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Theme - 'An Inconvenient Truth'
*A high court judge has ruled that the film can be shown in secondary schools. Read more on the BBC News website. (02.10.07)*
*An interesting and balanced review of An Inconvenient Truth has been published in New Scientist. (23.10.07)*
GA member Andrew Lee urges colleagues to see the film 'An Inconvenient Truth' and suggests some ideas for using the film with students.
www.aninvonvenienttruth.co.uk
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An Inconvenient Truth is an important moment for geographers, and indeed for the world. Where much information about climate change has to date been fragmented, and even at times contradictory, Al Gore, former Vice President of the USA, has produced a film which provides, just as clearly as it can, a profile on the state of the planet with regard to climate change.
Gore goes through the science, demonstrates the current situation and explains the processes that have brought us here. The tagline of the movie is 'by far the most terrifying film you will ever see'. Scores of children I have taken to see the film have asked me whether it is that scary. I have had to say to them 'it is not frightening like a horror movie, but it is frightening because it is real and that the main characters in it are me and you'.
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Whilst his message is hardly new, the significant thing is that the message is all in one place, and it is explained by a highly profiled credible person, who happens to be an American. Gore quotes Churchill from the 1930s, who whilst speaking in another context, as ever made a poignant and universal statement:
"… The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to a close. In its place, we are entering a period of consequences. …"
Gore makes the point that there are all sorts of delicate systems that make up the earth and its oceans. As they become upset with the impact of releasing carbon from the great carbon sinks, these systems are increasingly set to derail ecosystems, upset natural flows of heat and energy, and often to set teetering aspects of our interconnectedness, into a spiral of destruction, that will potentially mean suffering to tens of millions of the world’s inhabitants in what could be a frighteningly short period of time.
Yet the biggest threat to our future may not be climate change, it just might be our own apathy, or even our resolute refusal to acknowledge what just might be an inconvenient truth.
Take your children to see this film, take your partner, take your parents, take your class, take your school. Make a pledge to get as many people as you can to see this film.
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| Some things to think about, some things to do with students |
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An Inconvenient Truth is a movie about planet Earth. It is about how the way we are using energy is upsetting the balances on our planet in ways that are changing faster and faster. Many of the natural catastrophes and extremes of weather we have been experiencing can be connected to the changes we are making to the planet. Once, humans made relatively little impact on the atmosphere, but now, increased carbon released into the atmosphere is warming the Earth and leading to melting ice, unstable weather, changing patterns of vegetation, changing coastlines and even the spread of disease.
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The impact of climate change is set to speed up unless fairly drastic action is taken very soon. Unfortunately there are some for whom these changes might not be good business. Governments find it difficult to introduce measures to reduce carbon emissions, such as increasing tax on fuels, because they fear unpopularity.
To what extent, therefore, can individuals make a difference? Should we just go it alone and do our own thing?
Go to the website www.aninconvenienttruth.co.uk. Click on 'Take Action'. You could focus on 'reduce your impact at home'.
Work through the list and decide which one you could most easily do in your own home. Talk to your parents about making this change at home, and then work on the next and the next, and so on.
Make a judgement about how effective these actions might be. How can you make a judgement? What information do you need?
Make a plan targeting as many changes as you think you might reasonably make.
Remember too that getting someone else on board doubles your impact, and if they get someone else on board, soon there will be a turning tide rather than a number of unconnected incidents. This is a form of viral change, a little like a Mexican wave at the football.
Even if people do not agree with you, at least having the discussion is good. Why do you think Al Gore called his film 'an inconvenient truth'?
Finally, plan an ongoing project entitled the Geography of Climate Change. What you need is a large wall map of the world. Using newspapers and TV as the main source, begin to map the impact of climate change. Use two colours for your labels:
- orange for actual events
- red for predicted events
In each case it is important to show the evidence that links the event to climate change.
The map can be extended by adding labels to show actions - both positive (green) and negative (blue) - actions taken by governments to reduce carbon emissions, and areas of the world that are likely to be the source of greater carbon emissions in the future.
Andrew Lee CGeog FRGS
Head of Geography
GA Independent Schools Committee Member
Contact: andrew.lee@Westminster.org.uk
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| Film Review by Dr Sylvia Knight and Dr Sarah Mander |
"... An Inconvenient Truth, in UK cinemas since 15 September, is a richly illustrated 90-minute lecture about the scientific evidence for the causes of recent climate change and its implications.
Al Gore, the man who will forever be remembered for losing to George W. Bush in the controversial 2000 US presidential election, is shown presenting a 'travelling global warming show' around the world. He clearly cares about, and understands, the issues surrounding the man-made global warming debate and has filled his lecture with clear and striking graphics. The lecture format gives him credibility, and he is a surprisingly engaging speaker. Although very focused on the USA, Gore does manage to put an international perspective on the attitude of the US to climate change.
The film is factually accurate, entertaining, unsensationalist and ends with sensible and realistic suggestions for ways to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions on an international to a personal level – although the '10 simple things you can do' are lost in the credits a bit.
There is nothing new in the film, but if it reaches new audiences it can only be a good thing. Hopefully it will make it on to mainstream UK television soon. ..."
Dr Sylvia Knight, www.climateprediction.net, the Open University
Dr Sarah Mander, Tyndall Centre for climate change research, University of Manchester
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| Study Guide and Interactive Website |
Thanks to Jenny Brown of Monash University, Victoria, for letting us know about the excellent 26-page Study Guide the Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) have produced to accompany the film. ATOM have also co-developed an interactive website about the film featuring a 'Make Your Own Movie Poster' activity, Geography Quiz, trailer, and background information - you can also download the free Study Guide here.
An Inconvenient Truth - interactive website
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ATOM website - click on 'R' then scroll down to 'Study Guides'. There's a huge list of Study Guides in this section, so be sure to have a look around for other films that could have an impact in your geography lessons.
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| Why not add your thoughts about this film to the Forums? If you'd like to submit a review or teaching resource for this page, contact Anne Greaves. |
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