An Inconvenient Truth

BY ROGER EBERT / June 2, 2006

Cast & Credits

Paramount Classics presents a documentary featuring Al Gore. Directed by Davis
Guggenheim. Running time: 100 minutes. Rated PG (for mild thematic elements).

I want to write this review so every reader will begin it and finish it. I am a liberal, but I
do not intend this as a review reflecting any kind of politics. It reflects the truth as I
understand it, and it represents, I believe, agreement among the world's experts.

Global warming is real.

It is caused by human activity.

Mankind and its governments must begin immediate action to halt and reverse it.

If we do nothing, in about 10 years the planet may reach a "tipping point" and begin a
slide toward destruction of our civilization and most of the other species on this planet.

After that point is reached, it would be too late for any action.

These facts are stated by Al Gore in the documentary "An Inconvenient Truth." Forget he
ever ran for office. Consider him a concerned man speaking out on the approaching
crisis. "There is no controversy about these facts," he says in the film. "Out of 925 recent
articles in peer-review scientific journals about global warming, there was no
disagreement. Zero."

He stands on a stage before a vast screen, in front of an audience. The documentary is

based on a speech he has been developing for six years, and is supported by dramatic
visuals. He shows the famous photograph "Earthrise," taken from space by the first
American astronauts. Then he shows a series of later space photographs, clearly
indicating that glaciers and lakes are shrinking, snows are melting, shorelines are
retreating.

He provides statistics: The 10 warmest years in history were in the last 14 years. Last
year South America experienced its first hurricane. Japan and the Pacific are setting
records for typhoons. Hurricane Katrina passed over Florida, doubled back over the Gulf,
picked up strength from unusually warm Gulf waters, and went from Category 3 to
Category 5. There are changes in the Gulf Stream and the jet stream. Cores of polar ice
show that carbon dioxide is much, much higher than ever before in a quarter of a million
years. It was once thought that such things went in cycles. Gore stands in front of a graph
showing the ups and downs of carbon dioxide over the centuries. Yes, there is a cyclical
pattern. Then, in recent years, the graph turns up and keeps going up, higher and higher,
off the chart.
The primary man-made cause of global warming is the burning of fossil fuels. We are
taking energy stored over hundreds of millions of years in the form of coal, gas and oil,
and releasing it suddenly. This causes global warming, and there is a pass-along effect.
Since glaciers and snow reflect sunlight but sea water absorbs it, the more the ice melts,
the more of the sun's energy is retained by the sea.

Gore says that although there is "100 percent agreement" among scientists, a database
search of newspaper and magazine articles shows that 57 percent question the fact of
global warming, while 43 percent support it. These figures are the result, he says, of a
disinformation campaign started in the 1990s by the energy industries to "reposition
global warming as a debate." It is the same strategy used for years by the defenders of
tobacco. My father was a Luckys smoker who died of lung cancer in 1960, and 20 years
later it was still "debatable" that there was a link between smoking and lung cancer. Now
we are talking about the death of the future, starting in the lives of those now living.

"The world won't 'end' overnight in 10 years," Gore says. "But a point will have been
passed, and there will be an irreversible slide into destruction."

In England, Sir James Lovelock, the scientist who proposed the Gaia hypothesis (that the
planet functions like a living organism), has published a new book saying that in 100
years mankind will be reduced to "a few breeding couples at the Poles." Gore thinks
"that's too pessimistic. We can turn this around just as we reversed the hole in the ozone
layer. But it takes action right now, and politicians in every nation must have the courage
to do what is necessary. It is not a political issue. It is a moral issue."

When I said I was going to a press screening of "An Inconvenient Truth," a friend said,
"Al Gore talking about the environment! Bor...ing!" This is not a boring film. The
director, Davis Guggenheim, uses words, images and Gore's concise litany of facts to
build a film that is fascinating and relentless. In 39 years, I have never written these
words in a movie review, but here they are: You owe it to yourself to see this film. If you
do not, and you have grandchildren, you should explain to them why you decided not to.

Am I acting as an advocate in this review? Yes, I am. I believe that to be "impartial" and
"balanced" on global warming means one must take a position like Gore's. There is no
other view that can be defended. Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.), chairman of the Senate
Environment Committee, has said, "Global warming is the greatest hoax ever perpetrated
on the American people." I hope he takes his job seriously enough to see this film. I think
he has a responsibility to do that.

What can we do? Switch to and encourage the development of alternative energy sources:
Solar, wind, tidal, and, yes, nuclear. Move quickly toward hybrid and electric cars. Pour
money into public transit, and subsidize the fares. Save energy in our houses. I did a
funny thing when I came home after seeing "An Inconvenient Truth." I went around the
house turning off the lights
Learn More
The results are in and the reality of global warming is beyond dispute or debate. It’s not
just an environmental issue. It affects ours public health and national security. It’s an
urgent matter of survival for everyone on the planet — the most urgent threat facing
humanity today. It’s going to take action from you and all of us working together.

