TED演讲:如何让世界到2030年时变得更好(1)

Do you think the world is going to be a better place next year? In the next decade?

你们觉得明年这个世界会变的更好吗？未来十年呢？

Can we end hunger, achieve gender¹ equality, halt climate change, all in the next 15 years?

我们能不能解决饥饿问题，实现性别平等，停止气候变化，让所有这些都在未来15年内实现？

Well, according to the governments of the world, yes we can.

那么，根据世界各国政府所说，我们是可以做到的。

In the last few days, the leaders of the world, meeting at the UN in New York,

在过去的几天里，全世界的领导人在位于纽约的联合国总部进行了会面，

agreed a new set of Global Goals for the development of the world to 2030.

对于到2030年世界发展的一系列新的全球目标达成了共识。

And here they are: these goals are the product of a massive consultation² exercise.

就是这些：这些目标是大量咨询磋商的产物。

The Global Goals are who we, humanity, want to be.

这些全球目标是我们这些人类想要实现的。

Now that's the plan, but can we get there?

这就是这个计划，但是我们能实现吗？

Can this vision for a better world really be achieved?

这个更好的世界的愿景可以实现吗？

Well, I'm here today because we've run the numbers,

我今天站在这里，是因为我们研究了一下，

and the answer, shockingly, is that maybe we actually can. But not with business as usual.

研究出的答案，非常让人震惊，那就是也许我们真的能做到。但不是用一如往常的方式来实现了。

Now, the idea that the world is going to get a better place may seem a little fanciful.

现在，这个世界正在变得更好的想法可能看起来还有些不切实际。

Watch the news every day and the world seems to be going backwards³, not forwards.

我们每天看新闻时觉得这个世界是在退步，而不是进步。

And let's be frank: it's pretty easy to be skeptical⁴ about grand announcements coming out of the UN.

那我们坦白地说：其实这个从联合国发出的宏伟的公告很容易让人怀疑。

1 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。

2 consultation   

n.咨询；商量；商议；会议

参考例句：

• The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
• The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。

3 backwards   

adv.往回地，向原处，倒，相反，前后倒置地

参考例句：

• He turned on the light and began to pace backwards and forwards.他打开电灯并开始走来走去。
• All the girls fell over backwards to get the party ready.姑娘们迫不及待地为聚会做准备。

4 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。