I have just finished watching Al Gore’s ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ for the second time and it was equally as mesmerising on this occasion. Contrary to many speculations, An Inconvenient Truth is a film dedicated to transmitting facts, not theory, to the real threat that global warming has to not only our economy but to humanity and all life on earth as we know it. Apart from the subject matter being so monumentality important to our generation, the documentary itself is extraordinarily put together. Many critics, of the concept not the film, have openly stated that it’s contents is ‘mumbo jumbo’ or a left wing attempt to fool America and risk American jobs, saying that the science is only theory and not concrete evidence. One can’t help but feel these are the same people that have a vested financial interest in keeping our ‘old’ technologies alive, such as the use of fossil fuel, but ironically would probably have no issue accepting science as fact if it were for a medical procedure to save their own pitiful lives. The fact that they only say ‘to fool America and risk American jobs’ only serves to emphasise their shear ignorance and lack of understanding of the predicament. This is larger than America and certainly more profound than American jobs and is quite frankly an insult that they only mention their own country in their blinded patriotism.
When agreeing to this review I promised Leigh that I wouldn’t get too submerged in the content and would try to concentrate on the film itself and how it has been documented. I am finding this extremely hard as the core of this film is so overwhelmingly important. I wouldn’t consider myself to be ‘a hippy’ or a ‘tree hugger’ by a long shot, I don’t even recycle for heavens sake, but I do consider myself to be a person of rational thought. The scientific evidence presented by Al Gore in this film is undeniably staggering and has completely changed my perception of the issue.
What makes the film so poignant is the vast array of sources the evidence comes from to form a collective conclusion. Of course there are satellite images of decreasing ice caps and off the wall charts showing the rapid increase in CO2 emissions and how levels of the gas over the last 650,000 years convincingly correspond to the temperature of the globe. These are to be expected. What isn’t expected are the previously unreleased charts of nuclear submarines, showing the dramatic increase in areas of ice thin enough for the underwater vessels to surface through or the insurance company’s acceptations that natural disasters and global warming are pushing their premiums up.
Many have said that the film is a political message, an attempt to defame the right by the left, but as Al Gore states himself, this is a moral issue not a political one. This message becomes increasingly apparent as we are taken through the history of Gore’s involvement of the subject. Gore was first introduced to the effects of global warming in his college years and it has been his entire motivation for entering the world of politics – hardly a whimsical attempt to have a dig at the Bush administration in light of Gore’s questionable defeat.
Gore is a charismatic speaker and clearly passionate about the topic, having delivered over 1000 presentations across the world. With that experience he is a master of getting the message across and communicates it a multitude of ways that anyone can understand. Cartoon scenarios are supported by startling photographic and linear chart evidence. Stories relating past historical mistakes, such as the denial of the health risk from smoking, have their similarities compared to highlight humanities tendency to bury its head in the sand until the consequences are upon us.
Gore has also worked his way through every possible obstacle that challenges his argument. Perhaps the most interesting are his answers to the economic risk of action. Gore shows how nations such as China and the EU have CO2 regulations set in place that mean American car companies are unable to sell their gas guzzling vehicles abroad and are therefore suffering financially. He shows how the companies that are taking positive environmental action are reporting massive increases in profit.
At the start of the film the viewer is left despairing at the epic proportions of the damage already done and the struggle for survival humanity could face. By the end of the film Gore pulls us back from that mirage to accentuate that hope is not lost if we can find the strength to act now. One of the many quotes Gore uses to pummel the point home is “You can't make somebody understand something if their salary depends upon them not understanding it” (Upton Sinclair). Unfortunately this is so very true and makes the title of the documentary so very apt.
I could rant away for hours on this subject but for the sake of your sanity will refrain from doing so. I will simply say this is a profound film and a far cry for the political instigations it has been accused of. I would highly recommend you see it if you are the owner of a conscience if not for yourself then for your children and grandchildren who will no doubt suffer profusely from our unfortunate ignorance. Commendations to Gore for having the guts to put himself on the line for this crucial message.
www.climatecrisis.net
