TED2018
Jennifer Wilcox: A new way to remove CO2 from the atmosphere
珍妮佛 威爾考克斯: 從大氣中除去二氧化碳的新方法
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地球遇到了碳的問題，如果我們再不開始除去大氣中的二氧化碳，氣候變熱的速度就會加快。化學工程師珍妮佛 威爾考克斯帶我們看這些了不起的科技，用化學反應的方式清除空氣中的二氧化碳；其過程和樹木很類似，但規模更大。這場鉅細靡遺的演說，探討除碳的承諾和所面對的困難。
Jennifer Wilcox - Chemical engineer
Jennifer Wilcox works on ways to test and measure methods of trace metal and carbon capture, to mitigate the effects of fossil fuels on our planet. Full bio
Jennifer Wilcox works on ways to test and measure methods of trace metal and carbon capture, to mitigate the effects of fossil fuels on our planet. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
Four hundred parts per million:
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百萬分之四百，
00:15
that's the approximate concentration
of CO2 in the air today.
of CO2 in the air today.
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那是現今空氣中，
二氧化碳的大約濃度。
二氧化碳的大約濃度。
00:20
What does this even mean?
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那到底是什麼意思？
00:22
For every 400 molecules of carbon dioxide,
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每 400 個二氧化碳的分子，
00:25
we have another million molecules
of oxygen and nitrogen.
of oxygen and nitrogen.
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就會有另外 100 萬個氧和氮的分子。
00:30
In this room today,
there are about 1,800 of us.
there are about 1,800 of us.
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現在在這間房間中，
我們大約有 1800 人，
我們大約有 1800 人，
00:33
Imagine just one of us
was wearing a green shirt,
was wearing a green shirt,
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想像一下，我們當中
只有一人穿綠色上衣，
只有一人穿綠色上衣，
00:37
and you're asked to find
that single person.
that single person.
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你被要求去找到那一個人。
00:41
That's the challenge we're facing
when capturing CO2
when capturing CO2
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那就是現今我們想要直接
捕獲空氣中的二氧化碳時，
捕獲空氣中的二氧化碳時，
00:44
directly out of the air.
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所遇到的問題。
00:47
Sounds pretty easy,
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聽起來挺簡單的，
00:48
pulling CO2 out of the air.
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把二氧化碳從空氣中去除。
00:51
It's actually really difficult.
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其實真的很困難。
00:52
But I'll tell you what is easy:
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但告訴各位什麼很容易：
00:54
avoiding CO2 emissions to begin with.
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一開始就避免排放二氧化碳。
00:58
But we're not doing that.
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但我們沒有這麼做。
01:01
So now what we have to think
about is going back;
about is going back;
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所以現在我們必須回過頭去；
01:05
pulling CO2 back out of the air.
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把二氧化碳從空氣中抽出來。
01:08
Even though it's difficult,
it's actually possible to do this.
it's actually possible to do this.
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即使很困難，還是有可能做到的。
01:12
And I'm going to share with you today
where this technology is at
where this technology is at
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今天我要和各位分享的是
這項技術的現況，
這項技術的現況，
01:16
and where it just may be heading
in the near future.
in the near future.
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以及在不遠的將來，
它可能的發展方向。
它可能的發展方向。
01:20
Now, the earth naturally
removes CO2 from the air
removes CO2 from the air
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地球本身自己就會
把二氧化碳從空氣中除去，
把二氧化碳從空氣中除去，
01:24
by seawater, soils, plants and even rocks.
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透過海水、土壤、植物，
和甚至石頭來做這件事。
和甚至石頭來做這件事。
01:29
And although engineers and scientists
are doing the invaluable work
are doing the invaluable work
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雖然工程師和科學家都投入在
加速這些自然過程的無價工作上，
01:34
to accelerate these natural processes,
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01:37
it simply won't be enough.
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就是還不足夠。
01:39
The good news is, we have more.
