ARE THE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS

THAT HAVE SO FAR BEEN USED IN

THAT WAR BEEN EFFECTIVE?

>>> TONIGHT ON "METROFOCUS,"

SPECIAL EDITION -- EARTH CRISIS,

GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE.

NEW YORK CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

DECLARE AMNESTY FOR STUDENTS WHO

WANT TO JOINT WORLDWIDE STRIKE

AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE IN

ACTION.

AS GLOBAL LEADERS ARRIVE AHEAD

OF THIS WEEK'S UNITED NATIONS

CLIMATE SUMMIT, THE U.N. ISSUES

A DIRE WARNING ABOUT CLIMATE

CHANGE.

HAVE WE REACHED A CRITICAL TURN

POINT?

AND WHAT'S NEXT?

THE ANSWERS ON THIS SPECIAL

EDITION OF "METROFOCUS,"

STARTING RIGHT NOW.

>> Announcer: THIS IS

"METROFOCUS" WITH RAFAEL PI

ROMAN, JACK FORD, AND JENNA

FLANAGAN.

"METROFOCUS" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY

JAMES

AND MERRYL TISCH

SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III

SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA

PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT

ANTI-SEMITISM

BERNARD AND IRENE SCHWARTZ

ROSALIND P. WALTER

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG

AND BY --

[ CROWD CHANTING ]

>> WHAT DO WE WANT?

>> CLIMATE JUSTICE!

>> WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL

EDITION OF "METROFOCUS."

I'M RAFAEL PI ROMAN.

THE WAR AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE

IS ARGUABLY THE MOST CRITICAL

CONFLICT OF OUR TIMES, AND MANY

OF OUR CHILDREN HAVE NOW

VOLUNTEERED TO BE AT THE

VANGUARD OF THAT WAR.

IN COORDINATION WITH STRIKES

THAT HAPPENED IN 150 COUNTRIES,

NEW YORK CITY YOUTH ANSWERED THE

CALL AND GOT A LITTLE HELP FROM

THE NEW YORK CITY DEPARTMENT OF

EDUCATION WHICH ALLOWED THE

SYSTEM'S 1.1 MILLION STUDENTS TO

SKIP SCHOOL IN ORDER TO ATTEND

THE DEMONSTRATION AHEAD OF

MONDAY'S U.N. CLIMATE SUMMIT.

THE U.N. HAS RELEASED A REPORT

ARGUING THAT THE DEVASTATION

WREAKED BY DORIAN IN THE BAHAMAS

IS A WARNING THAT, QUOTE, SUCH A

CATEGORY HELL HURRICANE IS JUST

A GLIMPSE INTO A FUTURE POWERED

BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO HAVE WE REACHED A CRITICAL

TURNING POINT IN OUR WAR AGAINST

CLIMATE CHANGE?

ARE THE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS

THAT HAVE SO FAR BEEN USED IN

THAT WAR BEEN EFFECTIVE?

AND WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

AS PART OF OUR "PERIL AND

PROMISE" INITIATIVE, THESE ARE

JUST SOME OF THE QUESTIONS WE'LL

BE POSING TO OUR PANEL OF GUESTS

OVER THE NEXT HALF HOUR.

BILL ULFELDER IS THE CHAIR OF

THE NEW YORK NATURE CONSERVANCY.

REBECCA FAIRWEATHER IS A HIGH

SCHOOL STUDENT.

AND GAVIN SCHMIDT, A MEMBER OF

NASA, JOINS US ON SKYPE.

WELCOME TO ALL OF YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US FOR

THIS IMPORTANT TOPIC.

>> THERE SEEMS TO BE A

QUALITATIVE CHANGE IN THE

NATIONAL AND GLOBAL DEBATE ABOUT

CLIMATE CHANGE.

AM I RIGHT ABOUT THAT?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

WHAT WE HAVE TO REMEMBER IS THE

UNITED STATES IS REALLY THE ONLY

COUNTRY THAT STATES THAT IT'S

NOT BELIEVING IN CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO WE'RE THE OUTLIER, WE HAVE TO

REMEMBER THAT.

WHAT WE'RE SEEING NOW IS STATES

ACROSS THE COUNTRY, CITIES LIKE

NEW YORK CITY, AND MAJOR

COMPANIES MAKING MAJOR

STATEMENTS THAT THEY'RE GOING TO

BE WORKING TOWARDS NET ZERO

EMISSIONS BY 2050.

TODAY AMAZON ANNOUNCED A $100

MILLION COMMITMENT TO NATURE

CONSERVATION AS A WAY TO COMBAT

CLIMATE CHANGE IN COLLABORATION

WITH THE NATURE CONSERVANCY.

THESE ARE SIGNS OF HOPE

GALVANIZED BY THE YOUTH MOVEMENT

WE'RE SEEING TODAY.