The first step, Join the Virtual March.

The second step, Keep reading below, and share this with friends.

Global warming isn’t opinion. It’s a scientific reality. And the science tells us that human
activity has made enormous impacts to our planet that affect our well-being and even our
survival as a species.

The world’s leading science journals report that glaciers are melting ten times faster than
previously thought, that atmospheric greenhouse gases have reached levels not seen for
millions of years, and that species are vanishing as a result of climate change. They also
report of extreme weather events, long-term droughts, and rising sea levels.

Fortunately, the science also tells us how we can begin to make significant repairs to try
and reverse those impacts, but only through immediate action. That’s why we urge you to
join us. The Stop Global Warming Virtual March is virtual but its purpose is real. By
spreading the word and sharing this with others, our collective power will force
governments, corporations, and politicians everywhere to pay attention.

What is Global Warming?

The Earth as an ecosystem is changing, attributable in great part to the effects of
globalization and man. More carbon dioxide is now in the atmosphere than has been in
the past 650,000 years. This carbon stays in the atmosphere, acts like a warm blanket, and
holds in the heat — hence the name ‘global warming.’

The reason we exist on this planet is because the earth naturally traps just enough heat in
the atmosphere to keep the temperature within a very narrow range - this creates the
conditions that give us breathable air, clean water, and the weather we depend on to
survive. Human beings have begun to tip that balance. We've overloaded the atmosphere
with heat-trapping gasses from our cars and factories and power plants. If we don't start
fixing the problem now, we’re in for devastating changes to our environment. We will
experience extreme temperatures, rises in sea levels, and storms of unimaginable
destructive fury. Recently, alarming events that are consistent with scientific predictions
about the effects of climate change have become more and more commonplace.

Environmental Destruction
The massive ice sheets in the Arctic are melting at alarming rates. This is causing the
oceans to rise. That’s how big these ice sheets are! Most of the world’s population lives
on or near the coasts. Rising ocean levels, an estimated six feet over the next 100 years or
sooner, will cause massive devastation and economic catastrophe to population centers
worldwide.

The United States, with only four percent of the world’s population, is responsible for
22% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. A rapid transition to energy efficiency and
renewable energy sources will combat global warming, protect human health, create new
jobs, protect habitat and wildlife, and ensure a secure, affordable energy future.

Health Risks
Malaria. Dengue Fever. Encephalitis. These names are not usually heard in emergency
rooms and doctors’ offices in the United States. But if we don’t act to curb global
warming, they will be. As temperatures rise, disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents
spread, infecting people in their wake. Doctors at the Harvard Medical School have
linked recent U.S. outbreaks of dengue fever, malaria, hantavirus and other diseases
directly to climate change.

Catastrophic Weather
Super powerful hurricanes, fueled by warmer ocean temperatures are the “smoking gun”
of global warming. Since 1970, the number of category 4 and 5 events has jumped
sharply. Human activities are adding an alarming amount of pollution to the earth’s
atmosphere causing catastrophic shifts in weather patterns. These shifts are causing
severe heat, floods and worse.

Five Things We Can All Do

• Join StopGlobalWarming.org. Together our voices will be heard!
• Spread the word, share the learning. Send this link to family, friends, and
colleagues. Share why this is so important.
• Change begins at home. (See the list home-related Action Items)
• Put the heat on your elected officials.
• The power of the pocketbook

Global warming

Overview:
Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. To protect the
health and economic well-being of current and future generations, we must reduce our
emissions of heat-trapping gases by using the technology, know-how, and practical
solutions already at our disposal.
global warming solutions

We have the technology and ingenuity to reduce the threat of global warming today.
Solutions are already available that will stimulate the American economy by creating
jobs, saving consumers money, and protecting our national security. By investing in
renewable energy and energy efficiency, and increasing the efficiency of the cars we
drive, we can take essential steps toward reducing our dependence on oil and other fossil
fuels that cause global warming.

Using energy more efficiently and moving to renewable energy (wind, solar, geothermal,
and bioenergy) would significantly reduce our emissions of heat-trapping gases. The
United States currently produces 70 percent of its electricity from fossil fuels such as
coal, natural gas, and oil, but only two percent from renewable sources. Since the burning
of fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide—the leading cause of global
warming—but renewable energy does not, increasing the share of our electricity
generated from renewable resources is one of the most effective ways to reduce global
warming emissions.

