Customer Reviews

Cool It

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is a fascinating documentary about Bjorn Lomborg, who wrote The Skeptical Environmentalist, and other books discussing Global Warming (or what is now often referred to as "Climate Change"). Bjorn Lomborg has become something of a Boogyman for the environmental left, which perplexes me. Here are the broad strokes of what he believes, as outline in this documentary:

A.) Global Warming is happening

B.) It is contributed to by man's activity (he doesn't specify how much or how little he thinks man's contribution is).

C.) It is a problem that needs to be addressed.

For this he is routinely pilloried by those that...believe in global warming? Doesn't make sense, right? Well, that is because here are a couple of other things he believes:

D.) While Global Warming is a problem it is not going to lead to the end of the world.

E.) There is too much fear mongering and bad science involved in the current debate.

F.) The most commonly proposed solutions (in large part reducing carbon emissions) have enormous costs and provide almost no benefits (for example, about a 0.1 degree reduction in the projected temperature over a CENTURY, at a cost of 180+ TRILLION of today's dollars).

For this he is attacked and insulted. People try to discredit him and ruin his career.

I have watched An Inconvenient Truth, and now I have watched this. While this movie does indeed easily debunk a number of claims made by Al Gore's movie, I wouldn't consider it the Anti-Inconvenient Truth, but it certainly provides a good counterpoint to that film. I would recommend everyone watch both and decide for themselves where they come down on the issues.

I should also add that this is not completely devoted to global warming. There is an underlying theme that advances the proposition that if we want to generally benefit the planet let's be honest about what we can and cannot do, and what things can be done that have a greater impact and/or a lesser cost per "unit" of impact, as opposed to things which are less effective. For example, see the example of the cost and benefit of attempting to attack global warming above, versus attacking, say malaria, which would objectively save millions of lives over the course of a few short years, and it would only cost a fraction of a penny of every dollar being advocated for combating global warming (and with a return on investment of almost ZERO).

What are the most logical items that we can influence to improve the human condition planet wide? What is the biggest bang for the buck? Global warming ranks second to dead last.

You will see a lot of bad reviews from a lot of people with an axe to grind against the subject of this documentary, and most of them will not have watched the movie. I say if you believe in science and open inquiry then why would anyone object to more voices being present in a debate? Watching this film put me in mind of a few quotes by Burke:

* We must all obey the great law of change. It is the most powerful law of nature, and the means perhaps of its conservation.

* Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the gods.

* It is a general popular error to suppose the loudest complainers for the publick (sic) to be the most anxious for its welfare.

* The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.

This is a well made and informative film, and the intellectually honest reviewer should credit that, even if s/he disagrees with the subject of this film. See it and decide for yourself.

Fantastic! Lomborg believes in global warming but believes money should be spent where it does the most good. He shows that the usual solutions proposed for global warming (like cap and trade) are extremely expensive (about $250B/yr) but produce virtually no results. He discusses things that can be done to actually help reduce global warming which are MUCH cheaper than the usual solutions. He also discusses many other problems (like malnutrition) that could be solved for far less than we would spend on global warming, but produce a huge result and leave the world a better place. To me the most interesting part was the promising technologies that are in the research & development phase, like fuel from algae. This is a reasonable approach to global warming; its fact-based, sound science. Watch this and you'll come away with a positive outlook for the future. Excellent DVD.

Great film-making. Engaging. Thoughtful & thought provoking. This is not really an "anti-Al Gore" film nor narrative, but rather a provocative look at science & the politics that insinuates intself into it on occassion, how & why. Lomborg is a sober & passionate environmentalist who has simply not lost his perspective nor his integrity. A great, open, "global" look at the entire issue of Global Warming. See it with friends- a perfect double-date evening in a box whatever your current beliefs are.

Great documentary! It will make likely make you reconsider some of your
established beliefs for the topic. Those who believe that global warming is
a myth will reconsider their paradigm and the believers that are
praying for a local windmill farm might reconsider that stance.
Inspired me to get his first book "Skeptical Environmentalist".
It is too bad that this topic is so divided and emotional as it will
prevent many from viewing. I recommend watching no matter what your
current paradigm.

