It’s time to look back at 2015. For the world, it was a bittersweet year filled with news regarding refugees, climate change, terrorism, trade and nuclear non-proliferation. Based on the top news from outlets including the AP, 21st Century picked the following top 5 issues that mattered to the world in 2015.

是时候回顾一下2015年了。从全球层面上看，这是喜忧参半的一年，新闻里充斥着难民、气候变化、恐怖主义、贸易、核不扩散等关键词。21世纪英文报参考新闻通讯社，如美联社等选出了影响世界的5大国际新闻。

Refugee crisis

难民危机

The world witnessed the worst refugee crisis since World War II. More than 1 million migrants and refugees have fled to Europe this year –sometimes with tragic consequences.

2015年全球遭遇二战之后最为严重的一次难民危机，超过一百万的移民和难民逃往欧洲，许多人结局悲惨。

Most of them are fleeing Syria’s civil war. Hundreds are believed to have drowned. In August, 71 were found dead in an abandoned truck in Austria. The flood of refugees has increased popular support for many of Europe’s nationalist and anti-immigrant parties.

大部分难民因叙利亚内战逃离故土。成百上千的难民在逃亡途中遇难。2015年8月，奥地利的一辆废弃卡车上发现了71具难民尸体。难民潮还让那些欧洲民族主义和反移民政党的支持率一路飙升。

Islamic State

伊斯兰国

The Islamic State (IS) terrorist group evolved from an al-Qaida franchise into a self-proclaimed state. This past year, it has become one of the world’s most dangerous threats.

恐怖组织伊斯兰国曾是基地组织的分支，之后自立为伊拉克和大叙利亚伊斯兰国。去年，它成为全球安全的最大威胁之一。

Its most high-profile attack was in Paris, where terrorists killed 130 people on Nov 15. But IS’ terror campaign goes beyond any single event. Islamic State suicide bombers struck two cities in Turkey and one in Lebanon earlier this year. IS also bombed a Russian passenger plane over the Sinai peninsula.

11月15日，它高调策划了巴黎恐怖袭击，造成了130人死亡。但伊斯兰国的恐怖活动绝不止一件。在此之前，伊斯兰国的人肉炸弹袭击了土耳其的两座城市和黎巴嫩的一座城市，还策划了俄罗斯客机西奈半岛坠毁案。

These attacks prompted countries including the US, France, the UK, Russia and Germany to take more aggressive actions against IS, mainly through air strikes.

这些恐怖袭击刺激了美国、法国、英国、俄罗斯、德国等对其采取以空袭为主，更加严厉的打击。

The Trans-Pacific Partnership

跨太平洋伙伴关系

The biggest trade deal in decades was signed on Oct 5 in the US after five years of tense negotiations. The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) cuts trade tariffs and sets common standards for labor markets and environmental protection for 12 Pacific rim countries, including the US, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Singapore. The 12 countries are responsible for 40 percent of world trade.

10月5日，经过5年紧张的谈判，数十年来最大的贸易协定终于在美国签署了。《跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》规定削减太平洋沿岸12国的贸易关税，统一劳动力市场和环保标准，12国包括美国、日本、澳大利亚、新西兰、加拿大和新加坡等。12个参与国加起来所占全球经济的比重达到了40%。

According to a Wall Street Journal article, Japan views the agreement as key to its economic and security goals as China expands its influence in the region. However, it will be some time before the TPP becomes effective. It still needs to be approved by legislatures in the 12 countries, and that will be an uphill battle in the US congress.

据《华尔街日报》消息，随着中国在亚太地区影响力的提升，日本视该协定为实现其经济和安全目标的关键。不过《跨太平洋伙伴关系协定》生效还需时日。它还需获得12国立法机构的批准，美国国会将会就此开展一场艰苦的博弈。

Iran nuclear agreement

伊朗核协议

Conducted off and on since 2002, nuclear negotiations with Iran finally resulted in a deal that officially went into effect on Oct 18. Iran is expected to destroy the core of its existing uranium enrichment facilities and nuclear reactors. Its enriched uranium stockpile will be shipped out of the country.

自2002年来，伊朗核谈判断断续续进行了十余年，最终协议在2015年10月18日正式生效。国际社会希望伊朗摧毁它现存的铀浓缩和核反应装置。它储存的浓缩铀将被运送出境。

In return, world powers including the US and the European Union have pledged to phase out sanctions against Iran. This would unfreeze about $100 billion worth of Iranian assets in foreign banks, and allow Iran to sell its oil internationally again.

作为回应，包括美国和欧盟在内的大国承诺逐渐停止对伊朗的制裁。这意味着伊朗在外国银行的1000亿资产将被解禁，伊朗也能再次出口石油了。

All this depends on the International Atomic Energy Agency verifying that Iran has demolished its nuclear program.

所有这些将在国际原子能机构确认伊朗拆除了其核项目后实施。

If Iran completely honors its pledges, it would have a significant impact on peace in the Middle East.

如果伊朗信守承诺，那么这将对中东和平进程产生深远的影响。

Paris climate deal

巴黎气候协定

For the first time in history, 195 countries promised to reduce green house emissions and to increase these reductions over time on Dec 12.

12月12日，人类历史上第一次，195个国家共同承诺减少温室气体排放，并随着时间推移加大减排力度。

The Paris deal requires every country, both rich and poor, to take action.

《巴黎协定》要求所有国家，不论穷富，一致行动。

The agreement aims to limit global warming to less than 2 C above pre-industrial levels.

协定的目标是以工业革命前水平为参照，将全球气候变暖控制在2摄氏度以内。

The deal also urges wealthy countries to provide more than $100 billion (648 billion yuan) per year in financing by 2020 for poorer countries, to help them invest in clean energy and combat climate change.

协定还敦促富国向穷国每年提供1000亿美元（约6480亿人民币）直至2020年，帮助它们投资清洁能源，应对气候变化。

However, the deal’s effectiveness will depend on whether each country enacts their pledge.

不过，协定能否最终生效还要看各国是否信守承诺了。