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In 2015, leaders from many countries adopted an international climate treaty known as the Paris Agreement to prevent global average temperatures from increasing to more than 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-Industrial Revolution temperature benchmark.
2015年，许多国家的领导人通过了一项名为《巴黎协定》的国际气候条约，以防止全球平均气温比工业革命前的基准温度高出2摄氏度以上。
Some people think that we should be trying to keep warming below 1.5 degrees.
一些人认为我们应该努力将气温升高控制在1.5摄氏度以下。
But how much difference can half a degree really make, youll say?
但你会说，半度的温度能带来多大的不同呢？
What if Earths climate warmed up to 2 C above that pre-Industrial benchmark overnight?
如果地球气候一夜之间变暖到比工业化前的基准高出2摄氏度会怎么样？
If the global average temperature rises by 1.5 degrees, the probability of an ice-free Arctic summer in any given year is about 3 percent.
如果全球平均气温上升1.5摄氏度，任何年份北极出现无冰夏季可能性约为3%。
Ice near the poles continues to melt at 2 degrees of warming, adding enough water into the oceans to cause sea levels to rise by 48 centimeters by the year 2100.
两极附近的冰在升温2摄氏度时继续融化，向海洋中添加了足够的水，导致到2100年海平面上升48厘米。
Rainfall, like the layer of peanut butter on a PB&J, is best when its evenly distributed.
降雨，就像花生酱上面的一层一样，均匀分布时是最好的。
The frequency of extreme rainfall events at 1.5 degrees Celsius is expected to have increased by 17 percent.
升温1.5摄氏度时极端降雨事件的频率预计增加了17%。
Droughts will last 2 months on average - about as long as it took the Mayflower to sail to America.
干旱平均将持续两个月--大约相当于五月花号驶往美国的时间。
Reduced crop production and other results of extreme weather patterns will contribute to an 8 percent drop in global GDP.
作物减产和极端天气模式的其他结果将导致全球GDP下降8%。
Climate change is already affecting natural areas which make up the habitat of countless species of animals.
气候变化已经影响到构成无数种动物栖息地的自然区域。
So, there is a difference, right?
所以，这是有区别的，对吧？
Lets see what will happen if we push the temperature past the goal limits set by the Paris Agreement.
让我们看看，如果我们气温超过《巴黎协定》设定的目标限制，会发生什么。
For example, at plus 3 degrees, there is a 63% chance that the Arctic will be ice-free in any given summer.
例如，在气温升高3摄氏度的情况下，北极有63%的可能性在任何年份夏季都不会结冰。
At plus 3 degrees, sea levels rise more than 56 cm.
升高3摄氏度时，海平面上升了56厘米以上。
At plus 4, sea levels could rise about six and a half feet - nearly the height of most doorways, taller than celebrities like Dwayne The Rock Johnson and James Harden, and more than high enough to drown much of Miami, Shanghai, Osaka, and Egypts Nile delta.
气温升高4摄氏度时，海平面可能上升约6.5英尺-几乎是大多数门洞的高度，比摇滚巨人德韦恩·约翰逊和詹姆斯·哈登等名人还要高，足以淹没迈阿密、上海、大阪和埃及尼罗河三角洲的大部分地区。
At plus 3 degrees, droughts will last an average of 10 months - same amount of time as from New Years to Halloween.
在气温升高3摄氏度，干旱将平均持续10个月-相当于从新年到万圣节的时间。
At plus 4.5 degrees, 44 percent of all animals with backbones would suffer devastating population losses as more than half of their home range is lost.
气温升高4.5摄氏度时，44%的有脊椎的动物将遭受毁灭性的种群损失，因为它们一半以上的栖息地没有了。
Some of these species even die out completely.
其中一些物种甚至完全灭绝了。
What can we do to keep warming under control?
我们能做些什么来控制气候变暖呢？
Educate yourself and others.
教育自己和他人。
Encourage leaders in governments to adopt climate goals.
鼓励政府领导人接受气候目标。
Write letters to elected officials.
给当选官员写信。
Attend town halls.
去市政厅。
Vote for leaders who get it.
投票给明白这一点的领导人。
These efforts may feel small, but remember that small changes can make a big difference.
这些努力可能看起来微不足道，但请记住，小的改变可以产生很大的影响。
