朱棣文在哈佛大學(xué)畢業(yè)典禮上的演講

【演講人介紹】

 

朱棣文（Steven Chu，1948年2月28日－），

 

美國物理學(xué)家，生于美國圣路易斯；華人血統(tǒng)，祖籍中國江蘇太倉，曾獲得諾貝爾物理學(xué)獎(jiǎng)（1997年）?，F(xiàn)任美國能源部部長。

 

1970年，獲羅徹斯特大學(xué)數(shù)學(xué)學(xué)士和物理學(xué)學(xué)士。

 

1976年，獲加州大學(xué)伯克利分校物理學(xué)博士。

 

1987年，任斯坦福大學(xué)物理學(xué)教授，是該校第一位華裔教授。

 

1993年，當(dāng)選美國國家科學(xué)院院士。

 

1997年，獲諾貝爾物理學(xué)獎(jiǎng)。

 

2004年，任勞倫斯·伯克利國家實(shí)驗(yàn)室主任，是首位掌管這個(gè)美國能源部下屬國家實(shí)驗(yàn)室的亞裔人士。

 

2009年，出任奧巴馬政府能源部長。

 

Madam President Faust, members of the Harvard Corporation and the Board of Overseers, faculty, family, friends, and, most importantly, today's graduates,

 

尊敬的Faust校長，哈佛集團(tuán)的各位成員，監(jiān)管理事會的各位理事，各位老師，各位家長，各位朋友，以及最重要的各位畢業(yè)生同學(xué)，

 

Thank you for letting me share this wonderful day with you.

 

感謝你們，讓我有機(jī)會同你們一起分享這個(gè)美妙的日子。

 

I am not sure I can live up to the high standards of Harvard Commencement speakers. Last year, J.K. Rowling, the billionaire novelist, who started as a classics student, graced this podium. The year before, Bill Gates, the mega-billionaire philanthropist and computer nerd stood here. Today, sadly, you have me. I am not wealthy, but at least I am a nerd.

 

我不太肯定，自己夠得上哈佛大學(xué)畢業(yè)典禮演講人這樣的殊榮。去年登上這個(gè)講臺的是，英國億萬身家的小說家J.K. Rowling女士，她最早是一個(gè)古典文學(xué)的學(xué)生。前年站在這里的是比爾•蓋茨先生，他是一個(gè)超級富翁、一個(gè)慈善家和電腦高手。今年很遺憾，你們的演講人是我，雖然我不是很有錢，但是至少我也算一個(gè)高手。

 

I am grateful to receive an honorary degree from Harvard, an honor that means more to me than you might care to imagine. You see, I was the academic black sheep of my family. My older brother has an M.D./Ph.D. from MIT and Harvard while my younger brother has a law degree from Harvard. When I was awarded a Nobel Prize, I thought my mother would be pleased. Not so. When I called her on the morning of the announcement, she replied, "That's nice, but when are you going to visit me next." Now, as the last brother with a degree from Harvard, maybe, at last, she will be satisfied.

 

我很感激哈佛大學(xué)給我榮譽(yù)學(xué)位，這對我很重要，也許比你們會想到的還要重要。要知道，在學(xué)術(shù)上，我是我們家的不肖之子。我的哥哥在麻省理工學(xué)院得到醫(yī)學(xué)博士，在哈佛大學(xué)得到哲學(xué)博士；我的弟弟在哈佛大學(xué)得到一個(gè)法律學(xué)位。我本人得到諾貝爾獎(jiǎng)的時(shí)候，我想我的媽媽會高興。但是，我錯(cuò)了。消息公布的那天早上，我給她打電話，她聽了只說："這是好消息，不過我想知道，你下次什么時(shí)候來看我？"如今在我們兄弟當(dāng)中，我最終也拿到了哈佛學(xué)位，我想這一次，她會感到滿意。

Another difficulty with giving a Harvard commencement address is that some of you may disapprove of the fact that I have borrowed material from previous speeches. I ask that you forgive me for two reasons.