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好消息是，我們還有其他方法。
01:42
Thanks to human ingenuity,
we have the technology today
we have the technology today
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靠著人類的足智多謀，
我們現在有技術
我們現在有技術
01:45
to remove CO2 out of the air
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可以把空氣中的二氧化碳除去，
01:49
using a chemically manufactured approach.
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利用化學反應的方法。
01:51
I like to think of this
as a synthetic forest.
as a synthetic forest.
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我喜歡把它想成是一個合成森林。
01:55
There are two basic approaches
to growing or building such a forest.
to growing or building such a forest.
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要種出或建造出這樣的森林，
有兩種基本的方式：
有兩種基本的方式：
02:00
One is using CO2-grabbing chemicals
dissolved in water.
dissolved in water.
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第一是使用溶解在水中且能夠
抓取二氧化碳的化學物質。
抓取二氧化碳的化學物質。
02:05
Another is using solid materials
with CO2-grabbing chemicals.
with CO2-grabbing chemicals.
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第二是使用固態材料，
內含有能抓取二氧化碳的化學物質。
內含有能抓取二氧化碳的化學物質。
02:09
No matter which approach you choose,
they basically look the same.
they basically look the same.
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不論你選擇哪一種方法，
基本上它們看起來是一樣的。
基本上它們看起來是一樣的。
02:13
So what I'm showing you here
is what a system might look like
is what a system might look like
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我接著要給各位看，做這件事的系統
02:17
to do just this.
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是什麼樣子的。
02:19
This is called an air contactor.
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這叫做空氣接觸器。
02:21
You can see it has to be
really, really wide
really, really wide
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它必須要非常非常寬，
02:23
in order to have
a high enough surface area
a high enough surface area
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這樣才能有足夠大的表面積
02:25
to process all of the air required,
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來處理所有必要的空氣，
02:28
because remember,
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因為，別忘了，
02:29
we're trying to capture
just 400 molecules out of a million.
just 400 molecules out of a million.
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我們試著在一百萬個分子中
捕集四百個分子。
捕集四百個分子。
02:34
Using the liquid-based
approach to do this,
approach to do this,
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如果要用液體方法來捕集，
02:37
you take this high surface area
packing material,
packing material,
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你就要用這大表面積的包材，
02:39
you fill the contactor
with the packing material,
with the packing material,
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把接觸器用包材裝滿，
02:42
you use pumps to distribute liquid
across the packing material,
across the packing material,
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用幫浦將液體分佈至包材的各處，
02:47
and you can use fans,
as you can see in the front,
as you can see in the front,
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還可以用風扇，如圖的前方所示，
02:50
to bubble the air through the liquid.
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讓空氣通過液體產生泡泡。
02:53
The CO2 in the air
is separated from the liquid
is separated from the liquid
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空氣中的二氧化碳和液體分離，
02:57
by reacting with the really strong-binding
CO2 molecules in solution.
CO2 molecules in solution.
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因為它會和溶液中結合力極強的
二氧化碳分子發生作用。
二氧化碳分子發生作用。
03:03
And in order to capture a lot of CO2,
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為了要捕集很多二氧化碳，
03:06
you have to make this contactor deeper.
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這個接觸器必須要做得很深。
03:09
But there's an optimization,
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但有個最佳化的點，
03:10
because the deeper
you make that contactor,
you make that contactor,
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因為接觸器越深，
03:12
the more energy you're spending
on bubbling all that air through.
on bubbling all that air through.
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你就要花更多能源來把空氣打過去。
03:17
So air contactors for direct air capture
have this unique characteristic design,
have this unique characteristic design,
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所以，直接捕集空氣的空氣接觸器
在設計上有這項獨特的特徵，
在設計上有這項獨特的特徵，
03:21
where they have this huge surface area,
but a relatively thin thickness.
but a relatively thin thickness.
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有很大的表面積，
厚度相對就很薄。
厚度相對就很薄。
03:26
And now once you've captured the CO2,
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一旦你捕集到了二氧化碳，
03:29
you have to be able to recycle
that material that you used to capture it,
that material that you used to capture it,
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你就得要回收那些用來捕集它的材料，
03:33
over and over again.