>> REBECCA, WHAT DO YOU THINK?

DO YOU THINK THIS CHANGE IS

HAPPENING, AND DO YOU THINK THAT

YOU AND YOUR PEERS ARE

RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS QUALITATIVE

CHANGE?

>> I THINK THESE ARE DEFINITELY

POWERFUL AND THE WORK WE'RE

DOING IS SHAKING SOME PLACES UP.

IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE NOT ONLY

ADVOCATE FOR THE REST OF THE

WEEK, UNTIL THE 27th, BUT ALSO

HOLD COMPANIES ACCOUNTABLE.

A LOT OF TIMES WE SEE THAT

COMPANIES POLLUTE OUR OCEANS THE

MOST.

PEOPLE WILL SAY, YES, GO VEGAN,

YES, RECYCLE, AND IT DOES HELP,

BUT THERE IS MORE OF AN IMPACT

FROM WHAT LARGE COMPANIES DO.

>> GAVIN, I KNOW IT'S A TALL

ORDER, BUT CAN YOU GIVE US A

SUMMER OF WHAT THE MOST RECENT

SCIENCE TELLS US ABOUT HOW THE

CLIMATE IS CHANGING AND WHAT THE

LIKELY CONSEQUENCES OF THOSE

CHANGES LOOK LIKE?

>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO

REMEMBER THAT THE SCIENCE THAT

UNDERPINS WHAT'S HAPPENING IN

THE CLIMATE IS ACTUALLY QUITE

OLD.

WE'VE BEEN MAKING PREDICTIONS ON

WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN AS WE

INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF CARBON

DIOXIDE IN THE ATMOSPHERE FOR

DECADES.

AND THOSE PREDICTIONS HAVE IN

FACT COME TRUE.

SO WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING MORE

RECENTLY IS THAT WE ARE NOW

SEEING THOSE EFFECTS, EVIDENCED

IN THE ARCTIC SEA ICE, IN SEA

LEVEL, IN HEAT WAVES, IN INTENSE

PRECIPITATION, AND IN A WHOLE

SUITE OF DIFFERENT VARIABLES IN

THE OBSERVED CLIMATE THAT ARE

MAKING PEOPLE REALIZE THAT

CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAPPENING HERE

AND NOW.

IN TERMS OF THE SCIENCE, THE

MOST INTERESTING NEW WORK IS

BEING DONE ON THE SCIENCE OF

EXTREME ATTRIBUTION.

SO WHEN WE SEE AN EXTREME EVENT

SUCH AS THE RAINSTORM THAT'S

HAPPENED IN HOUSTON, OR THE

INTENSE FLOODING THAT WE'VE SEEN

BECAUSE OF FLORENCE OR OTHER

STORMS IN THE MIDWEST OVER THE

WINTERTIME, WE'RE SEEING MORE

CONFIDENCE AND MORE PRECISE

ATTRIBUTIONS OF SOME FRACTION OF

THOSE EVENTS TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

SO WE'RE SAYING THAT THESE

THINGS ARE BECOMING MORE LIKELY

WITH CLIMATE CHANGE TO AN

INCREASING DEGREE.

>> BILL, THE PROGNOSIS, WHAT THE

FUTURE MAY LOOK LIKE IF WE DON'T

DO ENOUGH, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A

RANGE OF INVESTIGATIONS THAT ARE

PROVIDED US.

ONE IS APOCALYPTIC, THAT IN TEN

OR 12 YEARS, FLORIDA WON'T EXIST

ANYMORE.

FROM THERE TO PEOPLE, AND I JUST

HEARD THIS YESTERDAY, THIS

PROFESSOR SAY, LOOK, I'M NOT

WORRIED ABOUT FLORIDA FALLING

INTO THE OCEAN, WHAT I'M WORRIED

ABOUT IS THE WORLD THAT MY KIDS

WILL LIVE IN WILL BE MUCH, MUCH

A WORSE PLACE TO LIVE.

WHERE IN THAT RANGE DO YOU THINK

THINGS ARE GOING?

>> I THINK I -- I'LL CALL IT A

RELATIVELY OPTIMISTIC MIDDLE.

SO UNQUESTIONABLY, AND DAVID

WALLACE WELLS HAS RECEIVED A LOT

OF ATTENTION WITH HIS BOOK "THE

UNINHABITABLE EARTH," DROUGHT,

HEAT, FLOODING, EVERYTHING THAT

GAVIN HAS DESCRIBED, I THINK

IT'S UNREALISTIC TO GO AROUND

AND SAY, OH, HUMANKIND, WE'VE

GOT THIS.

WE DO ALMOST TECHNOLOGICALLY

HAVE IT.

THE TOOLS ARE AT OUR DISPOSAL TO

SOLVE THIS.