This is good balance to Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth. It provides reasonable approaches to managing global climate change and in a way that will be beneficial to developing countries.

just like An Inconvenient Truth, the personality gets in the way of an otherwise fine production. It would be nice to see the biographical and political content kept to a minimum. It is needed but not to the point where it bores not only the high schoolers I enjoy sharing this stuff with, but eventually me as well.

In regards to informing the public about global climate change, I liked, in order: 1) the scientific facts, 2) the politics that hinder addressing this topic, and 3) the feasible solutions.

Now with feasible solutions to global climate change, I think that there were a few ideas missing. Leo Caprio's 11th Hour does a good job of pointing some out, so does Gore; and I wished to see some of their spirit incorporated into Cool It. I think that researching the good points of any number of documentaries on this topic (while avoiding their negative aspects) would have made for a better presentation.

So, while this is my favorite documentation of global climate change to date, I hope that an even better one will follow.

In this later version of Cool It, Bjørn Lomborg has altered his stance from one skeptical of the value of attempts to fight human caused global warming at this time to one that addresses it as a more immediate concern. This is an argument he is much more likely to win. In the process, he has also simplified the economic arguments, which I had already found to be very simple (I have a BA in economics). I would not have believed this was necessary. However, an earlier reviewer of Cool It was unable to understand the difference between relative expansion of the monetary supply (inflation) and relative economic growth (increase in standard of living). A friend of mine made this same mistake. I had forgotten how difficult economics can be. This film makes such mistakes much less likely. To put a number on his growth argument (something he doesn't do because it is largely a big guess), if we had begun fighting global warming in 1900 in the way mainstream environmentalists suggest, we would now have the standard of living equal to that of the late 1950's.

Bjørn Lomborg's willingness to put a price tag on what he advocates and compare benefits is what make him unique. As always, he asks hard questions, admits they're hard questions, and presents a real answer. The bottom line is that even if human caused global warming is a myth, following his prescriptions will not cause significant economic harm to the world. If humans are to blame for global warming, his solutions are likely to work, something not true of his competitor's solutions.

I have serious disagreements with Bjørn Lomborg. Still, his willingness to admit to limited resources when attempting to save the world is something so obvious and so rare that his value as a humanitarian cannot be overestimated. This DVD is a better example of this.

This was a very good DVD that suggested some improvements in ways of tackling ecologic problems. He absolutely believes in global warming, just not in hysterical responses. A thoughtful film dealing with climate change and green hysteria in practical ways.

Like arguing politics and religion, I've found it very difficult to convince others that this subject is more complicated than just "saving the world" by drastically reducing everyone else's lifestyle. While deftly dodging the global warming denier = bad human label, Lomberg calls the bluff and concedes all the hot button scientific issues. With this out of the way, it is hard for people to ignore the cost benefit analysis of the common solutions compared to remarkably cheaper and more effective options. The example where hundreds of billions of dollars on CO2 mitigation efforts will save only one polar bear, while taking away permits to shoot hundreds of the same bears, will (you do the math...) save hundreds of them ... shows how far the priorities have gone off the rails.

Don't forget to watch the deleted scenes; these more "inflammatory" segments were cleverly left in the dust bin for all to find. They highlight the prevalent silencing of opposing scientific opinion and the financial and political motivations behind some of the very expensive solutions.

If only we could get this film to be required viewing in my local schools like Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" was. Cool It clearly demonstrates that everyone should do their own research and be skeptical of the motives of those who say they know all the answers and use fear to force immediate action before additional time can prove them wrong. The late Michael Crichton said it best in State of Fear, "I am certain there is too much certainty in the world."

Cool It provides a great source of balance that is sorely needed. Sadly, those who need to see this film the most will avoid it like any other information that does not affirm their heartfelt beliefs. When fear and blind faith rule, all of society suffers.

Cool It is a documentary about Bjørn Lomborg. He founded the Copenhagen Consensus think tank which looks at the world's problems and decides where money would be best spent to tackle them.

He is most known for his views on global warming. Many people think he is a global warming skeptic, but this is not the case, rather, his argument is that the current approach to solving the problem is hugely expensive and will achieve very little. Instead he suggests spending the money on initiatives that will have a clear benefit to mankind, and on research into new, carbon neutral energy sources that appear to have great potential.

It makes a great deal of sense, and you are left wondering why politicians are not paying more attention to the Copenhagen Consensus's ideas.