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一次又一次。
03:34
The scale of carbon capture is so enormous
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碳捕集工作的規模是很龐大的，
03:38
that the capture process
must be sustainable,
must be sustainable,
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捕集過程必須要是永續的，
03:40
and you can't use a material just once.
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材料不能只用一次就丟。
03:42
And so recycling the material requires
an enormous amount of heat,
an enormous amount of heat,
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而回收那些材料就需要很大量的熱，
03:47
because think about it:
CO2 is so dilute in the air,
CO2 is so dilute in the air,
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因為，想想看：在空氣中，
二氧化碳會被稀釋，
二氧化碳會被稀釋，
03:50
that material is binding it really strong,
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和它結合的材料非常強而有力，
03:53
and so you need a lot of heat
in order to recycle the material.
in order to recycle the material.
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因此會需要很大量的熱，
才能回收那些材料。
才能回收那些材料。
03:57
And to recycle the material
with that heat,
with that heat,
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如果用那樣的熱來將材料回收，
04:00
what happens is that concentrated CO2
that you got from dilute CO2 in the air
that you got from dilute CO2 in the air
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會發生的結果是，從空氣中稀釋的
二氧化碳所取得的濃縮二氧化碳
二氧化碳所取得的濃縮二氧化碳
04:05
is now released,
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現在被釋出了，
04:07
and you produce high-purity CO2.
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產生了高純度的二氧化碳。
04:10
And that's really important,
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那很重要，
04:12
because high-purity CO2
is easier to liquify,
is easier to liquify,
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因為高純度的二氧化碳比較容易液化，
04:16
easier to transport, whether
it's in a pipeline or a truck,
it's in a pipeline or a truck,
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比較容易運送，
不論是透過管線或是卡車都一樣，
不論是透過管線或是卡車都一樣，
04:19
or even easier to use directly,
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更容易直接使用，
04:21
say, as a fuel or a chemical.
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比如，用來當燃料或化學物質。
04:25
So I want to talk a little bit more
about that energy.
about that energy.
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所以，關於那能源，
我想要再多談一點。
我想要再多談一點。
04:28
The heat required to regenerate
or recycle these materials
or recycle these materials
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重新產生或回收這些材料所需要的熱
04:33
absolutely dictates the energy
and the subsequent cost of doing this.
and the subsequent cost of doing this.
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會直接影響到能源
和做這件事的後續成本。
和做這件事的後續成本。
04:40
So I ask a question:
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所以我要問一個問題：
04:42
How much energy do you think it takes
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你們認為要花多少能源
04:45
to remove a million tons
of CO2 from the air
of CO2 from the air
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才能在一年內把空氣中的 100 萬噸
04:49
in a given year?
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二氧化碳除去？
04:51
The answer is: a power plant.
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答案是：一座電廠的能量。
04:53
It takes a power plant
to capture CO2 directly from the air.
to capture CO2 directly from the air.
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需要用一座電廠才能直接
捕集空氣中的二氧化碳。
捕集空氣中的二氧化碳。
04:56
Depending on which approach you choose,
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看你選的方法是哪一種，
04:58
the power plant could be on the order
of 300 to 500 megawatts.
of 300 to 500 megawatts.
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用的可能是三到五百萬瓦特的電廠。
05:03
And you have to be careful about
what kind of power plant you choose.
what kind of power plant you choose.
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要選哪一種電廠，也要十分謹慎。
05:07
If you choose coal,
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如果選擇燃煤電廠，
05:09
you end up emitting more CO2
than you capture.
than you capture.
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最終排放的二氧化碳
可能比捕集到的還多。
可能比捕集到的還多。
05:13
Now let's talk about costs.
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現在來談談成本。
05:15
An energy-intensive version
of this technology
of this technology
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這種技術，如果用的是高能源的版本，
05:18
could cost you as much
as $1,000 a ton
as $1,000 a ton
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每噸可能要花上 $1,000，
05:21
just to capture it.