IT'S ABOUT HAVING THE TECHNOLOGY

AND THE WILL.

BUT THERE'S A LOT THAT'S ALREADY

BAKED IN, LITERALLY.

WE HAVE TO SAY GOODBYE TO A LOT

OF THINGS.

WHAT JUST HAPPENED IN THE ABACOS

WAS TRAGIC.

I WAS JUST THERE A YEAR AGO.

I KNOW THOSE COMMUNITIES.

THE NATURE CONSERVANCY HAS TEAM

MEMBERS DOWN THERE.

IT IS TRAGIC TO SEE WHAT'S

HAPPENING.

AND MORE OF THAT IS COMING.

BUT IT IS A MATTER OF DEGREES.

THERE'S NO CLIFF WE DRIVE OFF.

EVERY POSITIVE THING WE DO TO

MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO REDUCE

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS WILL

HAVE AN IMPACT ON, HOW IT'S

REALLY ABOUT 2 DEGREES CELSIUS,

ARE WE GOING TO 2 1/2, 3.

AND THOSE HALF-DEGREE CELSIUSES

ARE VERY IMPORTANT.

THE NEXT TEN OR 15 YEARS, YOU

DON'T DRIVE OFF A CLIFF IN THAT

TIME, BUT WHAT WE DO IN THAT

TIME WILL BE INCREDIBLY

IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE.

AND BY THE WAY, WE HAVE WHAT WE

NEED AT OUR DISPOSABLE TO MAKE A

HUGE AMOUNT OF PROGRESS IN THAT

TIME.

>> REBECCA, WHAT DO YOU AND YOUR

FELLOW ACTIVISTS SEE AS THE

LIKELY FUTURE OF OUR WORLD IF WE

DON'T DO ENOUGH?

>> I THINK A LOT OF US ARE

SCARED OF WHAT THE WORLD MIGHT

LOOK LIKE.

I KNOW THE 2030 REPORT CAME OUT

AND ALL OF US WERE LIKE, OH,

IT'S TOO LATE TO DO ANYTHING.

AND IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO DO

ANYTHING.

WE'VE REALIZED THAT RECENTLY,

ESPECIALLY WITH GRETA SPEAKING

OUT --

>> GRETA THUNBERG.

>> YES, SPEAKING OUT ABOUT SO

MANY ISSUES THAT WE JUST DIDN'T

KNOW ABOUT.

I KNOW A LOT OF MY FRIENDS IN MY

SCHOOL ARE LIKE, DO WE EVEN

BOTHER HAVING CHILDREN AT THIS

POINT, DO WE WANT TO RAISE A

WHOLE OTHER GENERATION IN A

WORLD THAT IS NOT HUMANE FOR

THEM?

ALTHOUGH THERE IS THIS

UNDERLYING FEAR THAT GOES WITH

WHAT THE WORLD MAY LOOK LIKE, I

PERSONALLY AM VERY OPTIMISTIC,

SEEING MORE OF THE OLDER

GENERATION REALIZING, OH, YOUTH

IS NOT AS DUMB AS WE THOUGHT

THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN.

THEY DON'T JUST STAY ON THEIR

PHONES ALL THE TIME, THEY

ACTUALLY GO OUT AND PROTEST AND

GO TO LOBBY AND PUT IN NEW

LEGISLATION.

AND I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT,

THAT WE HAVE TO REMAIN

OPTIMISTIC.

AND THOUGH IT MAY LOOK LIKE THE

WORLD IS ENDING, WE HAVE TO MAKE

SURE THAT IT WON'T.

>> YOU MENTIONED GRETA THUNBERG

FROM SWEDEN, CLEARLY A LEADER IN

THIS CLIMATE CHANGE BATTLE.

I'VE BEEN THINKING A LOT ABOUT

HER LATELY, AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE,

PARTICULARLY IN THIS CONTEXT.

YOU KNOW, AND I'LL BE VERY

FRANK, I'LL BE VERY PERSONAL,

WHEN I -- I BELIEVE IN CLIMATE

CHANGE AND I BELIEVE WE MUST

ACT.

AND WHEN I SEE, WHEN I HEAR

STORIES ABOUT CELEBRITIES AND

POLITICIANS WHO TALK ABOUT THE

EXISTENTIAL THREAT THAT CLIMATE

CHANGE POSES AND THEN YOU SEE

THEM TRAVELING TO CLIMATE CHANGE

SUMMITS IN PRIVATE JETS OR

BUYING HOMES THAT, YOU KNOW,

CONSUME INCREDIBLE AMOUNTS OF

ENERGY OR BUY HOMES BY THE

SEASHORE WHEN THEY'VE BEEN

TELLING US FOR YEARS THAT THE

SEA LEVELS ARE RISING, I'VE

TENDED TO DISMISS THOSE STORIES

BECAUSE THEY USUALLY COME FROM

CONSERVATIVES AND PEOPLE WHO

DENY OR ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT

CLIMATE CHANGE.