 

在哈佛大學(xué)畢業(yè)典禮上發(fā)表演講，還有一個(gè)難處，那就是你們中有些人可能有意見，不喜歡我重復(fù)前人演講中說過的話。我要求你們諒解我，因?yàn)閮蓚€(gè)理由。

 

First, in order to have impact, it is important to deliver the same message more than once. In science, it is important to be the first person to make a discovery, but it is even more important to be the last person to make that discovery.

 

首先，為了產(chǎn)生影響力，很重要的方法就是重復(fù)傳遞同樣的信息。在科學(xué)中，第一個(gè)發(fā)現(xiàn)者是重要的，但是在得到公認(rèn)前，最后一個(gè)將這個(gè)發(fā)現(xiàn)重復(fù)做出來的人也許更重要。

 

Second, authors who borrow from others are following in the footsteps of the best. Ralph Waldo Emerson, who graduated from Harvard at the age of 18, noted "All my best thoughts were stolen by the ancients." Picasso declared "Good artists borrow. Great artists steal." Why should commencement speakers be held to a higher standard?

 

其次，一個(gè)借鑒他人的作者，正走在一條前人開辟的最佳道路上。哈佛大學(xué)畢業(yè)生、詩人愛默生曾經(jīng)寫下："古人把我最好的一些思想都偷走了。"畫家畢加索宣稱"優(yōu)秀的藝術(shù)家借鑒，偉大的藝術(shù)家偷竊。"那么為什么畢業(yè)典禮的演說者，就不適用同樣的標(biāo)準(zhǔn)呢？

 

I also want to point out the irony of speaking to graduates of an institution that would have rejected me, had I the chutzpah to apply. I am married to "Dean Jean," the former dean of admissions at Stanford. She assures me that she would have rejected me, if given the chance. When I showed her a draft of this speech, she objected strongly to my use of the word "rejected." She never rejected applicants; her letters stated that "we are unable to offer you admission." I have difficulty understanding the difference. After all, deans of admissions of highly selective schools are in reality, "deans of rejection." Clearly, I have a lot to learn about marketing.

 

我還要指出一點(diǎn)，向哈佛畢業(yè)生發(fā)表演說，對我來說是有諷刺意味的，因?yàn)槿绻?dāng)年我斗膽向哈佛大學(xué)遞交入學(xué)申請，一定會被拒絕。我的妻子Jean當(dāng)過斯坦福大學(xué)的招生主任，她向我保證，如果當(dāng)年我申請斯坦福大學(xué)，她會拒絕我。我把這篇演講的草稿給她過目，她強(qiáng)烈反對我使用"拒絕"這個(gè)詞，她從來不拒絕任何申請者。在拒絕信中，她總是寫："我們無法提供你入學(xué)機(jī)會。"我分不清兩者到底有何差別。在我看來，那些大熱門學(xué)校的招生主任與其稱為"準(zhǔn)許你入學(xué)的主任"，還不如稱為"拒絕你入學(xué)的主任"。很顯然，我需要好好學(xué)學(xué)怎么來推銷自己。

 

My address will follow the classical sonata form of commencement addresses. The first movement, just presented, were light-hearted remarks. This next movement consists of unsolicited advice, which is rarely valued, seldom remembered, never followed. As Oscar Wilde said, "The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on. It is never of any use to oneself." So, here comes the advice. First, every time you celebrate an achievement, be thankful to those who made it possible. Thank your parents and friends who supported you, thank your professors who were inspirational, and especially thank the other professors whose less-than-brilliant lectures forced you to teach yourself. Going forward, the ability to teach yourself is the hallmark of a great liberal arts education and will be the key to your success. To your fellow students who have added immeasurably to your education during those late night discussions, hug them. Also, of course, thank Harvard. Should you forget, there's an alumni association to remind you. Second, in your future life, cultivate a generous spirit. In all negotiations, don't bargain for the last, little advantage. Leave the change on the table. In your collaborations, always remember that "credit" is not a conserved quantity. In a successful collaboration, everybody gets 90 percent of the credit.

