Rising carbon dioxide emissions could cause a decline in the brainpower of workers around the world, according to new research.

　　根据一项新研究，不断增加的二氧化碳排放量可能会导致全球劳动力的智力下降。

　　A new study by academics at University College London (UCL) found that higher amounts of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere could affect our memory, concentration and decision-making abilities.

　　伦敦大学学院的学者进行的一项新研究发现，大气中温室气体含量增高可能会影响我们的记忆力、专注力和决策力。

　　Raised CO2 in workplaces lacking proper ventilation is known to make employees more sluggish and less able to successfully complete tasks.

　　工作场所缺乏适当的通风系统而造成二氧化碳浓度增高，据称会使员工变得懈怠，且不太可能成功地完成工作。

　　And climate change is likely to make intellectual impairment a far more widespread problem in the decades ahead, according to the researchers.

　　并且，据研究人员说，在今后几十年，气候变化很可能会使智力损伤成为一个更加普遍的问题。

　　The UCL team said evidence indicated that “human cognitive performance declines with increasing CO2 levels”.

　　伦敦大学学院的研究团队说，有证据表明，“人类的认知能力随着二氧化碳浓度的增高而下降”。

　　They added: “Given the likelihood of increasing atmospheric CO2 concentration by the end of the 21st century, direct impacts of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on human cognitive performance may be unavoidable.”

　　他们还说：“鉴于到21世纪末大气中二氧化碳浓度的增高，人为二氧化碳排放对人类的认知能力产生直接影响将是不可避免的。”

　　Publishing their findings in Building Service Engineering, the researchers at UCL’s Energy Institute said attempts to minimise the impact was likely to change the way ventilation systems were engineered in buildings and transport systems.

　　伦敦大学学院能源研究所的研究人员的这项发现发表在了《建筑服务工程》期刊上，他们说，使影响降至最低的可能办法是改变建筑和交通系统的通风系统。

　　The team made clear that research on raised CO2 and human cognitive performance was still in its infancy, but said the “global nature” of the potential problem meant more studies were needed.

　　该团队明确表示，对二氧化碳浓度增高以及人类认知能力的研究仍处于初级阶段，但他们表示这一潜在问题的“全球性”意味着需要进行更多的研究。

　　Earlier this year, a study by Yale School of Public Health found that air pollution caused a drop in intelligence levels.

　　今年初，耶鲁大学公共卫生学院的一项研究发现，空气污染会造成智力水平下降。

　　Although the conclusions were based on nitrogen dioxide and sulphur dioxide tests in China, researchers made clear the connection between air pollution and cognitive capabilities had global implications.

　　尽管这些结论是基于中国的二氧化氮和二氧化硫测试，但研究人员明确表示，空气污染与认知能力之间的联系具有全球意义。

　　“Polluted air can cause everyone to reduce their level of education by one year, which is huge,” said Yale scientist Xi Chen.

　　耶鲁大学科学家陈曦(音)说：“空气污染会使所有人的受教育水平下降一年，这是非常严重的。”

　　In May 2018, the average monthly level of CO2 in the atmosphere reached its highest level in recorded history, exceeding 410 parts per million (ppm) for the first time.

　　2018年5月，大气中二氧化碳的月平均浓度达到历史最高水平，首次突破410ppm(ppm为百万分之一)。