
04:31
that can have serious嚴重 effects效果
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其他"水足跡"問題
04:33
on the ecosystem生態系統?
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他們能怎麼辦?
04:35
These ecosystems生態系統 are really important重要
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對蒙大拿的釀酒商和顧客而言
04:37
to the Montana蒙大拿 brewers啤酒製造商 and their customers顧客.
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生態環境當然重要
04:39
After all, there's a strong強大 correlation相關
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畢竟在水和釣魚之間
04:41
between之間 water and fishing釣魚,
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兩者很有關聯
04:43
and for some, there's a strong強大 correlation相關
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對某些人來說
04:45
between之間 fishing釣魚 and beer啤酒.
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釣魚和啤酒也很有關聯
04:47
(Laughter笑聲)
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(笑聲)
04:49
So the Montana蒙大拿 brewers啤酒製造商 and their customers顧客 are concerned關心,
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蒙大拿的釀酒商和顧客也開始關心
04:52
and they're looking for some way to address地址 the problem問題.
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開始找尋能解決這個問題的方法
04:55
So how can they address地址 this remaining其餘 water footprint腳印?
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他們能如何解決剩餘的"水足跡"問題呢?
04:58
Remember記得 Prickly仙人球 Pear.
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請記得仙人掌球溪
05:00
Up until直到 now,
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到目前為止
05:02
business商業 water stewardship管家
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商業水資源管理
05:04
has been limited有限 to measuring測量 and reducing減少,
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一直局限在測量和減少水資源的利用
05:08
and we're suggesting提示 that the next下一個 step
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而我們建議的下一步
05:10
is to restore恢復.
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是恢復水資源
05:12
Remember記得 Prickly仙人球 Pear.
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請記得仙人掌球溪
05:14
It's a broken破碎 system系統.
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那是個失敗的制度
05:16
You've got a disincentive不利因素 to conserve養護,
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它不能鼓勵節約用水
05:18
because if you don't use your water right, you risk風險 losing失去 your water right.
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因為不行使用水權就可能失去用水權
05:21
Well, we decided決定 to connect these two worlds世界 --
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我們決定連接這兩個世界
05:23
the world世界 of the companies公司
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一邊是關心
05:25
with their water footprints腳印
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"水足跡"的公司
05:27
and the world世界 of the farmers農民
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另一邊是擁有溪流
05:29
with their senior前輩 water rights權利 on these creeks小溪.
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優先用水權的農民
05:31
In some states狀態,
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在某些州裡
05:33
senior前輩 water rights權利 holders持有人
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有優先用水權的人可以
05:35
can leave離開 their water in-stream插播
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把他們有權用的水留在溪裡
05:38
while legally法律上 protecting保護 it from others其他
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同時法律保障不被他人佔用
05:41
and maintaining維持 their water right.
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並保留他們的用水權
05:44
After all,
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畢竟
05:46
it is their water right,
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這是他們的用水權
05:48
and if they want to use that water right
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如果他們要行使用水權
05:50
to help the fish grow增長 in the stream,
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來幫助溪流裡的魚類
05:52
it's their right to do so.
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那也是他們的權利
05:55
But they have no incentive激勵 to do so.
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但是他們並沒有意願這麼做
05:59
So, working加工 with local本地 water trusts信託,
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因此我們和當地水資源託管機構合作
06:02
we created創建 an incentive激勵 to do so.
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創造出這麼做的獎勵辦法
06:05
We pay工資 them to leave離開 their water in-stream插播.
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我們付錢讓他們把水留在溪裡
06:08
That's what's happening事件 here.
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就像這裡
06:10
This individual個人 has made製作 the choice選擇
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這位居民做了決定
06:13
and is closing關閉 this water diversion導流,
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關閉引水道
06:15
leaving離開 the water in the stream.
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讓水留在溪裡
06:17
He doesn't lose失去 the water right,
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他沒有失去水資源
06:19
he just chooses to apply應用 that right,
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他只是選擇運用這項權利
06:22
or some portion一部分 of it,
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或一部分的權利
06:24
to the stream, instead代替 of to the land土地.
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讓水留在溪裡而不用到陸地上
06:27
Because he's the senior前輩 water rights權利 holder持有人,
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因為他有優先用水權
06:29
he can protect保護 the water from other users用戶 in the stream.
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他的水受到保障,他人不得使用
06:33
Okay?
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了解嗎?
06:35
He gets得到 paid支付 to leave離開 the water in the stream.
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他收錢讓水留在溪裡
06:38
This guy's傢伙 measuring測量 the water
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這個人正在測量
06:40
that this leaves樹葉 in the stream.
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他留在溪裡的水量
06:43
We then take the measured測量 water,
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然後我們把測到的水量
06:46
we divide劃分 it into thousand-gallon千加侖 increments增量.
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分成一千加侖的增幅
06:49
Each increment增量 gets得到 a serial串行 number and a certificate證書,