 

畢業(yè)典禮演講都遵循古典奏鳴曲的結(jié)構(gòu)，我的演講也不例外。剛才是第一樂章----輕快的閑談。接下來的第二樂章是送上門的忠告。這樣的忠告很少被重視，幾乎注定被忘記，永遠(yuǎn)不會被實(shí)踐。但是，就像王爾德說的："對于忠告，你所能做的，就是把它送給別人，因?yàn)樗鼘δ銢]有任何用處。"所以，下面就是我的忠告。第一，取得成就的時(shí)候，不要忘記前人。要感謝你的父母和支持你的朋友，要感謝那些啟發(fā)過你的教授，尤其要感謝那些上不好課的教授，因?yàn)樗麄兤仁鼓阕詫W(xué)。從長遠(yuǎn)看，自學(xué)能力是優(yōu)秀的文理教育中必不可少的，將成為你成功的關(guān)鍵。你還要去擁抱你的同學(xué)，感謝他們同你進(jìn)行過的許多次徹夜長談，這為你的教育帶來了無法衡量的價(jià)值。當(dāng)然，你還要感謝哈佛大學(xué)。不過即使你忘了這一點(diǎn)，校友會也會來提醒你。第二，在你們未來的人生中，做一個(gè)慷慨大方的人。在任何談判中，都把最后一點(diǎn)點(diǎn)利益留給對方。不要把桌上的錢都拿走。在合作中，要牢記榮譽(yù)不是一個(gè)守恒的量。成功合作的任何一方，都應(yīng)獲得全部榮譽(yù)的90%。

 

Jimmy Stewart, as Elwood P. Dowd in the movie "Harvey" got it exactly right. He said: "Years ago my mother used to say to me, 'In this world, Elwood, you must be ... she always used to call me Elwood ... in this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.'" Well, for years I was smart. ... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me on that.

 

電影《Harvey》中，Jimmy Stewart扮演的角色Elwood P. Dowd，就完全理解這一點(diǎn)。他說："多年前，母親曾經(jīng)對我說，'Elwood，活在這個(gè)世界上，你要么做一個(gè)聰明人，要么做一個(gè)好人。'"我做聰明人，已經(jīng)做了好多年了。......但是，我推薦你們做好人。你們可以引用我這句話。

 

My third piece of advice is as follows: As you begin this new stage of your lives, follow your passion. If you don't have a passion, don't be satisfied until you find one. Life is too short to go through it without caring deeply about something. When I was your age, I was incredibly single-minded in my goal to be a physicist. After college, I spent eight years as a graduate student and postdoc at Berkeley, and then nine years at Bell Labs. During that my time, my central focus and professional joy was physics.

 

我的第三個(gè)忠告是，當(dāng)你開始生活的新階段時(shí)，請跟隨你的愛好。如果你沒有愛好，就去找，找不到就不罷休。生命太短暫，如果想有所成，你必須對某樣?xùn)|西傾注你的深情。我在你們這個(gè)年齡，是超級的一根筋，我的目標(biāo)就是非成為物理學(xué)家不可。本科畢業(yè)后，我在加州大學(xué)伯克利分校又待了8年，讀完了研究生，做完了博士后，然后去貝爾實(shí)驗(yàn)室待了9年。在這些年中，我關(guān)注的中心和職業(yè)上的全部樂趣，都來自物理學(xué)。

 

Here is my final piece of advice. Pursuing a personal passion is important, but it should not be your only goal. When you are old and gray, and look back on your life, you will want to be proud of what you have done. The source of that pride won't be the things you have acquired or the recognition you have received. It will be the lives you have touched and the difference you have made.

 

我還有最后一個(gè)忠告，就是說興趣愛好固然重要，但是你不應(yīng)該只考慮興趣愛好。當(dāng)你白發(fā)蒼蒼、垂垂老矣、回首人生時(shí)，你需要為自己做過的事感到自豪。你的物質(zhì)生活和得到的承認(rèn)，都不會產(chǎn)生自豪。只有那些你出手相助、被你改變過的人和事，才會讓你產(chǎn)生自豪。

 

After nine years at Bell labs, I decided to leave that warm, cozy ivory tower for what I considered to be the "real world," a university. Bell Labs, to quote what was said about Mary Poppins, was "practically perfect in every way," but I wanted to leave behind something more than scientific articles. I wanted to teach and give birth to my own set of scientific children.