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這只是捕集的成本。
05:24
Let's translate that.
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讓我把它轉成白話。
05:26
If you were to take that very expensive
CO2 and convert it to a liquid fuel,
CO2 and convert it to a liquid fuel,
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如果你打算要把非常昂貴的
二氧化碳轉換成液態燃料，
二氧化碳轉換成液態燃料，
05:30
that comes out to 50 dollars a gallon.
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那麼算起來會是每加侖 $50。
05:33
That's way too expensive;
it's not feasible.
it's not feasible.
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那實在太貴了，不可行。
05:35
So how could we bring these costs down?
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我們要如何減低成本？
05:38
That's, in part, the work that I do.
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我有部分工作在處理這個問題。
05:41
There's a company today,
a commercial-scale company,
a commercial-scale company,
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現在有一間公司，
商業規模的公司，
商業規模的公司，
05:44
that can do this as low
as 600 dollars a ton.
as 600 dollars a ton.
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可以壓到每噸 $600 的價格。
05:47
There are several other companies
that are developing technologies
that are developing technologies
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還有好幾間其他公司在開發技術，
05:51
that can do this even cheaper than that.
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想要把價格壓到比那更低。
05:53
I'm going to talk to you a little bit
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我要跟各位談談
05:55
about a few of these different companies.
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這當中的少數幾間公司。
05:57
One is called Carbon Engineering.
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其一是「炭工程
（Carbon Engineering）」。
（Carbon Engineering）」。
05:59
They're based out of Canada.
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該公司位在加拿大。
06:00
They use a liquid-based
approach for separation
approach for separation
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他們用液態的方式來做分離，
06:03
combined with burning
super-abundant, cheap natural gas
super-abundant, cheap natural gas
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再搭配燃燒足夠且便宜的天然氣，
06:07
to supply the heat required.
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來供應必要的熱。
06:10
They have a clever approach
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他們有個很聰明的方法，
06:11
that allows them to co-capture
the CO2 from the air
the CO2 from the air
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可以同時捕集空氣中的二氧化碳，
06:16
and the CO2 that they generate
from burning the natural gas.
from burning the natural gas.
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以及燃燒天然氣所產生的二氧化碳。
06:20
And so by doing this,
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透過這麼做，
06:21
they offset excess pollution
and they reduce costs.
and they reduce costs.
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可以抵消掉額外的污染，並減少成本。
06:26
Switzerland-based Climeworks
and US-based Global Thermostat
and US-based Global Thermostat
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瑞士的「氣候工程（Climeworks）」
及美國的「全球恆溫
（Global Thermostat）」公司，
（Global Thermostat）」公司，
06:30
use a different approach.
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採用不同的方式。
06:31
They use solid materials for capture.
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它們用的是固態的捕集法。
06:34
Climeworks uses heat from the earth,
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氣候工程公司用的是來自地球的熱，
06:37
or geothermal,
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或地熱，
06:38
or even excess steam
from other industrial processes
from other industrial processes
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或甚至是工業過程中過量的蒸汽，
06:41
to cut down on pollution and costs.
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以減少污染以及成本。
06:44
Global Thermostat
takes a different approach.
takes a different approach.
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全球恆溫公司用的方式不同。
06:46
They focus on the heat required
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他們把焦點放在必要的熱
06:49
and the speed in which it moves
through the material
through the material
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以及熱通過材料的速度，
06:53
so that they're able to release
and produce that CO2
and produce that CO2
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這麼一來，就可以快速地釋放和產生
06:58
at a really fast rate,
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那些二氧化碳，
07:00
which allows them to have
a more compact design
a more compact design
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讓他們的設計可以變得更小巧，
07:03
and overall cheaper costs.
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整體的成本也比較便宜。
07:06
And there's more still.
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還有更多其他的。
07:08
A synthetic forest has a significant
advantage over a real forest: size.
advantage over a real forest: size.
