A new study by researchers at SUNY Plattsburgh’s Center for Earth and Environmental Science finds the Adirondack Park and North Country’s temperatures are rising nearly twice as fast as the global average. Mountain Lake PBS will host a special community forum on June 4th at 7 PM addressing the local impact of climate change.
This discussion will be paired with a screening of selections from PBS’ SINKING CITIES, a four part documentary series which presents an urgent and eye-opening examination of what may be one of the biggest threats to human survival.
The panel, moderated by MOUNTAIN LAKE JOURNAL host and producer Thom Hallock, will include: Dr. Eric Leibensperger, a climatologist with SUNY Plattsburgh who authored a study on the increase in temperatures in the Adirondacks over the past century, especially since 1980; Willie Janeway, the Executive Director of the Adirondack Council; Dr. Lee Ann Sporn, a biology professor from Paul Smith’s College who is an expert on ticks; and Brendan Quirion, the Director of the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program.
The entire forum will be viewable online at mountainlake.org/climate along with all our past coverage of issues related to climate change.
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE ADIRONDACKS FORUM
RSVP: mountainlake.org/climate
After the screening of selections from the four-part documentary series SINKING CITIES at the community forum, Mountain Lake PBS will also broadcast all four episodes. Each episode explores how four global cities are coming to grips with the real-time effects of rising seas and extreme weather.
Episode 1 – “New York”Tuesday, June 17, 9 PM Discover how New York City – overwhelmed in 2012 by Superstorm Sandy – has learned from that disaster, and must defend itself against rising seas and the next big storm. With 520 miles of shoreline and no coastal protection, engineers and urban planners are tackling the problem with urgency and creative engineering.
Episode 2 – “Tokyo”Tuesday, June 17, 10 PMSee how Tokyo is looking for new ways to fight back against rising waters. Typhoons,tsunamis, earthquakes and sinking neighborhoods threaten one of the world’s most populous cities, and the economic engine of Japan, with some of the world’s largest problems.
Episode 3 – “London”Tuesday, June 24, 9 PMSee firsthand why London’s Thames Barrier is no longer enough to keep the city safe from rising tides. The system has worked for decades, but due to increased environmental challenges, its location on a flood plain and heavy urbanization, London must now explore both low-tech fixes and some of the most advanced engineering solutions in the world.
Episode 4 – “Miami”Tuesday, June 24, 10 PMMiami is beloved for its beaches and waterfront homes and businesses. See how engineers and planners are trying to protect Miami from rising seas and ever-more frequent and violent storm surges that could destroy the city’s tourist and business economy.
SINKING CITIES is part of Peril and Promise: The Challenge of Climate Change, a public media initiative from WNET in New York reporting on the human stories of climate change. Mountain Lake PBS is a proud partner of reporting on the impacts ofclimate change in the Adirondacks.