Asmeret Asefaw Berhe: A climate change solution that's right under our feet
艾斯莫瑞特·艾思飞·博贺: 气候变化的解决方案就在我们脚下
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe is a soil and global-change scientist and educator passionate about all things related to the science and beauty of soils. Full bio
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posed by climate change
最重要的解决方案,
that covers the surface of land,
地球表面的那一层,
our planet's destiny.
that covers the earth's surface,
and lifelessness in the earth system,
combat climate change
of greenhouse gases
our human society could do
最重要事情之一
studying soil since I was 18,
我从 18 岁起就开始研究土壤,
the secrets of soil
really important climate change solution.
气候变化解决方案。
in the earth's atmosphere
9.4 billion metric tons of carbon
such as burning fossil fuels
the way we use land,
that stays in the atmosphere
we keep releasing into the atmosphere
by land and the seas
as carbon sequestration.
you think we're facing
我们现正面临气候变化
of 50 percent of our pollution,
的污染所产生的后果,
are bailing us out.
working against us right now.
of these natural ecosystems
from the atmosphere
degradation because of human actions.
这种能力正经历严重退化。
像往常一样行动,
by these natural ecosystems
自然生态系统的帮助而摆脱困境,
business-as-usual path that we've been.
metric tons of carbon in the soil.
the amount of carbon
into the atmosphere currently.
than there is in vegetation and air.
植被和空气中的碳含量两倍多。
of the world's vegetation,
and the giant sequoias,
和巨大的红杉、
on the face of the earth,
在地球表面的每一种植物群,
up in the atmosphere, combined,
全部加起来,
in the amount of carbon stored in soil
碳量有点小变化
in maintenance of the earth's atmosphere.
a storage box for carbon, though.
that's in soil at any given time
coming in and out of the soil.
through the process of photosynthesis,
from the atmosphere
their bodies enter the soil.
使其在土壤中腐烂,
formerly living organisms
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere,
二氧化碳进入大气,
such as methane and nitrous oxide,
如甲烷和一氧化二氮,
we all need to survive.
所需的所有营养。
such a fundamental component
a long-term storage of carbon.
代表着长期的碳储存。
maybe a year or two
if it was left on the surface
残渣中留存一两年,
even thousands and more.
甚至数千年以上。
makes this possible,
是如何使这成为可能的,
in physical association with minerals,
to the surfaces of the minerals.
with soil minerals,
can't easily degrade it.
也难以轻易地分解它。
into the atmosphere as greenhouse gases.
to climate change mitigation.
is healthy, fertile, soft.
会很健康、肥沃、柔软,
a lot of water and nutrients.
and diverse habitat for living things
任何地方的生物都提供了
on the earth system.
和最多样的栖息地。
from the tiniest of the microbes,
从最微小的微生物,
and fiber needs for all animals,
that we should be treating soil
unprecedented rates of degradation
前所未有的退化率,
that include deforestation,
包括砍伐森林、
of agricultural chemicals,
are currently considered degraded.
的土壤被视为退化了。
土壤退化都不是好事儿,
potential to support plant productivity.
支持植物生长的潜力。
to provide the food and other resources
提供食物和其他资源的能力,
on the face of the earth.
的每一种生物所需的。
just in the last 200 years or so,
土壤的利用和退化,
into the atmosphere
which we're releasing carbon
at high latitudes.
of the global soil carbon reserves.
的全球土壤碳储量。
a permanently frozen ground underneath,
有一层永久冻结的土,
in these soils over long periods of time
to photosynthesize during the short,
在短暂且温暖的夏季
turns cold and dark,
天色变黑,
to efficiently break down the residue.
有效地分解残留物。
in these polar environments
of thousands of years.
得以日积月累。
for microbes to come in
decompose all this carbon,
of billions of metric tons of carbon
in the form of greenhouse gases.
greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
的额外温室气体
positive feedback loop
自我增强的正反馈循环,
that there is a solution
of soil degradation and climate change.
即土壤退化和气候变化。
in simultaneously working
气候智能土地管理办法
climate-smart land management practices.
in a way that's smart
how much carbon we store in soil.
来实现这一目标,
deep-rooted perennial plants,
from agricultural practices,
of agricultural chemicals and grazing
whenever possible,
such as compost and even human waste.
给土壤添加碳。
is not a radical idea.
一个激进的想法,
for fertile soils
since time immemorial.
to accomplish exactly this goal.
正在采取一项措施要实现这一目标,
is known as the "4 per 1000" effort,
它被称为“千分之四”措施,
stored in soil by 0.4 percent annually,
land management practices
of the global emissions
into the atmosphere.
is not fully successful,
in that direction,
that are healthier, more fertile,
更健康、更肥沃的土壤,
and resources that we need
from the atmosphere
climate change mitigation.
call a win-win solution.
所说的双赢解决方案。
with the respect that it deserves:
让其获得应有的尊重:
as the basis of all life on earth,
所有生命基础的能力,
as a carbon bank
to control our climate.
global challenges of our time:
两个全球性的挑战:
to provide food and nutritional security
为我们人类家庭的成长
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe - Soil scientistAsmeret Asefaw Berhe is a soil and global-change scientist and educator passionate about all things related to the science and beauty of soils.
Why you should listen
As Asmeret Asefaw Berhe tells it: "My research investigates: 1) how the soil system controls the earth's climate, in particular how otherwise thermodynamically unstable organic compounds can remain in soil for up to millennia, and 2) the dynamic two-way relationship between human communities and the soil system that we depend on for our food and nutritional security, and the socio-political implications of land degradation.
"I have a strong commitment towards education, outreach and mentoring. I am driven to ensure that scientific education and careers are equally accessible to people from all walks of life, and that academic workplaces are free from bias and harassment."
Asmeret Asefaw Berhe | Speaker | TED.com