Cars and trucks are another significant source (25 percent) of U.S. carbon dioxide
emissions. A serious effort to address global warming must therefore reduce emissions
from cars and trucks. Many technologies already exist that can do this, while also
creating new jobs in the U.S. automotive sector and other industries throughout the
country. In addition, American consumers would save billions of dollars on gasoline, and
we would reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

By putting energy efficiency, renewable energy, and vehicle technology solutions in place
at the federal level, we can reduce our contribution to global warming while creating a
stronger, healthier, and more secure nation.

climate solutions
Common Sense on Climate Change:
Practical Solutions to Global Warming
Mark Twain might as well have been talking about global warming when
he famously remarked, "Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody
ever does anything about it." For years we have heard so much about the
causes of climate change, that we’ve missed the fact that there are simple,
practical solutions that can slow this growing problem. Technologies exist
today that can cut emissions of heat-trapping gases and make a real
difference in the health of our planet. And these solutions will be good for
our economy, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and
enhance our energy security.
Five sensible solutions
A Challenge We Can Meet Make Better Cars & SUVs
Global warming doesn’t just mean balmy February days in Modernize Our Electricity
northern climes. It also means increasingly hot days in the summer, and a host of negative Increase Energy Efficiency
impacts that are already under way and are expected to intensify in the Protect Threatened Forests
coming decades. Support American Ingenuity

Download
Download the Solutions PDF
 • More heat waves will likely increase the risk of heat-related illnesses and deaths.
• Cities and towns along the nation's major rivers will experience more severe and frequent
flooding.
• Some areas will likely experience more extensive and prolonged droughts.
• Some of our favorite coastal and low-lying vacation areas, such as parts of the Florida Keys and
Cape Cod, will be much less appealing as sea levels rise, dunes erode, and the areas become more
vulnerable to coastal storms.
• Many families and businesses, who have made their living from fishing, farming, and tourism
could lose their livelihoods, and others who love hunting, boating, skiing, birdwatching, and just
relaxing near lakes, streams, and wetlands will see some of their favorite places irretrievably
changed.

The solutions to climate change are here and it's time we put them to use. If we get started today we can
tackle this problem and decrease the unpleasant outcomes that await us if we do nothing. The steps we need
to take are common sense. And, more often than not, they will save consumers money. The cost of inaction,
however, is unacceptably high.

We Must Act Now

The scientific consensus is in. Our planet is warming, and we are helping make it happen by adding more
heat-trapping gases, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), to the atmosphere. The burning of fossil fuel (oil,
coal, and natural gas) alone accounts for about 75 percent of annual CO2 emissions from human activities.
Deforestation—the cutting and burning of forests that trap and store carbon—accounts for about another 20
percent.

Procrastination is not an option. Scientists agree that if we wait 10, 20, or 50 years, the problem will be
much more difficult to address and the consequences for us will be that much more serious.

We're treating our atmosphere like we once did our rivers. We used to dump waste thoughtlessly into our
waterways, believing that they were infinite in their capacity to hold rubbish. But when entire fisheries
were poisoned and rivers began to catch fire, we realized what a horrible mistake that was.

Our atmosphere has limits too. CO2 remains in the atmosphere for about 100 years. The longer we keep
polluting, the longer it will take to recover and the more irreversible damage will be done.

Common Sense Solutions

Fuel-efficient vehicles. Renewable energy. Protecting threatened forests. These common sense solutions
won't only reduce global warming, many will save us money and create new business opportunities.

Best of all, these solutions exist now. We just need to insist that business and government take the
necessary steps to make them available and affordable. Then we have to let consumers know what to do
and provide incentives to help all of us make better choices.

The following five sensible steps are available today and can have an enormous impact on the problem
CO2 remains in the atmosphere for about 100 years

What You Can Do about Global Warming

Scientists are convinced that human actions are causing global warming. If this is so,
it stands to reason that our own actions can also help reduce this threat.
Because US emissions of heat-trapping gases are so high, Americans have a special
responsibility and opportunity to work to reduce the threat of global warming. You
can help by taking personal action, encouraging community action, and influencing
US action.

Take Personal Action

You can reduce your personal contribution to global warming and set an example for
others by using less gasoline, natural gas, oil, and electricity in your daily life. Your
choices about energy and transportation are especially crucial.

• The next time you buy a car, choose one that is highly fuel efficient. Your
choice of vehicle is probably your single most important environmental
decision: for every single gallon of gasoline burned, 20 pounds of carbon
dioxide go into the atmosphere.

• Instead of driving alone in your car, join a carpool, take mass transit, walk, or
ride a bike -- anything that reduces the amount of gasoline you burn.

• The next time you buy an appliance, purchase a highly efficient model. You
can tell by looking for the Energy Star, awarded by the Environmental
Protection Agency.

• Ask your local electric or gas utility to perform an energy audit of your house
or apartment. Then put the recommendations into practice.