BUT THEN I SEE GRETA THUNBERG,

NOT ONLY DID SHE NOT TAKE A

PRIVATE PLANE, SHE DIDN'T TAKE A

COMMERCIAL PLANE, SHE TOOK A

ZERO EMISSION SAILBOAT TO NEW

YORK.

I SAID, WAIT A MINUTE, MAYBE

WE'VE BEEN GIVING A PASS TO

PEOPLE TOO MUCH, ESPECIALLY

SINCE PEOPLE LEARN FROM EXAMPLE

AND BAD EXAMPLES ARE BAD

LESSONS.

THE YOUTH, THOSE OF YOU WHO ARE

NOW THE VANGUARD OF THIS BATTLE,

WHAT DO YOU THINK

ABOUTYPOCRISYHYPOCRISY?

>> I THINK WE'RE NOT AFRAID TO

CALL PEOPLE OUT ANYMORE.

SEEING GRETA TRAVEL HERE ON A

SAILBOAT, I LOOKED AT MY

INSTAGRAM AND WAS TRULY SHOCKED.

I SAID, THAT'S A LOT OF WORK.

I KNOW THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO

THINK, I COULD EASILY TRAVEL

THROUGH PRIVATE JET, I DON'T

HAVE TO DEAL WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

NOT ONLY AS IT INCREDIBLY

EXPENSIVE BUT IT HARMS THE

PLANET.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE A LAVISH

LIFESTYLE WHERE THEY CAN BUY A

MILLION DOLLAR MANSION AND THEY

CAN FLY PRIVATELY, BUT YOU HAVE

TO REALIZE IT BENEFITS YOU BUT

IT DOESN'T BENEFIT ANYONE ELSE.

ONE OF THE BEST THINGS ABOUT MY

GENERATION IS WE'RE VERY

COMPASSIONATE.

WE REALIZE, WE HAVE TO LIVE NOT

ONLY TO CHANGE OUR OWN LIVES BUT

TO CHANGE OTHERS.

SO I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT

WE HOLD OUR CELEBRITIES AND

POLITICIANS ACCOUNTABLE, THE

EMISSIONS THEY'RE CREATING,

THEIR CARBON FOOTPRINT.

I KNOW THERE'S APPS NOW THAT YOU

CAN SEE HOW MUCH OF A CARBON

FOOTPRINT YOU PRODUCE A DAY.

AND IT SCARES PEOPLE.

AND I THINK THAT BY SEEING IT IN

NUMBERS AND SEEING WHAT'S

HAPPENING GLOBALLY, IT WILL

EVENTUALLY MAKE PEOPLE THINK,

OKAY, WE NEED TO HOLD EVERYBODY

ACCOUNTABLE.

>> BILL, HAVE WE GIVEN TOO MUCH

OF A PASS TO SOME OF THESE

LEADERS?

THEY BRING IN MONEY, THEY BRING

IN ATTENTION TO THE CAUSE, ON

THE ONE HAND.

>> I THINK BEHAVIORS ARE

CHANGING BECAUSE THE COLLECTIVE

PAIN IS GROWING SO MUCH, THE

IMPACTS, WHETHER IT'S DROUGHT,

WHETHER IT'S FLOODING,

HURRICANES, OTHER KINDS OF

EVENTS.

IT'S SO IN FRONT OF US NOW ALL

THE TIME.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO

REFLECT MORE AND MORE AND MAKE

CHOICES, AND, YOU KNOW, IN THE

CASES WHERE PEOPLE ARE DOING

THINGS THAT ARE EMITTING,

HOPEFULLY OFFSETTING MORE AND

MORE.

THAT'S THE BEAUTIFUL THING ABOUT

OFFSETS, YOU RECOGNIZE HOW MUCH

YOU EMITTED AND YOU INVEST.

>> THAT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD, IT

LOOKS LIKE SIN EATERS, I'VE GOT

A MILLION BUCKS, I'LL PAY FOR MY

LAVISH LIFESTYLE.

>> IT'S OF A PIECE.

AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE CAN'T

ELIMINATE ALL EMISSIONS.

I WAS THINKING ABOUT THIS, YOU

CAN'T ROAST A MARSHMALLOW AND

NOT RELEASE GREENHOUSE GASES.

A FOREST FIRE WILL ALWAYS

HAPPEN.

SO THERE HAS TO BE ROOM FOR

OFFSET.

YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL ABOUT

THEM.

ONE OF THE THINGS THE NEW YORK

CLIMATE LEGISLATION DOES IS SAY,

WE RECOGNIZE OFFSETS WILL BE

PART OF THE SOLUTION BUT WE

WON'T ALLOW THEM IN VULNERABLE

COMMUNITIES WHERE IF WE ALLOW

POLLUTING INDUSTRIES AND

CORPORATIONS TO KEEP GOING,

THERE'S GOING TO BE

ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICE.