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和真實的森林比，合成的森林
有一個顯著的優勢：大小。
有一個顯著的優勢：大小。
07:14
This next image that I'm showing you
is a map of the Amazon rainforest.
is a map of the Amazon rainforest.
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我接下來要給各位看的圖，
是亞馬遜雨林的地圖，
是亞馬遜雨林的地圖，
07:18
The Amazon is capable of capturing
1.6 billion tons of CO2 each year.
1.6 billion tons of CO2 each year.
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亞馬遜每年可以捕集
16 億噸的二氧化碳。
16 億噸的二氧化碳。
07:24
This is the equivalent
of roughly 25 percent
of roughly 25 percent
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這大約等同於美國每年
07:28
of our annual emissions in the US.
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排放量的 25%。
07:31
The land area required
for a synthetic forest
for a synthetic forest
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換成是合成森林
或專門用來捕集空氣的電廠，
或專門用來捕集空氣的電廠，
07:33
or a manufactured direct air capture plant
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若要捕集相同份量的二氧化碳，
07:36
to capture the same
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所需要用的面積
07:37
is 500 times smaller.
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小了 500 倍。
07:41
In addition, for a synthetic forest,
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此外，合成的森林
07:44
you don't have to build it on arable land,
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並不需要建造在耕地上，
07:47
so there's no competition
with farmland or food,
with farmland or food,
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不會和農地或食物產生競爭，
07:51
and there's also no reason
to have to cut down any real trees
to have to cut down any real trees
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也不需要砍伐任何真正的樹木
07:56
to do this.
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就可以做到。
07:58
I want to step back,
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我想要先退一步，
08:00
and I want to bring up the concept
of negative emissions again.
of negative emissions again.
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我想要再提一下負排放的概念。
08:04
Negative emissions require
that the CO2 separated
that the CO2 separated
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負排放是要把分離出的二氧化碳
08:07
be permanently removed
from the atmosphere forever,
from the atmosphere forever,
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永遠從大氣中除去，
08:12
which means putting it back underground,
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也就是，把它放回到地底，
08:15
where it came from in the first place.
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因為它最初是從地底來的。
08:17
But let's face it, nobody
gets paid to do that today --
gets paid to do that today --
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但要面對現實，現今沒有人
能靠做這種事賺錢——
能靠做這種事賺錢——
08:21
at least not enough.
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至少賺不了多少錢。
08:23
So the companies that are developing
these technologies
these technologies
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所以，在開發這些技術的公司
08:26
are actually interested in taking the CO2
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其實是想要把二氧化碳拿來
08:29
and making something useful
out of it, a marketable product.
out of it, a marketable product.
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做成有用的東西，有市場的產品。
08:32
It could be liquid fuels, plastics
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可能是液態燃料、塑膠，
08:35
or even synthetic gravel.
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或甚至合成碎石。
08:38
And don't get me wrong --
these carbon markets are great.
these carbon markets are great.
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別誤會我的意思——
這些碳市場是很棒的。
這些碳市場是很棒的。
08:42
But I also don't want you
to be disillusioned.
to be disillusioned.
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但我也不希望各位的幻想破滅。
08:45
These are not large enough
to solve our climate crisis,
to solve our climate crisis,
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剛談的這些都還不足以
解決我們的氣候危機，
解決我們的氣候危機，
08:49
and so what we need to do
is we need to actually think about
is we need to actually think about
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我們需要做的是要真正去思考
08:52
what it could take.
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要花什麼代價。
08:54
One thing I'll absolutely say
is positive about the carbon markets
is positive about the carbon markets
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對於碳市場，
有一個優點我一定會說，
有一個優點我一定會說，
08:58
is that they allow for new
capture plants to be built,
capture plants to be built,
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那就是，因為它們，
新的捕集廠得以建立起來，
新的捕集廠得以建立起來，
09:03
and with every capture plant built,
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而每建立一座捕集廠，
09:04
we learn more.