 

在貝爾實(shí)驗(yàn)室待了9年后，我決定離開這個(gè)溫暖舒適的象牙塔，走進(jìn)我眼中的"真實(shí)世界"——大學(xué)。我對貝爾實(shí)驗(yàn)室的看法，就像別人形容電影Mary Poppins的話，"實(shí)際上完美無缺"。但是，我想為世界留下更多的東西，不只是科學(xué)論文。我要去教書，培育我自己在科學(xué)上的后代。

 

Ted Geballe, a friend and distinguished colleague of mine at Stanford, who also went from Berkeley to Bell Labs to Stanford years earlier, described our motives best:

 

我在斯坦福大學(xué)有一個(gè)好友兼杰出同事Ted Geballe。他也是從伯克利分校去了貝爾實(shí)驗(yàn)室，幾年前又離開貝爾實(shí)驗(yàn)室去了斯坦福大學(xué)。他對我們的動機(jī)做出了最佳描述：

 

"The best part of working at a university is the students. They come in fresh, enthusiastic, open to ideas, unscarred by the battles of life. They don't realize it, but they're the recipients of the best our society can offer. If a mind is ever free to be creative, that's the time. They come in believing textbooks are authoritative, but eventually they figure out that textbooks and professors don't know everything, and then they start to think on their own. Then, I begin learning from them."

 

"在大學(xué)工作，最大的優(yōu)點(diǎn)就是學(xué)生。他們生機(jī)勃勃，充滿熱情，思想自由，還沒被生活的重壓改變。雖然他們自己沒有意識到，但是他們是這個(gè)社會中你能找到的最佳受眾。如果生命中曾經(jīng)有過思想自由和充滿創(chuàng)造力的時(shí)期，那么那個(gè)時(shí)期就是你在讀大學(xué)。進(jìn)校時(shí)，學(xué)生們對課本上的一字一句毫不懷疑，漸漸地，他們發(fā)現(xiàn)課本和教授并不是無所不知的，于是他們開始獨(dú)立思考。從那時(shí)起，就是我開始向他們學(xué)習(xí)了。"

 

My students, post doctoral fellows, and the young researchers who worked with me at Bell Labs, Stanford, and Berkeley have been extraordinary. Over 30 former group members are now professors, many at the best research institutions in the world, including Harvard. I have learned much from them. Even now, in rare moments on weekends, the remaining members of my biophysics group meet with me in the ether world of cyberspace.

 

我教過的學(xué)生、帶過的博士后、合作過的年輕同事，都非常優(yōu)秀。他們中有30多人，現(xiàn)在已經(jīng)是教授了。他們所在的研究機(jī)構(gòu)有不少是全世界第一流的，其中就包括哈佛大學(xué)。我從他們身上學(xué)到了很多東西。即使現(xiàn)在，我偶爾還會周末上網(wǎng)，向現(xiàn)在還從事生物物理學(xué)研究的學(xué)生請教。

 

I began teaching with the idea of giving back; I received more than I gave. This brings me to the final movement of this speech. It begins with a story about an extraordinary scientific discovery and a new dilemma that it poses. It's a call to arms and about making a difference.

 

我懷著回報(bào)社會的想法，開始了教學(xué)生涯。我的一生中，得到的多于我付出的，所以我要回報(bào)社會。這就引出了這次演講的最后一個(gè)樂章。首先我要講一個(gè)了不起的科學(xué)發(fā)現(xiàn)，以及由此帶來的新挑戰(zhàn)。它是一個(gè)戰(zhàn)斗的號令，到了做出改變的時(shí)候了。

 

In the last several decades, our climate has been changing. Climate change is not new: the Earth went through six ice ages in the past 600,000 years. However, recent measurements show that the climate has begun to change rapidly. The size of the North Polar Ice Cap in the month of September is only half the size it was a mere 50 years ago. The sea level which been rising since direct measurements began in 1870 at a rate that is now five times faster than it was at the beginning of recorded measurements. Here's the remarkable scientific discovery. For the first time in human history, science is now making predictions of how our actions will affect the world 50 and 100 years from now. These changes are due to an increase in carbon dioxide put into the atmosphere since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. The Earth has warmed up by roughly 0.8 degrees Celsius since the beginning of the Revolution. There is already approximately a 1 degree rise built into the system, even if we stop all greenhouse gas emissions today. Why? It will take decades to warm up the deep oceans before the temperature reaches a new equilibrium.