SO PROUDLY, NEW YORK RECOGNIZED

THAT, SAID THOSE ZONES ARE NO-GO

ZONES AND OH, BY THE WAY, WE'LL

BE INVESTING SIGNIFICANT

RESOURCES IN THOSE MOST

VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES.

SO I BELIEVE THE AWARENESS IS

GROWING AND GROWING AND GROWING.

BUT MAYBE NOT COMMENSURATE WITH

THE PACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> YOU KNOW, GAVIN, AS YOU KNOW,

ALL OF YOU KNOW, MUCH OF THE

REPORTING ON CLIMATE CHANGE

CONSISTENTLY REFERS TO THOSE WHO

DISSENT FROM THE SCIENTIFIC

CONSENSUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE AS

CLIMATE DENIERS.

BUT I WAS SURPRISED IN READING

THE MATERIAL, PREPARING FOR THIS

SHOW, TO SEE HOW MANY OF THOSE

SO-CALLED CLIMATE DENIERS ARE

ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT THE

CLIMATE IS WARMING, ARE

ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT TO SOME

DEGREE HUMAN BEINGS ARE

RESPONSIBLE FOR THAT WARMING,

AND THAT TO SOME DEGREE THEY

BELIEVE ACTION NEEDS TO BE

TAKEN.

WHERE THEY DISAGREE WITH THE

CONSENSUS IS THE LEVEL OF THREAT

FACING US, AND THE ACTIONS THAT

NEED TO BE TAKEN.

GAVIN, IS THIS A STEP FORWARD, A

POSITIVE STEP FORWARD?

IS THIS JUST A CHANGE OF TACTICS

BY THE SKEPTICS?

>> THERE HAVE BEEN THROUGHOUT

THIS CONVERSATION, AND THE

HISTORY OF THIS TOPIC, PEOPLE

WHO DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO

CHANGE.

PEOPLE WHO ARE INVESTED IN THE

STATUS QUO.

AND WHEN WE WERE PREDICTING

WARMING, THEY SAID THE

PREDICTIONS WERE NOT REAL AND

THERE WASN'T ANY WARMING.

WHEN THE WARMING CAME TRUE AND

WAS EVIDENT, THEY SAID,

OBVIOUSLY YOU'VE GOT IT WRONG,

IT'S NOT RIGHT, BUT WE STILL

DON'T WANT TO DO ANYTHING.

AND NOW THAT THE WARMING IS

UNDENIABLE, OF COURSE WE ACCEPT

THE LOVING, WE LOVE SCIENCE, BUT

WE STILL DON'T WANT TO DO

ANYTHING.

SO YOU'RE SEEING THIS EVOLUTION

OF THE ARGUMENT THAT THE FACTS

ON THE GROUND HAVE CHANGED, BUT

THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY WANT THE

STATUS QUO TO CONTINUE, THEY

HAVEN'T GONE AWAY.

AND I THINK THAT THAT WAS

FOOLISH 30 YEARS AGO, IT IS

EXTREMELY AND EVEN MORE FOOLISH

TODAY.

>> TALKING ABOUT FOOLISH

POSITIONS, I RECENTLY READ AN

ARTICLE WHERE A BRITISH EXPERT

ON CLIMATE CHANGE WROTE THAT HE

REFUSES TO GO TO THE BBC ANYMORE

BECAUSE HE WILL NO LONGER WANT

TO BE PRESENT WHEN THERE'S

SO-CALLED CLIMATE DENIER

SKEPTICS ON THE SHOW.

I WAS SPEAKING ABOUT THAT

ARTICLE WITH A FRIEND OF MINE

WHO IS A CLIMATE CHANGE ACTIVIST

ON THE WEST COAST AND HE SAYS, I

THINK THAT'S EXACTLY WRONG, THIS

IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING WRONG

FOR MANY YEARS.

WE HAVE THE TRUTH ON OUR SIDE,

WE HAVE THE FACTS, AND PEOPLE

TEND TO SEE PEOPLE WHO DON'T

WANT TO DEBATE AS PEOPLE WHO ARE

AFRAID TO DEBATE.

SINCE WE HAVE THE FACTS, WE'LL

TALK TO ANYBODY AND WE'LL WIN.

WHAT'S YOUR TAKE, WHO'S RIGHT?

>> YOU'RE ON TV, AND EVENTUALLY

YOU UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A

VISUAL MEDIUM.

AND PEOPLE DON'T OFTEN ACTUALLY

PARSE VERY CLEARLY WHAT PEOPLE

ARE SAYING.

