Films: Earth:The Climate Wars & Winged Migration

EARTH : THE CLIMATE WARS

FRIDAY, 21st of AUGUST 2009

7.30 pm

MEMORIAL HALL, Pah Street, Motueka

British geologist Iain Stewart examines the history of the scientific
debate over climate change, how it became so heated, and where the
science stands today. What he finds is that, as theories are vigorously
challenged, the real winner in the debate is science itself.
(more details see below)

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WINGED MIGRATION

SUNDAY, 23rd of AUGUST 2009

4.30 pm

MEMORIAL HALL, Pah Street, Motueka

Wonderful journey that looks at the magival world of bird migration from
a unique angle as the camera soars alongside the birds...

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More details "EARTH : Climate Wars":
Dr Iain Stewart investigates the counter attack that was launched by the
global warming sceptics in the 1990s. At the start of the 1990s it
seemed the world was united. At the Rio Earth summit the world signed up
to a programme of action to start tackling climate change. Even George
Bush was there. But the consensus didn't last. Iain examines the
scientific arguments that developed as the global warming sceptics took
on the climate change consensus. The sceptics attacked almost everything
that scientists held to be true. They argued that the planet wasn't
warming up, that even if it was it was nothing unusual, and certainly
whatever was happening to the climate was nothing to do with human
emissions of greenhouse gases.

Iain interviews some of the key global warming sceptics, and discovers
how their positions have changed over time.

Having explained the science behind global warming, and addressed the
arguments of the climate change sceptics earlier in the series, in this
third and final part Dr Iain Stewart looks at the biggest challenge now
facing climate scientists. Just how can they predict exactly what
changes global warming will bring? It's a journey that takes him from
early attempts to model the climate system with dishpans, to
supercomputers, and to the frontline of climate research today:
Greenland. Most worryingly he discovers that scientists are becoming
increasingly concerned that their models are actually underestimating
the speed of changes already underway.