Climate change scientists tell their story

Climate change scientists tell their story

There is growing international interest in a new film to be screened around the globe on Earth Day (22 April) which shows the astonishing range of human activity and scientific endeavour going into the race to understand the world’s changing climate.

Thin Ice – the Inside Story of Climate Science will screen first at Te Papa in Wellington and, subsequently, as Earth Day dawns around the world, on every continent with close to 200 screenings confirmed to date. Venues range from the Waitomo Caves in the Waikato to the US South Pole Station, with other screenings taking place at university campuses and institutes throughout Europe and North America and on the weather channel of the Chinese Meteorological Association.

The non-English speaking world is catered for with subtitles available in Mandarin, Spanish, German and French.

More than six years in the making, Thin Ice is a response to climate sceptics and a compelling look at the changes taking place in the Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and ice sheets. It documents the hopes, fears and sense of urgency driving scientists studying these changes.

The makers of the film—Victoria University of Wellington, Oxford University and London-based DOX Productions—want as many people as possible to see Thin Ice immediately after its launch.

In addition to a host of free screenings at public venues worldwide, the film will be available for viewing online at no charge for 48 hours from the beginning of Earth Day.

The Thin Ice project was conceived over a cup of coffee at a climate change conference several years ago. One of its executive producers, Professor Peter Barrett from the Antarctic Research Centre at Victoria University, suggested to fellow geologist Dr Simon Lamb, then at Oxford University, that he make a film about climate change with his friend David Sington from DOX Productions. Dr Lamb has been closely involved in television science documentaries including the BBC Horizon programme The Man who Moved the Mountains and the eight-part BBC Earth Story series.

The resulting film sees viewers taken on a personal journey of discovery by Dr Lamb as he meets and interviews 40 scientists working at the front line of climate change research in the Arctic, Antarctic, Southern Ocean, New Zealand, Europe and the United States.

Dr Lamb spent 22 years at Oxford before moving to Victoria to take up a position as Associate Professor of Geophysics.
“I was motivated to make the film by a determination to hear from climate researchers themselves,” he says.

Professor Barrett says he still enjoys the film after many viewings and is impressed by the coherence of the picture that emerges from a diverse group of scientists, covering fields from palaeontology to modelling and atmospheric physics.

He sees the film as both realistic and hopeful, giving clear insights into options for effectively addressing climate change.

Professor Philip England, former Head of Earth Sciences at Oxford and also an executive producer, says the film breaks new ground in movies about climate change.

“It is distinct from other productions in that it relies entirely on the testimony of scientists while also telling a very compelling visual story.”

A number of the scientists who feature in the film will attend the first global screening at Te Papa in Wellington which will be followed by a panel discussion chaired by columnist, commentator and broadcaster Finlay Macdonald.

Many of the scientists interviewed in the film, along with climate change experts, will also take part in a global discussion via Twitter and Facebook on Earth Day.

Thin Ice will continue to be available for screening online from the 24th April for a small fee.

The film is part of a wider Thin Ice climate project which is supported by a comprehensive website that includes more than four hours of film footage (http://thiniceclimate.org).

Screening Details:
• The film will be available for viewing online at no charge for 48 hours from the beginning of Earth Day. Visit http://thiniceclimate.org
• There will be free screenings of the film at venues around New Zealand and around the world on the 22nd and 23rd April. Visit http://thiniceclimate.org/launch for further details
• A free screening will be held at the Victoria University Student Memorial Theatre on the University’s Kelburn Campus at midday (12.00pm) on Tuesday, 23rd April.

View the Thin Ice trailer here: http://vimeo.com/55642398.

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