 

過去幾十年中，我們的氣候一直在發(fā)生變化。氣候變化并不是現(xiàn)在才有的，過去60萬年中就發(fā)生了6次冰河期。但是，現(xiàn)在的測量表明氣候變化加速了。北極冰蓋在9月份的大小，只相當(dāng)于50年前的一半。1870年起，人們開始測量海平面上升的速度，現(xiàn)在的速度是那時(shí)的5倍。一個(gè)重大的科學(xué)發(fā)現(xiàn)就這樣產(chǎn)生了。科學(xué)第一次在人類歷史上，預(yù)測出我們的行為對50—100年后的世界有何影響。這些變化的原因是，從工業(yè)革命開始，人類排放到大氣中的二氧化碳增加 了。這使得地球的平均氣溫上升了0.8攝氏度。即使我們立刻停止所有溫室氣體的排放，氣溫仍然將比過去上升大約1度。因?yàn)樵跉鉁剡_(dá)到均衡前，海水溫度的上升將持續(xù)幾十年。

 

If the world continues on a business-as-usual path, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts that there is a fifty-fifty chance the temperature will exceed 5 degrees by the end of this century. This increase may not sound like much, but let me remind you that during the last ice age, the world was only 6 degrees colder. During this time, most of Canada and the United States down to Ohio and Pennsylvania were covered year round by a glacier. A world 5 degrees warmer will be very different. The change will be so rapid that many species, including Humans, will have a hard time adapting. I've been told for example, that, in a much warmer world, insects were bigger. I wonder if this thing buzzing around is a precursor.

 

如果全世界保持現(xiàn)在的經(jīng)濟(jì)模式不變，聯(lián)合國政府間氣候變化專門委員會（IPCC）預(yù)測，本世紀(jì)末將有50%的可能，氣溫至少上升5度。這聽起來好像不多，但是讓我來提醒你，上一次的冰河期，地球的氣溫也僅僅只下降了6度。那時(shí)，俄亥俄州和賓夕法尼亞州以北的大部分美國和加拿大的土地，都終年被冰川覆蓋。氣溫上升5度的地球，將是一個(gè)非常不同的地球。由于變化來得太快，包括人類在內(nèi)的許多生物，都將很難適應(yīng)。比如，有人告訴我，在更溫暖的環(huán)境中，昆蟲的個(gè)頭將變大。我不知道現(xiàn)在身旁嗡嗡叫的這只大蒼蠅，是不是就是前兆。

 

We also face the specter of nonlinear "tipping points" that may cause much more severe changes. An example of a tipping point is the thawing of the permafrost. The permafrost contains immense amounts of frozen organic matter that have been accumulating for millennia. If the soil melts, microbes will spring to life and cause this debris to rot. The difference in biological activity below freezing and above freezing is something we are all familiar with. Frozen food remains edible for a very long time in the freezer, but once thawed, it spoils quickly. How much methane and carbon dioxide might be released from the rotting permafrost? If even a fraction of the carbon is released, it could be greater than all the greenhouse gases we have released to since the beginning of the industrial revolution. Once started, a runaway effect could occur.

