Texas-Sized Lessons in Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Sequel'

A review of Al Gore's new documentary film, "An Incovenient Sequel: Truth to Power" focuses on the lessons that can be gleaned from the film's representations of Texas.

1 minute read

August 15, 2017, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Houston Flood

CaseyMartin / Shutterstock

An opinion piece by Daniel Cohn, associate professor of the Rice University Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, " three cameo appearances by Houston highlight some of the most important take-home messages of Al Gore's new film, 'An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power.'"

Houston's 100-year storm—the Memorial Day flood of 2015—is an example of the "deluge" threat of climate threat. Deluge, drought, and melt are the three main threats from climate change represented in the movie, according to Cohn.

Cohn writes the opinion piece to reiterate the movie's points in the face of political opposition from the state's leaders. "The movie's graphic portrayal of damage from global warming refutes Texas' most prominent skeptic, House Science Committee Chair Lamar Smith, who recently proclaimed the 'benefits of a changing climate,'" argues Cohn.

Still, notes Cohn and the movie, each with specific examples, climate leadership is also apparent in Texas. Texas, Cohn expects, will remain "at center stage" of the climate debate much longer than Gore's film will be in theaters.

Monday, August 14, 2017 in Houston Chronicle

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