THE TWO TALKING HEADS SHOUTING

AT EACH OTHER REALLY JUST GIVES

THE IMPRESSION THAT NOBODY KNOWS

ANYTHING, IT'S ALL CONTENTIOUS.

THAT'S ACTUALLY MISLEADING, WHEN

THE BULK OF THE EVIDENCE AND ALL

OF THE SCIENCE IS ON ONE SIDE OF

THE QUESTION.

IF YOU INVITE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO

CLAIM THAT THE EARTH IS FLAT OR

THAT WE NEVER LANDED ON THE

MOON, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WHO ARE

WATCHING CAN'T TELL WHERE THE

WEIGHT OF EVIDENCE LIES.

>> I DON'T THINK SO, GAVIN.

I THINK PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO

TELL THAT THE FLAT EARTHER IS A

DOPE AND THEREFORE HE WOULD LOSE

BADLY.

BUT LET ME GO TO THE OTHER

GUESTS.

BILL?

>> I THINK THERE ARE AREAS WHERE

THERE IS AGREEMENT AND

UNDERSTANDING.

AND I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE,

LIKE NOT TOO LONG AGO, I WAS

WITH A GROUP OF NEW YORKERS AND

A GROUP FROM KANSAS.

AND THE CONVERSATION STARTED OUT

WHEN THE NEW YORKERS USED THE

TERM CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE KANSANS SAID, NO WAY, WE

CAN'T HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.

AFTER SOME TIME, AND IT WASN'T

SHOUTING, IT WAS CONVERSATION,

THERE WAS TALK FROM THE KANSAS,

WELL, WE LOVE WIND TURBINES,

BECAUSE THEY PUT REVENUE IN THE

POCKETS OF FARMERS AND RANCHERS.

SO THE MORE WIND TURBINES IN

KANSAS, THE BETTER OFF OUR

FARMERS AND RANCHING FAMILIES

ARE.

THEN WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT

DROUGHT/FLOOD, DROUGHT/FLOOD,

AGAIN, NOT TALKING ABOUT CLIMATE

CHANGE.

THAT LED TO A WHOLE DISCUSSION

ABOUT HOW CAN YOU START

REPLANTING FORESTS AND NATIONAL

VEGETATION ALONG THE RIVER

SYSTEMS AS A WAY TO PREVENT

FLOOD, KEEP TEMPERATURES COOLER

IN SUMMERTIME.

EVEN WITHOUT SAYING "CLIMATE

CHANGE" AND HAVING AN ARGUMENT,

WE FOUND A WHOLE BUNCH OF THINGS

TO AGREE ON.

LOOK, THERE ARE PLACES, NEW YORK

IS A LEADER, WE'VE GOT THE

NATIONAL LEADING CLIMATE

LEGISLATION NOW IN THE UNITED

STATES.

ZERO NET EMISSIONS BY 2050.

KANSAS ISN'T ABOUT TO HAVE THAT

LEGISLATION.

BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF THINGS

THAT CAN GO ON IN THESE PLACES.

TEXAS IS A HUGE WIND ENERGY

PRODUCER.

SO THERE ARE POSSIBILITIES

WORKING AT THE STATE LEVEL,

WORKING WITH LOCAL CORPORATIONS

AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.

HOPEFULLY WE'LL SEEING A CHANGE,

WITH UPCOMING ELECTIONS ONLY A

YEAR AWAY, IF FOLKS ARE VOTING

FOR ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO

BELIEVE IN CLIMATE CHANGE, THAT

COULD CREATE A SEA CHANGE IN

RESPONSE TO THIS YOUTH MOVEMENT

AND EVERYTHING WE'RE SEEING

TODAY.

>> I JUST WANT TO GET YOUR TAKE

ON THIS, REBECCA, TO DEBATE OR

NOT TO DEBATE, WHAT'S YOUR VIEW?

>> THIS IS A DIFFICULT TOPIC

BECAUSE IN SCHOOL, YOU DEAL WITH

PEOPLE YOU DON'T LIKE EVERY

SINGLE DAY.

YOU WILL BE PUT IN CLASSES WHERE

YOU HAVE TO TALK TO PEOPLE WHO

HAVE OPPOSITE OPINIONS AND

VALUES THAN YOU DO.

AND I THINK SOMETHING THAT I

REALIZED OVER TIME AND SOMETHING

THAT I FIND SO BENEFICIAL ABOUT

HIGH SCHOOL IS THAT YOU LEARN TO

PUT ASIDE YOUR EGO AND ACTUALLY

HAVE DISCUSSIONS.

AND YOU FIND OUT THAT PEOPLE,

REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL

AFFILIATION OR REGARDLESS OF

BELIEF, WE ALL WANT TO COME TO

THE SAME SOLUTION.

WE ALL JUST HAVE DIFFERENT

METHODS AND WAYS TO GET THERE.