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我們就會學到更多。
09:06
And when we learn more,
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當我們學到更多，
09:07
we have an opportunity
to bring costs down.
to bring costs down.
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我們就有機會把成本降低。
09:11
But we also need to be willing to invest
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但我們這個全球共同體也得要
09:15
as a global society.
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願意去投資。
09:18
We could have all of the clever thinking
and technology in the world,
and technology in the world,
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我們或許有各種聰明的想法和技術，
09:21
but it's not going to be enough
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但那還不夠讓
09:23
in order for this technology
to have a significant impact on climate.
to have a significant impact on climate.
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這項技術對於氣候產生夠顯著的影響。
09:28
We really need regulation,
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我們很需要法規，
09:30
we need subsidies,
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我們需要補助，
09:32
taxes on carbon.
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碳相關的稅。
09:34
There are a few of us that would
absolutely be willing to pay more,
absolutely be willing to pay more,
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很少有人會願意付更多，
09:39
but what will be required
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但需要做的是，
09:41
is for carbon-neutral,
carbon-negative paths
carbon-negative paths
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要讓碳中和與負碳的途徑
09:44
to be affordable for
the majority of society
the majority of society
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便宜到社會上大部分人都能負擔，
09:47
in order to impact climate.
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這樣才能對氣候有所影響。
09:49
In addition to those kinds of investments,
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除了那些投資之外，
09:52
we also need investments
in research and development.
in research and development.
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我們也需要在研究和開發上做投資。
09:55
So what might that look like?
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所以，看起來會是什麼樣子？
09:57
In 1966, the US invested about
a half a percent of gross domestic product
a half a percent of gross domestic product
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1966 年，美國將大約一半的
國內生產總值投資在
國內生產總值投資在
10:04
in the Apollo program.
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阿波羅計畫上。
10:06
It got people safely to the moon
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該計畫讓人類安全登陸月球，
10:09
and back to the earth.
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並返回地球。
10:11
Half a percent of GDP today
is about 100 billion dollars.
is about 100 billion dollars.
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當年國內生產總值的一半，
約等於現今的 1000 億。
約等於現今的 1000 億。
10:15
So knowing that direct air capture
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已經知道直接捕集空氣
10:18
is one front in our fight
against climate change,
against climate change,
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是我們對抗氣候變遷之戰的前線，
10:21
imagine that we could invest
20 percent, 20 billion dollars.
20 percent, 20 billion dollars.
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想像一下，若我們能投資 20%，
即 200 億元，會如何。
即 200 億元，會如何。
10:25
Further, let's imagine
that we could get the costs down
that we could get the costs down
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此外，也想像一下，
我們能把成本降低，
我們能把成本降低，
10:28
to a 100 dollars a ton.
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降到每噸 100 元。
10:31
That's going to be hard,
but it's part of what makes my job fun.
but it's part of what makes my job fun.
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那會很困難，但這也是讓
我的工作很有趣的原因之一。
我的工作很有趣的原因之一。
10:35
And so what does that look like,
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所以，200 億元，
10:37
20 billion dollars,100 dollars a ton?
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每噸 100 元，會是什麼樣子？
10:39
That requires us to build
200 synthetic forests,
200 synthetic forests,
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那會需要建造 200 座合成森林，
10:42
each capable of capturing
a million tons of CO2 per year.
a million tons of CO2 per year.
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每一座每年都能夠捕集
100 噸的二氧化碳。
100 噸的二氧化碳。
10:48
That adds up to about five percent
of US annual emissions.
of US annual emissions.
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加起來，總共約是
美國每年排放量的 5%。
美國每年排放量的 5%。
10:53
It doesn't sound like much.
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聽起來不很多。
10:55
Turns out, it's actually significant.
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結果發現，其實是很重大的。
10:57
If you look at the emissions
associated with long-haul trucking
associated with long-haul trucking
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如果看看長程貨車運輸
以及商業飛機
以及商業飛機
11:00
and commercial aircraft,
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相關的排放，
11:02
they add up to about five percent.
