每年2千9百萬噸
National Geographic published research in late July stating that the plastic waste flowing into the oceans every year is estimated to triple in the next two decades.
國家地理雜誌在7月發佈研究，表示全球流入海洋的塑膠廢棄物在接下來20年間預計會成長3倍。
stating…=and stated…waste(v.)浪費(n.)廢棄物triple(adj.)三倍的(v.)成為三倍
If no drastic action is taken, that amount would be an alarming 29 million metric tons annually.
若不採取嚴厲的措施，數量將達到每年2千9百萬噸，十分令人憂心。
drastic(adj.)嚴厲的、猛烈的drastic cuts in salaryalarming(adj.)令人憂心的metric ton公噸annually(adv.)每年地=yearly=every year
The two-year study, done by the Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ Ltd., a UK-based environmental think tank, warned that the current industry and government measures would only reduce 7% of the waste by 2040.
這份研究歷時兩年，由皮尤慈善信託基金會及英國SYSTEMIQ公司所進行。研究警告現行企業及政府的減塑作法到了2040年只能減少7％的垃圾量。
Pew Charitable Trusts皮尤慈善信託基金會think tank智庫
The study suggested that an approach concentrating on reduction and substitution would result in a 52% decrease, but would be complicated by an absence of suitable substitutes, totaling a cost of US$850 billion.
研究也顯示減少並替換塑膠製品可降低52％的垃圾。但因為塑膠沒有其他適合的替代品，這個作法將會有些複雜，總計需投入美金8千5百億的資金。
suggest(v.)暗示、意味approach(n.)解決方法concentrate on聚焦、專注=focus onreduction(n.)減少、降低reduce(v.)減少、降低substitution(n.)替換substitute(v.)替換result in導致、造成=lead tobe complicated by sth.因某事而變複雜、因某事而變麻煩The rescue operation was complicated by bad weather.an absence of sth.缺乏某事物substitute(n.)替代物total(v.)加總、合計
On the other hand, a more-than-80% drop can be expected if there are systematic changes in human’s relationship with plastic, meaning an overall reshaping of the global plastics industry by updating it to a circular economy that fully reuses and recycles.
另一方面，藉由計畫性地改變人類與塑膠的關係，則預計可減少逾80％的塑膠垃圾。這個作法是將全球塑膠產業改頭換面且提升為百分之百回收再利用的循環經濟。
on the other hand另一方面drop(v.)(n.)減少、降低=reductiona systematic change有計畫的改變overall(adj.)整體的reshape(v.)重塑、重整a circular economy循環經濟
Winnie Lau, a senior manager at Pew who oversaw the study, said she’s not concerned about industry giants who may resist.
皮尤慈善信託基金會資深經理Winnie Lau負責監督這項研究。她表示，她並不擔心產業龍頭會拒絕改變。
senior(adj.)資深的oversee(v.)監督be concerned about sth.憂慮某事resist(v.)抵抗、拒絕=refuse
“I don’t expect that our results will change everyone’s heart. Our aim is to change key players’ hearts and they will lead and set the stage for new standards for how businesses operate, and we’ll go from there.”
「我不期待我們的研究結果會改變所有人的心態。我們的目標是要改變領導廠商的想法，期待他們會為產業帶來變革，並設下企業該如何運作的模範，來作為改變的起跑點。」
aim(n.)目標=goal=targetkey player領導廠商set the stage for sth.為某事預備=lay the foundation for sth.Her comments set the stage for a big argument.operate(v.)經營、營運