AND I THINK THAT WE JUST NEED TO

HAVE MORE DISCUSSIONS AND LESS

YELLING, LESS FIGHTS, LESS

ARGUMENTS, BECAUSE IT'S GETTING

US NOWHERE.

WE'LL CLICK ON A TV PROGRAM AND

SEE PEOPLE SCREAMING AT EACH

OTHER.

YES, WE'RE DRAWN IN, I LOVE THE

DRAMA, BUT WHAT ARE YOU TALKING

ABOUT?

LIKE, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE

SAYING.

>> THAT'S THE CONCERN THAT GAVIN

HAS.

OBVIOUSLY THEY HAVE TO TURN TO

PBS.

GAVIN, LET ME GO BACK TO YOU.

AGAIN, READING THE MATERIAL, IT

SEEMS TO ME LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE

DOUBTERS, AS THE AP PUTS IT,

HAVE A LIMITED REPERTOIRE OF

ARGUMENTS THAT THEY USE TO

MITIGATE OR DISMISS THE

SERIOUSNESS, THE GRAVITY OF THE

CONCERN.

I WONDER IF I CAN HIT YOU WITH A

FEW, FOR YOU TO RESPOND TO THESE

ARGUMENTS THEY USE.

ONE ARGUMENT IS THE EARTH HAS

SEEN PERIODS OF GLOBAL WARMING

BEFORE IN THE HISTORY OF THE

PLANET, EVEN LONG BEFORE HUMANS

WERE AROUND TO EMIT CARBON

DIOXIDE INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

>> OH, OF COURSE.

AND HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT?

THEY KNOW THAT BECAUSE CLIMATE

SCIENTISTS HAVE TOLD THEM,

RIGHT?

WE'VE BEEN RESEARCHING THE

HISTORY OF THE PLANET AND ALL

THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT CAN

CAUSE CLIMATE CHANGE FOR A

CENTURY.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE ICE AGES,

WE HAVE WOBBLES IN THE EARTH'S

ORBIT, WE HAVE ASTEROID IMPACTS,

EVEN THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE

ITSELF HAS CHANGED THE CLIMATE

OF THE PLANET.

BUT NONE OF THOSE THINGS ARE

RELEVANT RIGHT NOW.

RIGHT NOW WE'VE LOOKED AT ALL

THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COULD

BE GOING ON, THE SUN, THE

VOLCANOS, THE ORBIT,

DEFORESTATION.

WHEN YOU ADD IT ALL UP, WHEN YOU

PUT IT ALL TOGETHER, WHAT YOU

FIND IS THAT THE RECENT TRENDS

ARE ALL BECAUSE OF US.

>> SO BILL, THIS IS ONE THAT YOU

AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.

WE SHOULDN'T ASSUME THAT GLOBAL

WARMING IS A ZERO SUM GAME, THAT

WHILE SUM PARTS OF THE WORLD

WILL BE DAMAGED BY CLIMATE

CHANGE, OTHERS WILL BENEFIT AS

WILL SOME ANIMAL SPECIES.

>> YEAH, THE WAY I THINK OF IT

IS, THERE ARE JUST GOING TO

BE -- THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING

TO LOSE ARE GOING TO LOSE SO, SO

BADLY.

AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S

GOING TO BRING HOME THE

INEQUITIES IN THE WORLD.

SO THE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE MAJOR

RESOURCES WILL FARE MUCH BETTER

THAN THOSE WHO DON'T.

IN A COUNTRY LIKE OURS, THE

STATES THAT HAVE MORE RESOURCES.

EVEN PLACES THAT PEOPLE THINK

ARE GOING TO BE CLIMATE HAVENS

SOMEHOW, YOU KNOW, WE HAD 2

MILLION REFUGEES A COUPLE OF

YEARS AGO MOVING AROUND AND

GOING INTO EUROPE.

PREDICTIONS ARE BY THE END OF

THIS CENTURY, 100 MILLION

CLIMATE REFUGEES.

EVEN IF YOU'RE IN A PLACE THAT'S

FARING BETTER AS A RESULT OF

CLIMATE CHANGE, THERE'S GOING TO

BE A LOT OF PRESSURE ON THOSE

PLACES BY PEOPLE WHO ARE

LITERALLY REFUGEES FROM PLACES

THAT ARE SUFFERING FROM CLIMATE

CHANGE.

SO THAT DON'T CARRY ANY WATER

FOR ME.

>> WHAT ABOUT THIS, REBECCA,

THAT WE SHOULD NOT UNDERESTIMATE

THE HUMAN ABILITY TO INNOVATE

AND ADAPT TO CONSEQUENCES THAT

SURROUND US, THAT EFFECT US,

THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH CRISES

BEFORE BY INNOVATING AND

ADAPTING.