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它們加起來大約是 5%。
11:05
Our dependence on liquid fuels
makes these emissions
makes these emissions
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我們對於液態燃料的依賴，
讓這些排放非常難避免。
11:09
really difficult to avoid.
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11:11
So this investment
could absolutely be significant.
could absolutely be significant.
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所以，這項投資絕對是重要的。
11:17
Now, what would it take
in terms of land area to do this,
in terms of land area to do this,
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要花費多少土地面積，才能做到
11:20
200 plants?
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200 座捕集廠？
11:22
It turns out that they would take up
about half the land area of Vancouver.
about half the land area of Vancouver.
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結果算出來是大約
溫哥華土地面積的一半左右。
溫哥華土地面積的一半左右。
11:26
That's if they were fueled by natural gas.
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前提是要用天然氣來當燃料。
11:28
But remember the downside
of natural gas -- it also emits CO2.
of natural gas -- it also emits CO2.
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但別忘了，天然氣也有不利的一面，
它也會排放二氧化碳。
它也會排放二氧化碳。
11:33
So if you use natural gas
to do direct air capture,
to do direct air capture,
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所以，如果用天然氣
來直接做空氣捕集，
來直接做空氣捕集，
11:36
you only end up capturing
about a third of what's intended,
about a third of what's intended,
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最後只能捕集到
預期量的三分之一左右，
預期量的三分之一左右，
11:40
unless you have that
clever approach of co-capture
clever approach of co-capture
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除非你有聰明的同時捕集方法，
11:42
that Carbon Engineering does.
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就像炭工程公司用的方法。
11:45
And so if we had an alternative approach
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如果我們有替代的方法，
11:47
and used wind or solar to do this,
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用風力或太陽能來取代，
11:50
the land area would be
about 15 times larger,
about 15 times larger,
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土地面積會變成約 15 倍大，
11:53
looking at the state of New Jersey now.
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近似現在的紐澤西。
11:56
One of the things that I think about
in my work and my research
in my work and my research
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我在工作和研究時，
會思考的其中一件事情，
會思考的其中一件事情，
11:59
is optimizing and figuring out
where we should put these plants
where we should put these plants
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是要想出把這些捕集廠
放在哪裡最好，
放在哪裡最好，
12:03
and think about
the local resources available --
the local resources available --
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並考量可得的當地資源——
12:06
whether it's land, water,
cheap and clean electricity --
cheap and clean electricity --
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不論是土地、水資源、
便宜且乾淨的電力——
便宜且乾淨的電力——
12:10
because, for instance,
you can use clean electricity
you can use clean electricity
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因為，比如，可以用乾淨的電力
12:12
to split water to produce hydrogen,
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來做水分裂，產生氫，
12:15
which is an excellent, carbon-free
replacement for natural gas,
replacement for natural gas,
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氫是很好的天然氣替代品，
不會產生碳，
不會產生碳，
12:19
to supply the heat required.
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用來產生需要的熱。
12:22
But I want us to reflect a little bit
again on negative emissions.
again on negative emissions.
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但我希望大家能再次反思負排放。
12:26
Negative emissions should not be
considered a silver bullet,
considered a silver bullet,
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負排放不該被視為神奇的解決方案，
12:29
but they may help us
if we continue to stall
if we continue to stall
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但如果我們在減少全球二氧化碳時
12:32
at cutting down on CO2
pollution worldwide.
pollution worldwide.
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一直遇到瓶頸，
負排放也許可以幫助我們。
負排放也許可以幫助我們。
12:36
But that's also why we have to be careful.
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但也因此，我們得要很小心。
12:39
This approach is so alluring
that it can even be risky,
that it can even be risky,
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這種方法非常誘人，
甚至可能有風險，
甚至可能有風險，
12:42
as some may cling onto it as some kind
of total solution to our climate crisis.
of total solution to our climate crisis.
