It is the only Indian city mentioned in the film and on Tuesday, Calcutta will get a taste of An Inconvenient Truth. And, for a change, before the other Indian cities.
Within three months of winning the Oscar for Best Documentary, the film, presented by former American Vice-President Al Gore, will be screened at the American Center as a commemoration of World Environment Day on June 5.
An account of Gore’s journey of realisation about the challenges of climate change, An Inconvenient Truth, among other things, takes a futuristic look at global warming.
In the segment where director David Guggenheim is trying to gauge the effects of the melting of the West Antarctic ice cap, the spotlight falls on Calcutta. With sea levels globally raised by about 22 feet, Calcutta, with other major coastal cities around the world, is projected to be completely inundated with flood water.
After the screening of the film, there will be a panel discussion where Yvani Deraniyagala, manager of Climate Change Research and Training, Munasinghe Institute for Development, Sri Lanka, will share her views on issues raised by the film, with special reference to India and Calcutta.
According to the United Nation’s recent report on climate change, it is predicted that thanks to global warming, 40 per cent of the Himalayan glaciers will vanish, the Ganga delta will turn infertile and 25 per cent of wildlife will perish. Problems will be compounded by chronic food and water shortages and there will also be increases in the range of pests and diseases.