WHAT DO YOU SAY?

>> I THINK THE HUMAN RACE HAS

INNOVATED SOME INCREDIBLE PIECES

OF TECHNOLOGY.

BUT SEEING HOW RAPID AND HOW

FAST CLIMATE CHANGE IS GROWING,

I THINK THAT THE HUMAN RACE

ISN'T DOING ENOUGH AS QUICKLY AS

WE SHOULD.

YES, THERE COULD BE TECHNOLOGY

THAT COULD STOP CLIMATE CHANGE

BUT THE ONLY TECHNOLOGY THAT WE

REALLY NEED IS US.

WE NEED TO STOP POLLUTING THE

EARTH AS MUCH AS WE ARE.

WE NEED TO HOLD OTHER PEOPLE

ACCOUNTABLE.

YES, TECHNOLOGY CAN HELP US

TREMENDOUSLY, BUT WE NEED TO

TAKE A STEP BACK AND REALIZE,

OKAY, YES, WE'RE CREATING MORE

TECHNOLOGY, BUT WILL THAT

POLLUTE THE PLANET MORE?

HOW CAN I HELP THE PLANET

WITHOUT SPENDING SO MUCH MONEY?

I CAN SAVE SO MUCH MONEY BY

USING LESS PLASTIC BOTTLES.

ALTHOUGH IT'S SMALL PERCENTAGE,

HOW MUCH IT'S GOING TO AFFECT

THE CLIMATE, IT'S DOING

SOMETHING.

>> SO WE'VE TOUCHED ON THIS A

LITTLE BIT THROUGHOUT THE HALF

HOUR SO FAR.

GAVIN, LET ME ASK YOU, WHAT IS

TO BE DONE?

WHAT ARE THE IMMEDIATE STEPS

THAT WE NEED TO TAKE IN ORDER TO

MITIGATE THE POSSIBLE WORST

CONSEQUENCES IN THE LONG RUN?

>> WE NEED TO BE REDUCING CARBON

DIOXIDE EMISSIONS AS SOON AS WE

CAN.

WHETHER THAT IS A CARBON TAX FOR

CAP AND TRADE, OR MANDATES.

IT COULD BE A WHOLE SUITE OF

DIFFERENT THINGS, IN DIFFERENT

SECTORS AND IN DIFFERENT

REGIONS.

BUT THE KEY THING FOR REDUCING

FUTURE DAMAGES IS TO REDUCE

EMISSIONS.

AND THAT IS SOMETHING WHERE

THERE REALLY IS A WORTHY DEBATE

TO BE HAD.

>> WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO?

>> I THINK IT'S BE COURAGEOUS.

IT'S, HAVE THE WILL, HAVE THE

DETERMINATION.

THE TECHNOLOGY IS HERE.

WITH THE TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE

TODAY WE COULD MEET OUR 2050

GOALS BY 80%.

WIND AND SOLAR COULD GET US 50%

OF THE WAY THERE NOW.

THAT GIVES US THE TIME TO DO THE

INNOVATIONS, FIGURE OUT THE

THINGS WE NEED, USE NATURE, A

THIRD, MORE THAN A THIRD OF

GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION

REDUCTIONS CAN BE ACHIEVED

THROUGH FORESTS, WETLANDS,

HEALTHY GRASSLANDS, BETTER

AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES.

THIS IS ALL AT OUR DISPOSAL.

IT'S REALLY JUST ABOUT COURAGE.

>> REBECCA?

>> I THINK WE JUST NEED TO GET

OUT THERE AND VOTE.

YOU KNOW, THE ELECTION IS COMING

UP.

WE NEED TO VOTE OFFICIALS AND

REPRESENTATIVES WHO WE THINK

WILL REPRESENT US.

I THINK WE SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID.

WE SHOULD BE COURAGEOUS AND GO

AND LOBBY AND PUT NEW

LEGISLATION IN AND HELP OTHERS

REALIZE THAT CLIMATE CHANGE IS A

REAL THING, AND IT'S NOT GOING

TO STOP ANYTIME SOON UNLESS WE

DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

>> ON THAT POSITIVE NOTE, WE'LL

END IT THERE.

GAVIN, BILL, REBECCA, THANK YOU

SO MUCH FOR JOINING US FOR THIS

VERY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION.

>> THANK YOU.

>> Announcer: "METROFOCUS" IS

MADE POSSIBLE BY JAMES

AND MERRYL TISCH

SUE AND EDGAR WACHENHEIM III

SYLVIA A. AND SIMON B. POYTA

PROGRAMMING ENDOWMENT TO FIGHT

ANTI-SEMITISM

BERNARD AND IRENE SCHWARTZ

ROSALIND P. WALTER

BARBARA HOPE ZUCKERBERG

AND BY -- ♪♪

-- Captions by VITAC --