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因為有些人可能會太依重它，
把它視為是氣候危機的完全解決方案。
把它視為是氣候危機的完全解決方案。
12:47
It may tempt people to continue
to burn fossil fuels 24 hours a day,
to burn fossil fuels 24 hours a day,
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它可能會誘使大家繼續燃燒
化石燃料，一年 365 天，
化石燃料，一年 365 天，
12:53
365 days a year.
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一天 24 小時不斷地燒。
12:55
I argue that we should not
see negative emissions
see negative emissions
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我主張不要把負排放
12:58
as a replacement for stopping pollution,
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視為是阻止污染的替代品，
13:00
but rather, as an addition to an existing
portfolio that includes everything,
portfolio that includes everything,
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而是在既有的方案組合外，
再外加一個無所不包的方案，
再外加一個無所不包的方案，
13:06
from increased energy efficiency
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內容從增加能源效能，
13:08
to low-energy carbon
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到低能源碳，
13:10
to improved farming --
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到改善農業，
13:11
will all collectively get us on a path
to net-zero emissions one day.
to net-zero emissions one day.
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會一起讓我們有朝一日
能走上淨碳排放為零的路途。
能走上淨碳排放為零的路途。
13:17
A little bit of self-reflection:
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一點點自我反思：
13:20
my husband is an emergency physician.
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我丈夫是急診室醫生。
13:23
And I find myself amazed
by the lifesaving work
by the lifesaving work
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他和他的同事每天的工作就是
13:27
that he and his colleagues
do each and every day.
do each and every day.
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拯救人命，我覺得很了不起。
13:31
Yet when I talk to them
about my work on carbon capture,
about my work on carbon capture,
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然而，當我和他們談到
我的碳捕集工作時，
我的碳捕集工作時，
13:35
I find that they're equally amazed,
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他們也同樣覺得很了不起，
13:37
and that's because combatting
climate change by capturing carbon
climate change by capturing carbon
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那是因為用捕集碳來對抗氣候變遷
13:42
isn't just about saving a polar bear
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並不只是要拯救北極熊
13:44
or a glacier.
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或是冰河。
13:45
It's about saving human lives.
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它也是在拯救人命。
13:49
A synthetic forest may not ever be
as pretty as a real one,
as pretty as a real one,
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合成森林可能沒有
真實森林那麼漂亮，
真實森林那麼漂亮，
13:54
but it could just enable us
to preserve not only the Amazon,
to preserve not only the Amazon,
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但有了它，
我們就不只能保育亞馬遜，
我們就不只能保育亞馬遜，
13:58
but all of the people
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還能保護所有
14:00
that we love and cherish,
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我們愛與珍惜的人，
14:02
as well as all of our future generations
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以及我們未來的世代
14:07
and modern civilization.
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和現代文明。
14:08
Thank you.
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謝謝。
14:10
(Applause)
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（掌聲）
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jennifer Wilcox - Chemical engineerJennifer Wilcox works on ways to test and measure methods of trace metal and carbon capture, to mitigate the effects of fossil fuels on our planet.
Why you should listen
Jennifer Wilcox is the James H. Manning Chaired Professor of Chemical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Having grown up in rural Maine, she has a profound respect and appreciation of nature, which permeates her work as she focuses on minimizing negative impacts of humankind on our natural environment.
Wilcox's research takes aim at the nexus of energy and the environment, developing both mitigation and adaptation strategies to minimize negative climate impacts associated with society's dependence on fossil fuels. This work carefully examines the role of carbon management and opportunities therein that could assist in preventing 2° C warming by 2100. Carbon management includes a mix of technologies spanning from the direct removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to its capture from industrial, utility-scale and micro-emitter (motor vehicle) exhaust streams, followed by utilization or reliable storage of carbon dioxide on a timescale and magnitude that will have a positive impact on our current climate change crisis. Funding for her research is primarily sourced through the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and the private sector. She has served on a number of committees including the National Academy of Sciences and the American Physical Society to assess carbon capture methods and impacts on climate. She is the author of the first textbook on carbon capture, published in March 2012.
Jennifer Wilcox | Speaker | TED.com