 

我們還面臨另一個(gè)幽靈，那就是非線性的"氣候引爆點(diǎn)"，這會帶來許多嚴(yán)重得多的變化。"氣候引爆點(diǎn)"的一個(gè)例子就是永久凍土層的融化。永久凍土層經(jīng) 過千萬年的累積形成，其中包含了巨量的凍僵的有機(jī)物。如果凍土融化，微生物就將廣泛繁殖，使得凍土層中的有機(jī)物快速腐爛。冷凍后的生物和冷凍前的生物，它 們在生物學(xué)特性上的差異，我們都很熟悉。在冷庫中，冷凍食品在經(jīng)過長時(shí)間保存后，依然可以食用。但是，一旦解凍，食品很快就腐爛了。一個(gè)腐爛的永久凍土層，將釋放出多少甲烷和二氧化碳？即使只有一部分的碳被釋放出來，可能也比我們從工業(yè)革命開始釋放出來的所有溫室氣體還要多。這種事情一旦發(fā)生，局勢就失控了。

 

The climate problem is the unintended consequence of our success. We depend on fossil energy to keep our homes warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and lit at night; we use it to travel across town and across continents. Energy is a fundamental reason for the prosperity we enjoy, and we will not surrender this prosperity. The United States has 3 percent of the world population, and yet, we consume 25 percent of the energy. By contrast, there are 1.6 billion people who don't have access to electricity. Hundreds of millions of people still cook with twigs or dung. The life we enjoy may not be within the reach of the developing world, but it is within sight, and they want what we have.

 

氣候問題是我們的經(jīng)濟(jì)發(fā)展在無意中帶來的后果。我們太依賴化石能源，冬天取暖，夏天制冷，夜間照明，長途旅行，環(huán)球觀光。能源是經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮的基礎(chǔ)，我 們不可能放棄經(jīng)濟(jì)繁榮。美國人口占全世界的3%，但是我們消耗全世界25%的能源。與此形成對照，全世界還有16億人沒有電，數(shù)億人依靠燃燒樹枝和動物糞便來煮飯。發(fā)展中國家的人民享受不到我們的生活，但是他們都看在眼里，他們渴望擁有我們擁有的東西。

 

Here is the dilemma. How much are we willing to invest, as a world society, to mitigate the consequences of climate change that will not be realized for at least 100 years? Deeply rooted in all cultures, is the notion of generational responsibility. Parents work hard so that their children will have a better life. Climate change will affect the entire world, but our natural focus is on the welfare of our immediate families. Can we, as a world society, meet our responsibility to future generations?

 

這就是新的挑戰(zhàn)。全世界作為一個(gè)整體，我們到底愿意付出多少，來緩和氣候變化？這種付出至少在100年內(nèi)，都不會有明顯效果。代際責(zé)任深深植根于所有文化中。家長努力工作，為了讓他們的孩子有更好的生活。氣候變化將影響整個(gè)世界，但是我們的天性使得我們只關(guān)心個(gè)人家庭的福利。我們能不能把全世界看作一個(gè)整體？能不能為未來的人們承擔(dān)起責(zé)任？

 

While I am worried, I am hopeful we will solve this problem. I became the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, in part because I wanted to enlist some of the best scientific minds to help battle against climate change. I was there only four and a half years, the shortest serving director in the 78-year history of the Lab, but when I left, a number of very exciting energy institutes at the Berkeley Lab and UC Berkeley had been established.

 

雖然我憂心忡忡，但是還是對未來抱樂觀態(tài)度，這個(gè)問題將會得到解決。我同意出任勞倫斯-伯克利國家實(shí)驗(yàn)室主任，部分原因是我想招募一些世界上最好的科學(xué)家，來研究氣候變化的對策。我在那里干了4年半，是這個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)室78年的歷史中，任期最短的主任，但是當(dāng)我離任時(shí)，在伯克利實(shí)驗(yàn)室和伯克利分校，一些非常激動人心的能源研究機(jī)構(gòu)已經(jīng)建立起來了。

 

I am extremely privileged to be part of the Obama administration. If there ever was a time to help steer America and the world towards a path of sustainable energy, now is the time. The message the President is delivering is not one of doom and gloom, but of optimism and opportunity. I share this optimism. The task ahead is daunting, but we can and will succeed.

