Ourworldisrapidlychanging.Technologyandeconomic

　　developmentareperhapsthetwomostvisiblefactorscausing

　　this.InChongqingwedriveacrossthenewbridgeslinking

　　formerlydistantlocations.Weuseelectronicgadgetsthat

　　allowustoperformtasksquickerandmoreefficientlythan

　　everbefore.Whowouldhaveimaginedcommunicatingvia

　　ablogjustafewyearsago?However,theimpactoftechnology

　　anddevelopmentonourlivesisincreasinglybeingovershadowed

　　bysomethingthatisinsomewayshardertopindownbut

　　whoseenormousimpactisundeniable–climatechange.

　　当今世界日新月异,这一切恐怕要归功于两大因素：科技进步和经济发展.在两江环抱的重庆,一座座大桥飞架南北,那些曾经为滔滔巨浪相隔的飞地,如今近在咫尺.而电子设备又更如虎添翼,使我们达到了前所未有的速度和效率.仅仅数年以前,谁能想象区区博客就可以实现沟通交流?但是,科技进步和经济发展对生活的作用,正因某些虽无法准确结论但其巨大影响却不容置疑的现象而不再那么理直气壮,这便是气候变化.

　　Climatechangeistrulyaglobalissuethatimpactsonall

　　individualsregardlessofnationality,genderorwealth.Itis

　　shapingourworldinwayswesometimesstruggletounderstand.

　　Intermsofourdailylives,itcanseemhardtoidentifywhat

　　changesresultfromclimatechangeandasaresultitis

　　sometimesignored.However,intermsofourplanet’s“life

　　cycle”itishappeningextremelyquickly.Arcticiceand

　　glaciersaremelting,desertificationisspeedingupand

　　majorfloodsareincreasinglyimpactingonpeopleinlow-lying

　　areas.

　　气候变化是一个真正的全球性问题,对每个人,不论他来自哪个国家,是男还是女,是贫还是富,都有着巨大的影响.气候变化正以某些我们很难理解的方式改变着世界.人们在日常生活中很难发现气候变化的足迹,因而人们又会忽略变化的痕迹.但是,对于我们星球的“生命”来说,变化却似白驹过隙.北极冰和冰川正在融化,沙漠化越来越快,巨大洪灾正日益影响着低洼地区的人们.

　　Climatechangeisalreadyimpactingonourplanetand

　　willincreasinglyaffectourbehaviour.Aroundtheworld

　　peoplearebeginningtolooktomake“greener”choices

　　intheireverydaylives.Theyareattemptingtoreduce

　　their“carbonfootprint”bytravellinginmoresustainable

　　ways[givenChina’ssize,increasingmiddleclassand

　　risingwealth,isthistherightargument?],reducingthe

　　amountoffoodwastetheyproduceandpurchasingmore

　　energy-efficientgoodsandservices.Evenourlanguages

　　arebeingshapedbyclimatechange!Whohadeven

　　heardofa“carbonfootprint”untilrelativelyrecently?

　　气候变化已经在影响着我们的星球,并且将会逐渐影响我们的行为.全球人民都开始追求更加“绿色”的生活.他们尝试以更加可持续的方式出行,以减少“碳足迹”[考虑到中国的巨大规模和越来越多的中产阶层人群和财富,这是不是也一样呢?]；减少食物浪费,购买更加节能的商品和服务.气候变化甚至在形成我们的语言!谁不是在最近才听说到“碳足迹”这几个字呢?

　　Giventheimportanceofclimatechange,Iamdelighted

　　tobelaunchingthisblog.Itreflectstheimportancethat

　　Chongqingattachestothisissue.Italsoreflectsthe

　　importanceattachedtoclimatechangebytheUK

　　GovernmentandtheBritishConsulateGeneral.Ourtwo

　　Governmentsareengagedinwide-rangingactivities

　　inChongqingandSWChinatoaddressthechallenges

　　posedbyclimatechange–toomanytolistonthis

　　blog!Majoractivitieshaveincludedseminarson

　　changingpoliciestoreducecarbonemissions;examining

　　“green”buildingtechniques;andvisitstotheUK

　　byofficialsfromSWChinatoexaminesolarpower

　　technology.