????節(jié)約能源的工作其實(shí)做得很不錯(cuò),，也產(chǎn)生了巨大的影響,。幾個(gè)月前，國(guó)際能源機(jī)構(gòu)(IEA)發(fā)布了另一份報(bào)告,，但它的受關(guān)注度遠(yuǎn)遜于IPCC報(bào)告,，或許是因?yàn)檫@份報(bào)告?zhèn)鬟f的是好消息。

????IEA報(bào)告詳細(xì)介紹了人類通過(guò)投資能源效率和節(jié)能改造節(jié)省下來(lái)的能源,。與上世紀(jì)70年代相比,，每年節(jié)省的“被避免使用能源”數(shù)量大約相當(dāng)于年能源消耗量的三分之二。這個(gè)數(shù)量幾乎是全球石油,、天然氣和煤炭的年產(chǎn)量總和,。

????換句話說(shuō)，如果能源利用效率沒(méi)有得到改善,，我們就必須使用兩倍于目前的石油,、天然氣和煤炭數(shù)量，才能剛剛滿足眼下的使用需求,。

????這么大規(guī)模的節(jié)省并不是自動(dòng)出現(xiàn)的,。自從上世紀(jì)70年代以來(lái),，全球社會(huì)已經(jīng)為改善能源效率投下巨資,。具體多少錢呢？2011年,，我們?cè)谶@個(gè)領(lǐng)域投資了超過(guò)3,000億美元——相當(dāng)于全球石油,、天然氣和煤炭的投資總額。僅在中國(guó),，能源效率投資就從2005年的零美元增加至2010年的120億美元,。

????不幸的是，比較而言,，全球在氣候適應(yīng)領(lǐng)域的投資依然顯得微不足道,。在一些國(guó)家,，比如英國(guó)，近些年來(lái)在這方面的投資其實(shí)下降了,！在美國(guó),，加利福尼亞州和美國(guó)西南部的持續(xù)干旱使奧巴馬總統(tǒng)大為震驚，他最近呼吁國(guó)會(huì)提供10億美元的氣候適應(yīng)資金,。目前還不清楚他是否會(huì)得償所愿,。

????如果不盡早投資于氣候適應(yīng)領(lǐng)域，我們將錯(cuò)失一個(gè)減弱氣候變化最壞影響的巨大機(jī)會(huì),。如果發(fā)生這種情況,，我們將遭受后代無(wú)情地唾罵。

????國(guó)家和個(gè)人層面能夠獲得的回報(bào)是刺激能源效率投資急劇增長(zhǎng)的一個(gè)重大因素,。拜電器節(jié)能技術(shù)所賜,，城市的煙霧，個(gè)人的電費(fèi)賬單都下降了不少,。每個(gè)人都獲得了好處,。

????我們也可以采用類似的理由來(lái)論證基于生態(tài)系統(tǒng)的氣候適應(yīng)努力，我的同事法比奧?斯卡拉諾上周早些時(shí)候發(fā)表的一篇博客文章就彰顯了這一點(diǎn),。

????保護(hù)和恢復(fù)紅樹(shù)林和珊瑚礁不僅有助于保護(hù)城市免受熱帶氣旋和海潮的侵襲,，還可以為可持續(xù)的漁業(yè)提供食物，薪材和繁殖場(chǎng),。設(shè)立基金以確保水力發(fā)電或防洪所需的集水區(qū)也會(huì)帶來(lái)一系列輔助收益,，比如生態(tài)旅游，干凈的飲用水等等,。

????再造退化的森林不僅可以從大氣中吸收二氧化碳,，還有助于催生降雨，管理恰當(dāng)?shù)脑?，還能夠提供建筑材料,，食用植物和其他林產(chǎn)品。洪泛區(qū)不僅能吸收特大暴風(fēng)雨帶來(lái)的水流,，還可以作為水禽棲息地,，同時(shí)為巨型漁場(chǎng)提供支持。

????結(jié)論：我們?cè)谀茉葱暑I(lǐng)域的投資正在取得回報(bào),。我們現(xiàn)在需要對(duì)氣候適應(yīng)進(jìn)行類似的投資,，讓大自然引導(dǎo)我們獲得最大的回報(bào)。（財(cái)富中文網(wǎng)）

????譯者：葉寒

????

????Conserving energy has worked remarkably well and has had a massive impact. A few months ago, another report — this one by the International Energy Agency (IEA) — was released to far less fanfare that the IPCC report, perhaps because it spelled out good news.

????The IEA report detailed how much energy has been saved by investing in energy efficiency and retrofitting. Compared with the 1970s, the amount of “avoided energy” saved each year is equivalent to about two-thirds of current annual consumption — almost as much as the combined global output of oil, gas and coal.

????Put another way, without improving energy efficiency, we would have had to double our use of oil, gas and coal simply to maintain current use.

????This massive savings did not come automatically. Since the 1970s, our global society has invested heavily in energy efficiency. How much? Well, in 2011 we invested over US$ 300 billion in energy efficiency — equivalent to worldwide investment in oil, gas and coal combined. In China alone, energy efficiency investments went from zero in 2005 to $12 billion by 2010.

????Unfortunately, our global investment in adaptation is paltry by comparison. In some countries like the U.K. it has actually gone down in recent years! In the U.S., shaken by the drought that has gripped California and the American Southwest, President Obama recently called for $1 billion in climate adaptation funds. It’s unclear if he will get it.

????Without early investments in adaptation, we will miss a huge opportunity to blunt the worst impacts of climate change. If this happens, we will have the full blame of future generations to bear.

????One of the factors that spurred such rapid growth in energy efficiency investments was the return on investment that accrued at the national and individual levels. Thanks to more efficient appliances, cities could cut smog while individuals paid less in electricity bills. Everybody won.

????A similar argument could be made for ecosystem-based adaptation, which my colleague Fabio Scarano highlighted in a blog earlier this week.

????Protecting and restoring mangroves and coral reefs not only protects cities from tropical cyclones and sea surge but also provides food, fuelwood and nurseries for sustainable fisheries. Setting up funding to secure watersheds for hydroelectricity or flood control provides a host of secondary benefits, from ecotourism to clean drinking water.

????Replanting degraded forests not only soaks up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, it also generates rain and — when managed sustainably — provides building materials, edible plants and other forest products. Floodplains not only absorb runoff from monster storms but also act as habitat for waterfowl, and support huge fisheries.

????Here’s the bottom line: Our investment in energy efficiency is paying off. We need to invest similarly in adaptation now, and use nature as a guide to maximize our returns.