 

能夠成為奧巴馬施政團(tuán)隊(duì)的一員，我感到極其榮幸。如果有一個(gè)時(shí)機(jī)，可以引導(dǎo)美國和全世界走上可持續(xù)能源的道路，那么這個(gè)時(shí)機(jī)就是現(xiàn)在。總統(tǒng)已經(jīng)發(fā)出 信息，未來并非在劫難逃，而是樂觀的，我們依然有機(jī)會。我也抱有這種樂觀主義。我們面前的任務(wù)令人生畏，但是我們能夠并且將會成功。

 

We know some of the answers already. There are immediate and significant savings in energy efficiency and conservation. Energy efficiency is not just low-hanging fruit; it is fruit lying on the ground. For example, we have the potential to make buildings 80 percent more efficient with investments that will pay for themselves in less than 15 years. Buildings consume 40 percent of the energy we use, and a transition to energy efficient buildings will cut our carbon emissions by one-third.

 

我們已經(jīng)有了一些答案，可以立竿見影地節(jié)約能源和提高能源使用效率。它們不是掛在枝頭的水果，而是已經(jīng)成熟掉在地上了，就看我們愿不愿意撿起來。比 如，我們有辦法將樓宇的耗電減少80%，增加的投資在15年內(nèi)就可以收回來。樓宇的耗電占我們能源消費(fèi)的40%，節(jié)能樓宇的推廣將使我們二氧化碳的釋放減 少三分之一。

 

We are revving up the remarkable American innovation machine that will be the basis of a new American prosperity. We will invent much improved methods to harness the sun, the wind, nuclear power, and capture and sequester the carbon dioxide emitted from our power plants. Advanced bio-fuels and the electrification of personal vehicles make us less dependent on foreign oil.

 

我們正在加速美國這座巨大的創(chuàng)新機(jī)器，這將是下一次美國大繁榮的基礎(chǔ)。我們將大量投資有效利用太陽能、風(fēng)能、核能的新方法，大量投資能夠捕獲和隔離電廠廢氣中的二氧化碳的方法。先進(jìn)的生物燃料和電力汽車將使得我們不再那么依賴外國的石油。

 

In the coming decades, we will almost certainly face higher oil prices and be in a carbon-constrained economy. We have the opportunity to lead in development of a new, industrial revolution. The great hockey player, Wayne Gretzky, when asked, how he positions himself on the ice, he replied," I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it's been." America should do the same.

 

在未來的幾十年中，我們幾乎肯定會面對更高的油價(jià)和更嚴(yán)厲的二氧化碳限制排放政策。這是一場新的工業(yè)革命，美國有機(jī)會充當(dāng)領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者。偉大的冰上曲棍球選手Wayne Gretzky被問到，他如何在冰上跑位，回答說："我滑向球下一步的位置，而不是它現(xiàn)在的位置。"美國也應(yīng)該這樣做。

 

The Obama administration is laying a new foundation for a prosperous and sustainable energy future, but we don't have all of the answers. That's where you come in. In this address, I am asking you, the Harvard graduates, to join us. As our future intellectual leaders, take the time to learn more about what's at stake, and then act on that knowledge. As future scientists and engineers, I ask you to give us better technology solutions. As future economists and political scientists, I ask you to create better policy options. As future business leaders, I ask that you make sustainability an integral part of your business.

 

奧巴馬政府正在為美國的繁榮和可持續(xù)能源，打下新的基礎(chǔ)。但是我們無法為所有問題都找到答案。這就需要你們的參與。在本次演講中，我請求在座各位哈佛畢業(yè)生加入我們。你們是我們未來的智力領(lǐng)袖，請花時(shí)間加深理解目前的危險(xiǎn)局勢，然后采取相應(yīng)的行動。你們是未來的科學(xué)家和工程師，我要求你們給我們更好的技術(shù)方案。你們是未來的經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家和政治學(xué)家，我要求你們創(chuàng)造更好的政策選擇。你們是未來的企業(yè)家，我要求你們將可持續(xù)發(fā)展作為你們業(yè)務(wù)中不可分割的一部分。

 

Finally, as humanists, I ask that you speak to our common humanity. One of the cruelest ironies about climate change is that the ones who will be hurt t