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每一增幅發給一組序號和證書
06:52
and then the brewers啤酒製造商 and others其他
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然後釀酒商或其他人
06:54
buy購買 those certificates證書
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可以買這個證書
06:56
as a way to return返回 water
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作為把水還給
06:58
to these degraded降級 ecosystems生態系統.
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受損的生態環境的一種方式
07:00
The brewers啤酒製造商 pay工資
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釀酒商付錢
07:02
to restore恢復 water to the stream.
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讓水資源恢復到溪流裡
07:05
It provides提供 a simple簡單, inexpensive便宜
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這提供了既簡單也不貴
07:07
and measurable可測量 way
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又能測量的方法
07:09
to return返回 water to these degraded降級 ecosystems生態系統,
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讓水回到受損的生態環境裡
07:12
while giving farmers農民 an economic經濟 choice選擇
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既給予農民們一個經濟上的選擇
07:15
and giving businesses企業 concerned關心 about their water footprints腳印
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也讓關心"水足跡"的公司行號
07:18
an easy簡單 way to deal合同 with them.
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有了方法應對問題
07:20
After 140 years年份 of conflict衝突
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經過140年的水資源衝突
07:23
and 100 years年份 of dry streams,
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和100年來的河流乾涸
07:27
a circumstance環境 that litigation訴訟 and regulation
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在訴訟與調解下
07:29
has not solved解決了,
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都沒能解決的問題
07:32
we put together一起 a market-based以市場為基礎,
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我們理出一個讓買賣雙方
07:34
willing願意 buyer買方, willing願意 seller賣家 solution --
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你情我願的市場解決機制
07:36
a solution that does not require要求 litigation訴訟.
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這個解決方案無須訴訟
07:41
It's about giving
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這是讓關切
07:43
folks鄉親 concerned關心 about their water footprints腳印
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"水足跡"的人們
07:46
a real真實 opportunity機會
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有一個真正的機會
07:48
to put water where it's critically危重 needed需要,
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把水放到迫切需要之處
07:50
into these degraded降級 ecosystems生態系統,
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放回受到損害的生態系統裡
07:53
while at the same相同 time
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於此同時也讓
07:55
providing提供 farmers農民
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農民們在經濟上
07:57
a meaningful富有意義的 economic經濟 choice選擇
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能在用水方面得到
07:59
about how their water is used.
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一個有意義的選擇
08:01
These transactions交易 create創建 allies盟國, not enemies敵人.
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這種交易創造出來的是盟友而非敵人
08:04
They connect people rather than dividing them.
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把人連結起來而非分開來
08:06
And they provide提供 needed需要 economic經濟 support支持 for rural鄉村 communities社區.
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而且為鄉村社區提供所需的經濟支持
08:09
And most importantly重要的, it's working加工.
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最重要的是,這方法行得通
08:12
We've我們已經 returned more than four billion十億 gallons加侖 of water
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超過四十億加侖的水因而
08:14
to degraded降級 ecosystems生態系統.
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返回受損的生態環境系統裡
08:16
We've我們已經 connected連接的 senior前輩 water rights權利 holders持有人
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我們連結了有用水權者
08:18
with brewers啤酒製造商 in Montana蒙大拿,
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和蒙大拿的釀酒商
08:20
with hotels酒店 and tea companies公司 in Oregon俄勒岡
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以及奧勒岡的飯店和茶葉公司
08:23
and with high-tech高科技 companies公司 that use a lot of water in the Southwest西南.
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還有西南部用水需要量龐大的高科技公司
08:26
And when we make these connections連接,
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只要我們做這樣的連結
08:29
we can and we do
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我們能做到也確實做到
08:31
turn this into this.
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把這個樣子轉變成這個樣子
08:35
Thank you very much.
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非常謝謝各位
08:37
(Applause掌聲)
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(掌聲)
Translated by Joyce Chou
Reviewed by Wenjer Leuschel

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Rob Harmon - Natural resources expert
Rob Harmon is an expert on energy and natural resources policy -- looking at smart ways to manage carbon, water and the energy we use every day.

Why you should listen

Taking the true measure of our environmental footprint is something that Rob Harmon has been doing for years. Starting as an energy auditor in Massachusetts, Harmon went on to manage an international marketing effort in the wind energy industry and, in 2000, develop and launch the first carbon calculator on the Internet.

Harmon joined Bonneville Environmental Foundation (BEF) in 1999, and is credited with developing their Green Tag program. In 2004, he was awarded the national Green Power Pioneer Award for his introduction of the retail Green Tag (Renewable Energy Certificates) and his ongoing efforts to build a thriving and credible Green Tag market in the United States. He also conceptualized and directed the development of BEF's national Solar 4R Schools program. His latest venture is the creation of BEF's Water Restoration Certificate business line, which utilizes voluntary markets to restore critically de-watered ecosystems. He recently contributed chapters to the book Voluntary Carbon Markets: A Business Guide to What They Are and How They Work. Rob left BEF in November 2010 to explore his next venture, ConvenientOpportunities.com.

More profile about the speaker
Rob Harmon | Speaker | TED.com