Earth: The Climate Wars

[StuartDH]

A new series called "Earth: The Climate Wars" starts on BBC2 at 9pm tonight to look at the battle of opinions and concerns over climate change (warming and cooling) throughout history; and how it's not just a recent issue

[mrs fish]

That sounds like something to watch , thanks

[tameblackbirds]

Originally Posted by StuartDH

A new series called "Earth: The Climate Wars" starts on BBC2 at 9pm tonight to look at the battle of opinions and concerns over climate change (warming and cooling) throughout history; and how it's not just a recent issue

Watching as I type this

[mrs fish]

I watched the first 30mins but had mislaid the matchsticks so fell asleep.
What I saw was interesting

[LynM]

I've recorded it as I was far too busy watching Joanna Lumley enthusing about the northern lights! Typical of the Beeb to put two programmes on at the same time which are likely to appeal to the same people.....

[Billy Wobble Dagger]

Originally Posted by LynM

I've recorded it as I was far too busy watching Joanna Lumley enthusing about the northern lights! Typical of the Beeb to put two programmes on at the same time which are likely to appeal to the same people.....

I did the same Lyn. The scenes at the end were magical.

[Dan Salter]

I watched it....fell asleep in the middle (no fault of the program) and watched the end...ao i may re watch it as i recorded it too...seems very good though.

Seems to be an extension of Earth: the power of the planet...we now have Earth: the climate wars....both with the excellent Dr Ian Stewart.

[StuartDH]

I've just watched it on the BBC iPlayer:

BBC iPlayer - Earth: The Climate Wars: The Battle Begins

It seemed well balanced with clear and easy to understand explanations of the science and politics of climate change. There are also many warts and all frank admissions about why/when/how climate scientists can get it wrong.

It looks at how many climate scientists used to predict global cooling, but that a basis of science is that you have a theory and see if the evidence fits, if it doesn't fit then you have to change the theory. Evidence in the 70s pointed to global cooling, but as they continued the research they discovered that we were actually predicting global warming, and while the science can never be 100% certain, the fact that we don't know everything, doesn't mean we don't know anything.

I guess it's unlikely to change any hardline skeptic's view, which often seem as fundamentalist and cult-like as they usually claim to be the problem with proponents of anthropogenic global warming, but the next episode is all about the skeptics so looking forward to see what it comes up with.

[shirl]

I watched it last night and thought it really was well balanced, investigating "both sides" of climate change. I must say I think Dr Ian Stewart does present an excellent programme which should appeal to a wide audience. I always remember our Environment tutor when I did my degree - he said that there is no doubt CO2 has always varied in the atmosphere and has been much higher in the past than it is now. It's not the amount that is there it is the rate at which the amount increases, a mere snip in geological timescales. Makes adaptation to change much more difficult.

Shirl

[Dan Salter]

I thought the second in the series tonight was excellent!!...

Reminded me of somf of the climate debate aruguments i had forgotten about...very interesting stuff and easily explained without heavy duty science.