来自153个国家的11，000多名科学家在一份声明中宣布了气候紧急状态，声明称需要“变革性变革”，以避免“气候危机带来的无尽痛苦”。
1979年第一次世界气候大会在日内瓦召开40年后，它仍然是“一切照旧”，这篇文章发表在生物科学美国期刊。与此同时，“气候危机已经到来”，签署方表示，它不仅比预期的更严重，而且加速的速度也比预期的要快。
悉尼大学的托马斯·纽瑟姆描述了科学家警告公众人类面临任何重大威胁的“道德义务”。“从我们掌握的数据来看，很明显我们正面临着气候紧急情况，”他在声明。
来自世界各地的11000多名科学家签署了该宣言，称之为气候紧急事件。2019年10月25日，在DC华盛顿举行的“星期五消防演习”气候变化抗议活动中，示威者举着一块牌子说“是”——这是一场气候危机。
签署方强调了自科学家首次发布一份1992年对人类的警告。“我们在稳定平流层臭氧层方面取得了良好进展。臭氧消耗物质排放量的迅速下降表明，如果我们果断行动，我们可以取得进展。我们在减少极端贫困和饥饿方面也取得了进展，”俄勒冈州立大学杰出的生态学教授威廉·里普告诉记者新闻周刊。
文章还提到可再生能源部门的快速增长、全球出生率的下降和巴西雨林森林砍伐的减少是积极变化的例子。
但这一进展，至少在某些方面，似乎正在停滞。出生率的下降在21世纪进一步下降20亿人(相当于35%的增长)自从1992年以来，巴西的人口就一直在增加亚马逊森林砍伐的增加。
与此同时，随着对牲畜产品的需求和全球气温的上升，对化石燃料的需求也在增加，海平面和海洋酸度继续上升。科学家们说，尽管太阳能和风能的消耗量每十年增加约373%，但化石燃料的消耗量却相形见绌，化石燃料的消耗量(截至2018年)是化石燃料的28倍。
今年早些时候发表的一项研究发现，海洋升温速度比以前想象的快40%。图:2019年8月24日，路易斯安那州格兰德岛海岸，一艘拖网渔船穿过墨西哥湾。
“虽然事情很糟糕，但并非一切都无望，”纽瑟姆说。"我们可以采取措施应对气候紧急情况。"
这篇文章的作者强调了需要立即采取行动的六个重点领域。其中包括能源，他们建议消除化石燃料和引入碳费，还有食品，减少食品浪费和动物产品可以减轻农业给地球带来的压力。
文章还非常强调人口，称其为“化石燃料燃烧二氧化碳排放量增加的最重要驱动因素之一”根据这篇文章，全球人口目前每天增加20万人。
虽然人口控制可以有争议的瑞波强调，在应对日益增长的人口数量的同时，需要加强人权，因为人口数量的增长使资源紧张，并导致了人为的气候变化。
“这些政策包括为所有人提供自愿的计划生育服务，”他说。“为了取得成功，我们需要实现充分的性别平等，并使中等教育成为女孩和年轻妇女的全球规范。”
瑞普和其他签署人也强调了个人层面上可以做出的决定——特别是选择少生孩子或者根本不生孩子。A2017年研究发现少生一个孩子是一个人减少碳足迹的最有效方式。
尽管可再生能源产业不断发展，但对化石燃料的需求却在增加。图片:英国苏格兰格兰姆茅斯的伊诺斯炼油厂。
但考虑到自第一次警告以来进展相对有限，瑞普对第二次警告有多乐观？
“我希望我们将采取必要的行动来应对气候变化，”瑞普告诉记者新闻周刊。“我认为我们在应对气候变化的斗争中正进入一个社会转折点，因为政府、企业和个人的对话似乎越来越紧迫。”
“我对最近全球关注的激增感到鼓舞。政府机构宣布气候紧急状态。教皇发布了关于气候变化的通谕。学童罢工，基层公民运动要求变革。”
THOUSANDS OF SCIENTISTS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE UNITED TO DECLARE CLIMATE EMERGENCY THAT WILL BRING 'UNTOLD SUFFERING'
More than 11,000 scientists from 153 countries have declared a climate emergency by putting their name to a declaration stating the need for "transformative change" to avoid "untold suffering due to the climate crisis."
