The documentary film Cool It, based upon the book of the same name and lectures by Bjorn Lomborg, will be released in theaters beginning November 12, 2010. Award-winning filmmaker Ondi Timoner traveled the world with Lomborg exploring the science and economics of global warming and its impact. Amidst the strong and polarized opinions within the global warming debate, Cool It follows Lomborg on his mission to bring the smartest solutions to climate change, environmental pollution, and other major problems in the world, among them malaria, the lack of potable water and HIV/AIDS — based upon a cost/benefit analysis of available solutions.
Clive Crook, senior editor at The Atlantic, recently recommended Cool It after seeing a screening at the Heritage Foundation. Calling it “an urgent, intelligent, and entertaining account of the climate policy debate, with a strong focus on cost-effective solutions” Crook praises the film’s artistic nature.
The review highlights the Q&A following the screening where Lomborg addressed questions about funding the clean energy R&D he recommends in the film and the issue of growing the “intelligent middle” in order to have a level-headed conversation about cost-effective solutions. Crook notes that Lomborg’s responses reinforce the tone of the film which he says is calm, intelligent, and engaging.
“What my work is about—and what COOL IT shows—is that there are better solutions to global warming, solutions that will cost far less, work more quickly, and have more impact than cutting carbon. Our goal with COOL IT is to transform the way people think not only about global warming but also about a host of other serious problems like malaria, the lack of potable water, HIV/AIDS—problems we could solve fairly quickly with just a fraction of the money some people would like us to spend on cutting carbon emissions.
Partly because of AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH, we’ve developed this single-minded focus on cutting carbon emissions. If cutting carbon emissions were the only way to save the planet, then perhaps that strategy might make sense. But it’s not the only solution. In fact, of all the possible solutions, cutting carbon costs the most, takes the longest to have any impact, and is the least politically practical.
What I hope people will get from COOL IT is the realization that we must rethink our approach to climate change. if we don’t, we will wind up wasting enormous sums of money on a solution that doesn’t do much good.”