• Develop a plan to reduce daily electricity use around your home. Ask each
member of your household to take responsibility for a different electricity-
saving action.

Encourage Community Action

You can work within your community to promote energy efficiency and use of clean
energy.

• Make sure that public buildings are models of energy efficiency and encourage
the incorporation of passive-solar techniques in community construction or
remodeling projects.

• Urge your local library, businesses, and church or synagogue to install bike
racks.

• Promote community carpooling plans and the construction of bike lanes.

• Work to change local zoning ordinances and other regulations that involve
energy use.
 • Encourage your local electric utilities to promote energy efficiency and the use
of clean, renewable energy sources.

Influence US Action

The United States needs to play a leadership role in addressing global warming, and
you can help make this happen.

• Write to your local newspaper about the significance of the global warming
threat and the need for US leadership.

• Monitor your newspaper's coverage of this issue and write in response to any
stories or letters that dismiss global warming.

• Write or call President Bush to let him know that you expect him to be an
international leader on this issue.

• Contact your congressional representative and senators to encourage them to

support actions to address the root causes of global warming: the emission of
heat-trapping gases.

• Ask your governors, state legislators, and public utility regulators to promote
energy efficiency, nonpolluting transportation alternatives, and the
development of clean, renewable sources of energy -- like solar and wind
power.

• Tell government officials that you want them to push industry to protect the
future health of the environment by reducing carbon emissions.

What You Can Do

Ten Personal Solutions
Individual choices can have an impact on global climate change.
Reducing your family's heat-trapping emissions does not mean
forgoing modern conveniences; it means making smart choices
and using energy-efficient products, which may require an
additional investment up front, but often pay you back in energy
savings within a couple of years.

Since Americans' per capita emissions of heat-trapping gases is

5.6 tons—more than double the amount of western Europeans—
we can all make choices that will greatly reduce our families'
global warming impact.

1. The car you drive: the most important personal

climate decision.
When you buy your next car, look for the one with the
best fuel economy in its class. Each gallon of gas you use
releases 25 pounds of heat-trapping carbon dioxide
(CO2) into the atmosphere. Better gas mileage not only
reduces global warming, but will also save you thousands
of dollars at the pump over the life of the vehicle.
Compare the fuel economy of the cars you're considering
and look for new technologies like hybrid engines.

2. Choose clean power.

More than half the electricity in the United States comes
from polluting coal-fired power plants. And power plants
are the single largest source of heat-trapping gas. None
of us can live without electricity, but in some states, you
can switch to electricity companies that provide 50 to
100 percent renewable energy. (For more information go
to Green-e.org.)

3. Look for Energy Star.

4.
When it comes time to replace appliances, look for the
Energy Star label on new appliances (refrigerators,
freezers, furnaces, air conditioners,
and water heaters use the most
energy). These items may cost a bit
more initially, but the energy
savings will pay back the extra
investment within a couple of years.
Household energy savings really can make a difference:
If each household in the United States replaced its
existing appliances with the most efficient models
available, we would save $15 billion in energy costs and
eliminate 175 million tons of heat-trapping gases.

5. Unplug a freezer.
One of the quickest ways to reduce your global warming
impact is to unplug the extra refrigerator or freezer you
rarely use (except when you need it for holidays and
parties). This can reduce the typical family's carbon
dioxide emissions by nearly 10 percent.

6. Get a home energy audit.

Take advantage of the free home energy audits offered
by many utilities. Simple measures, such as installing a
 sealing and insulating heating and cooling ducts, can
each reduce a typical family's carbon dioxide emissions
by about 5 percent.

7. Light bulbs matter.

If every household in the United States replaced one
regular light bulb with an energy-saving model, we could
reduce global warming pollution by more than 90 billion
pounds over the life of the bulbs; the same as taking 6.3
Kyoto Protocol
million cars off the road. So, replace your incandescent
bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescents, which
now come in all shapes and sizes. You'll be doing your
March 29, 2002
share to cut back on heat-trapping pollution and you'll
save money on your electric bills and light bulbs.
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carbon effectively because more trees are left standing
and carbon-storing soils are less disturbed.

10. Plant a tree.

You can also make a difference in your own backyard.
Get a group in your neighborhood together and contact
your local arborist or urban forester about planting trees
on private property and public land. In addition to storing
carbon, trees planted in and around urban areas and
residences can provide much-needed shade in the
summer, reducing energy bills and fossil fuel use.

11. Let policymakers know you are concerned about

global warming.
Our elected officials and business leaders need to hear
from concerned citizens. Sign up for the Union of
Concerned Scientists Action Network to ensure that
policymakers get the timely, accurate information they
need to make informed decisions about global warming
solutions