Forty years after the First World Climate Conference was held in Geneva in 1979, it is still "business as usual," the article, published in the BioScience journal, states. In the meantime, "the climate crisis has arrived," and not only is it more severe than anticipated, it is accelerating faster than expected, the signatories say.
Thomas Newsome at the University of Sydney described a "moral obligation" for scientists to warn the public of any major threats to humanity. "From the data we have, it is clear we are facing a climate emergency," he said in a statement.
More than 11,000 scientists from around the world have signed the declaration, calling it a climate emergency. Demonstrator holds up a sign saying "Yes”—it is a climate crisis"” during "Fire Drill Friday" climate change protest on October 25, 2019 in Washington, DC .
The signatories highlight some of the positive steps that have been taken since scientists first issued a warning to humanity in 1992. "We have made good progress in stabilizing the stratospheric ozone layer. The rapid decline in the emissions of ozone depleting substances shows that we can make advances when we act decisively. We have also made headway in reducing extreme poverty and hunger," William Ripple, distinguished professor of ecology at Oregon State University, told Newsweek.
The article also mentions rapid growth in the renewable energy sector, decreases in global birth rates and declining deforestation in the Brazilian rainforest as examples of positive change.
But this progress, at least in some respects, appears to be stalling. The decline of birth rates has decreased over the 21st century with a further 2 billion people (equivalent to a 35 percent increase) have been added to the global population since 1992, and the election of President Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil has coincided with an uptick in deforestation in the Amazon.
At the same time, demand for fossil fuel has increased, along with demand for livestock produce, and global temperatures, sea levels and ocean acidity have continued to rise. Although consumption of solar and wind energy has increased some 373 percent per decade, it is overshadowed by consumption of fossil fuels, which (as of 2018) was 28 times as high, the scientists said.
A study published earlier this year found oceans are heating up to 40 percent faster than previously thought. Pictured: a fishing trawler moves through the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Grand Isle, Louisiana on August 24, 2019.
"While things are bad, all is not hopeless," said Newsome. "We can take steps to address the climate emergency."
The article's authors highlight six areas of focus that require immediate action. These includes energy, where they advise eliminating fossil fuels and introducing carbon fees, and food, where reductions in food waste and animal products could reduce some of the stress the agricultural industry places on the planet.
There is also a strong emphasis on population, which the article describes as one of the "most important drivers of increases in CO2 emissions from fossil fuel combustion." According to the article, the global population is currently increasing by 200,000 people a day.
While population control could be controversial, Ripple stresses the need to strengthen human rights while tackling growing population numbers, which are straining resources and contributing to human-driven climate change.
"These policies involve bringing voluntary family planning services to all people," he said. "To be successful, we need to achieve full gender equity and make secondary education as a global norm for girls and young women."
Ripple and the other signatories also highlight decisions that can be taken on a personal level—specifically, choosing to have fewer children or none at all. A 2017 study found that having just one less child is the most effective way a person can reduce their carbon footprint.
Demand for fossil fuels have increased, despite the growing renewable industry. Pictured: The Ineos oil refinery in Grangemouth Scotland, UK.
But considering how relatively limited the progress has been since the first warning, how optimistic does Ripple feel about this second warning?
"I am hopeful that we will take the needed action to combat climate change," Ripple told Newsweek. "I think we are entering into a social tipping point in our fight against climate change as the urgency of the conversation seems to be ramping up for governments, businesses, and individuals."
"I am encouraged by a recent global surge of concern. Governmental bodies are declaring a climate emergency. The pope issued an encyclical on climate change. Schoolchildren are striking and grassroots citizen movements are demanding change."
