Another challenge for focusing public attention
on climate change is that involves complex
scientific issues. C. P. Snow, a physicist
and novelist brought attention to the schism
that has developed during the twentieth century
between scientists and the rest of the society.
You, the viewers, having produced nearly 50
of these videos are now familiar with the
science of Global Climate Change and can discuss
the issues with authority. Some of your less
fortunate associates who are not privy to
such information may find the science of climate
change intimidating or boring and therefore
must rely on so called experts to interpret
this issue for them.
Organizations from petroleum companies to
environmental groups have engaged the services
of experts who expound points of view consistant
with their own interests. The resulting diversity
of scientific opinions about climate change
confuses the lay public. This video segment
next looks to the lessons of history on environmental
problems such as climate change and then examines
how opinions about this issue vary with societal
factors such as national origin, education,
gender, race, income, age and religion. It
describes the battle among various interest
groups for the hearts and minds of the public.
Traditionally, historians have emphasized
the role of political, military, sociological,
economic and religious forces in the fate
of human civilizations. Recent studies of
civilization expanded upon such treatments
by including the influence of environmental
factors. In particular, Jared Diamond, a professor
of Geography and Physiology at UCLA, describes
in his book Collapse a number of civilizations
that have committed unintentional ecological
suicide or ecocide. He proposes that 5 major
factors contribute to this fate, environmental
damage, climate change, hostile neighbors,
loss of friendly trade partners and poor treatment
of the environmental problems. He documents
the inner player of these factors and the
downfall of the statue builders of Easter
Island, the Anasazi of the North American
deserts, the Mayans of Central American and
the Vikings of Greenland. And overall scenario
for these civilization is that agricultural
advances such as irrigation, terracing, or
introduction of exotic crops permitted unrepresidented
human population growth during periods of
benign climate. Larger human populations force
the spread of agriculture on to marginal lands
including the newly cleared forest and resulted
in over hunting, over fishing, and over grazing.
This overall exploitation of marginal lands
led to water and soil problems including salinisation
and erosion of fertile topsoil. Land degradation,
periods of unfavorable climate, attacks by
hostile neighbors, loss of trading partners
and combinations thereof drove these civilizations
to collapse. Even the rich and famous of these
civilizations despite their access to better
land, food, and weapons and their religious
authority were unable to withstand a sudden
surge of starving masses. Professor Diamond
contrasts these failed civilizations against
those New Guinea Highlands and Japan that
had persisted for millennia through better
population control and treatment of environmental
problems. He compares modern Haiti with the
Dominican Republic, sovereign states who share
the Island of Hispaniola but who have managed
their natural resources differently. Today,
only 1% of Haiti remains forested whereas
28% of the Dominican Republic remains forested.
This has had dire consequences for Haiti.
Lack of building materials, loss of soil fertility,
high sediment loads in rivers, loss of water
sheds and hydroelectric power and decreased
rain fall. Has humankind learned from the
lessons of the past?
Professor Diamond although he describes himself
as a cautious optimist, expresses doubts about
worldwide conservation and restoration efforts.
In the last video of this course I address
this question with respect to global climate
change and reach a different conclusion.
