OT Code- A55

Movie Review on “An Inconvenient Truth”

Director: Davis Guggenheim
Written by: Al Gore
Produced by: Laurie David
Lawrence Bender
Scott Z. Burns
Production: Lawrence Bender/ Laurie David
Music by: Michael Brook
Edited by: Jay Cassidy a.c.e.
Dan Swietlik
Cinematography: Bob Richman
Davis Guggenheim
Release Date: 24 May 2006
Running Time: 97 minutes
Background Information: “An Inconvenient Truth” is a documentary about the
climate change presented by Al Gore, former vice president of U.S.A. to educate
the world about global warming and its effect. Actually this a documentary made
from the presentation of slides which Al Gore had given more than thousand
times in different parts of the world. In this film he also told that how he collected
all the data and what gives him motivation to know about the environmental
issues.

Contd…. (2)
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Main issues raised by the film:
(i) Global warming due to absorption of Solar Radiation, forest burning,
rising in CO2 concentration due to various reasons etc.
(ii) Effect of Green-house gases specially CO2 on earth atmosphere and
thus on temperature.
(iii) Continuously Melting of Mountain Glaciers due to which sea level is
increasing and shortage of fresh drinking water is occurring.
(iv) Effect of Global warming i.e. Massive Heat Waves, Increase in
Temperature of Oceans, Hurricanes, Cyclonic Storms, Tornados,
Typhoons, More flooding, More Drought, evaporation mostly of soil and
ocean, changes in season’s timing, extinction of species
(v) Reason and causes of decreasing ice cap at Arctic and Antarctic.
(vi) Changes in ocean and wind current directions due to increase in Temp.
(vii) Changes in season’s timing which in turn is affecting ecological system.
(viii) Increase in Numbers of Vector-borne diseases because vectors are
expanding their range.
(ix) Decrease in Coral reefs continuously which are again affecting marine
life.
(x) Uses of old technologies in coal mines which creates pollution.
(xi) Effect of population on global warming.
Effectiveness of the issues presented: Environmental issues are presented so
effectively that the whole documentary bounded audience to the screen from
starting to ending. In starting he has shown two pictures of the earth taken in the
interval of 18 months that clearly shows the degradation of environment.
Animated video presented by him on Global warming is definitively the best way
to make audience understand about the effect of green-house gases and thus in
making earth atmosphere warmer and warmer day-by-day. Also the chart shown
by him clearly described the impact of CO2 on Nature. Pictures of Mountain
Glaciers and chart between CO2 concentration and Years presented in such a
manner that it gave a chance of thought to audience where we are heading today.
Pictures and videos of Hurricanes, Typhoons shown by him clearly tell us the
influence of change in temperature.
Contd….. (3)
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Besides these there are some more slides that perfectly shown the drastic
changes in atmosphere of earth like Picture of river Chad that has completely
gone of the land, Drop in ice cap at Arctic by 40% in 40 years, Video of Polar bear
that was in search of ice at Arctic but could not find the same, Melting of
Greenland ice, Effect of Sea level rising due to melting of ice and thereby flooding
the coastal region, effect of increase in population like on food demand and water
demand, on natural resources and devastation of forests etc. Further contribution
of various countries towards global warming is also shown in a very efficacious
manner.
Impact of the film: The film is very much effective to share the information
regarding global warming throughout the world. It is also said that people
become more concerned about climate change after seeing the film and changed
some of their habits because of the film. Parliament of various countries screened
this movie to tell its law makers about the problem of climate change. It is also
known that Australia ratified Kyoto protocol after the film was screened. The
movie has also presented to the world how the scientific results were
manipulated and thereby making scientists able to bring forward actual results.
Relevance of the film to India & Actions to be initiated: Global warming and
change in climate has also affected India a lot. In recent years India is also facing
unnatural phenomenon like severe drought, Flooding, Cyclones, untimely rain etc
and some of these were also mentioned in the movie.
Actions to be initiated:
(i) Use of renewable energy sources and buys energy efficient appliances.
(ii) Change thermostat to reduce energy for heating and cooling.
(iii) Use higher mileage automobiles or electric-driven automobiles.
(iv) Carbon capture and sequestration.
(v) More and more plantation.
(vi) Create awareness among the people.
Contd……(4)

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 (vii) Initiate a mass movement so that a pressure can be put on Government
to do the needful.
(viii) Weatherize own house, increase insulation, get an energy audit done.
(ix) Whenever we can, must walk or ride bicycle.
(x) Every political party must have a note regarding global warming/climate
change in their manifesto.
(xi) Environmental clearance without manipulating the norms must be
obtained before setting up of an industry.
(xii) Waste-to-energy plant must be set up so that waste can be managed
efficiently.
(xiii) Construction of Green House Buildings and trying to use natural ways
for ventilation/cooling rather than using artificial Air Conditioning.
(xiv) Sometimes scientists change their theory on climate change due to
political pressure, this should not be done.
(xv) Helping of developing/undeveloped countries with the aide provided by
developed countries to bring their carbon emissions to zero.
(xvi) Increase awareness among people to use more and more public
transport system.

Two equations from the movie tell us about the effects of technologies
on climate change, these are:
Old habits + old technology = predictable consequences.
Old habits + New technology = dramatically altered consequences.
Recommendation: Strongly recommended.

Submitted by,

Manish Sharma