- Playing
- The Culture and Dialogue of Climate Change
- From
- Claudia Cragg
Prof. Chris Rapley, Director of the British Antarctic Survey was not invited to Denver recently by eminent local American scientists seeking international academic dialogue on a controversial subject. Rather, he came for Mayor Hickenlooper and the Museum of Contemporary Arts' "Creative Acts That Matter".
He gave a lecture to an audience, which as it turned out,did include many other scientists and a few dozen laymen at the Denver Museum of History and Science.
Rapley maintains that, while there is in some quarters discussion about the general warming of the earth as a whole, there is strong, scientifically verifiable evidence for the warming of the Antarctic, Siberia and Alaska. It is, he believes, the resulting polar melting from the warming of the Antarctic in particular that is driving up the ocean currents of the world.
It is this which influences climate far up into our Northern Hemisphere.
But whether you agree with his interpretation of the science or not, and many don't, Rapley is unusual for the time he spends, as one of the top scientists in his field, engaging the interest of the general public as a whole. This, he believes, is an obligation and a challenge which all scientists everywhere who love their profession should rise to, as he explained recently to Claudia Cragg. He also discusses the wisdom and application of the Kyoto Protocol, Mainland China and India's effects on and attitudes to ecology and the Arctic Wildlife Reserve.
Picture by Natalia Venturini & Javier Llorente Palao from:
http://archivo.greenpeace.org/Clima/kioto.htm
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Piece Description
Prof. Chris Rapley, Director of the British Antarctic Survey was not invited to Denver recently by eminent local American scientists seeking international academic dialogue on a controversial subject. Rather, he came for Mayor Hickenlooper and the Museum of Contemporary Arts' "Creative Acts That Matter". He gave a lecture to an audience, which as it turned out,did include many other scientists and a few dozen laymen at the Denver Museum of History and Science. Rapley maintains that, while there is in some quarters discussion about the general warming of the earth as a whole, there is strong, scientifically verifiable evidence for the warming of the Antarctic, Siberia and Alaska. It is, he believes, the resulting polar melting from the warming of the Antarctic in particular that is driving up the ocean currents of the world. It is this which influences climate far up into our Northern Hemisphere. But whether you agree with his interpretation of the science or not, and many don't, Rapley is unusual for the time he spends, as one of the top scientists in his field, engaging the interest of the general public as a whole. This, he believes, is an obligation and a challenge which all scientists everywhere who love their profession should rise to, as he explained recently to Claudia Cragg. He also discusses the wisdom and application of the Kyoto Protocol, Mainland China and India's effects on and attitudes to ecology and the Arctic Wildlife Reserve. Picture by Natalia Venturini & Javier Llorente Palao from: http://archivo.greenpeace.org/Clima/kioto.htm
Broadcast History
This aired on 08/08/06 on Dan Costello's 'How On Earth' science program on KGNU Boulder/Denver.




Bill Anderson
Posted on October 18, 2006 at 10:22 AM | Permalink
Review of The Culture and Dialogue of Climate Change
The professor offers much to think about and his thoughts and opinions would be great to hear on public radio. However, for my taste, an interview of this length would have worked better in a studio where the audio would have been of a higher quality and where some editing could take place.
What an interesting subject. He articulates well, not so much as a scientist, but as a trusted or respected person and I felt I benefited from his expertise. He talked to me, not AT me. I do think, however, I would have gotten more from the interview with a better set up. Up front I would have been a better listener, a less confused listener, had I been given some background about the circumstances surrounding his visit to Denver. The lead just didn't give me enough background on Professor Rapley, the controversy over his visit and the direction of the interview I was about to hear. I spent too much time providing my own context and, subsequently, fell behind at points during the interview.
And when the discussion turned to the Antarctic Wildlife Refuge it became unclear to me as to whether or not we were still having the global warming conversation. Maybe that is my shortcoming.
The professor seems to take seriously his position to engage the public and that might make him a great candidate for a call-in show?