ECARMA, Kim D.

LLB – II
October 16, 2017

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power (2017)

Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk

A Reaction Paper

The documentary film commences with footages of glaciers in Greenland melting

away which has resulted in schisms that are predicted to cause entire shelves to melt through
time; it could happen sooner or later if climate change is not mitigated as soon as possible.
Way back, Al Gore predicted that New York City would be flooded because of melting
glaciers that come from elevated places, which came into reality when hurricane Sandy hit
the city during its warmest year yet as recorded since 2001. Such are just few of the instances
which moved Gore to ultimately have a sequel to his first documentary, “The Inconvenient
Truth” (2006). For Gore, the objective of the first film of mitigating global warming was not
met, as statistics continually show how climate change has worsened, with typhoons across
the earth becoming more morbid and resilience levels of highly vulnerable communities
down sloping. Gore expresses his frustration towards himself and the unbelief of most
powerful leaders of different nations to the carefully-studied efforts he had raised to cultivate
awareness about global warming. As the preliminary portion of the film progresses, a
background audio of speeches of different leaders and lobbyists across America during media
interviews are being played, expressing contempt and objection to Gore’s invitation to
cooperate in addressing the global concern. It was a tough decision for Gore to have the
sequel due to the trauma he experienced from the outcome of the first major showcase about
the reality of climate change. Nevertheless, he started moving again; the film progressed
exhibiting his international visits and conferences, talking to national leaders of both “first”
and “third” world countries. Gore then finds that the common concern of the countries he
visited is economic. Especially with the sentiments of some developing countries, they would
not want to participate in such a global movement, considering the risks it would cause their
economy and the subsistence concern of their citizens. Hence, Gore continually consults with
different other countries as to how to go out the major concern among such developing
countries. He took the big leap by suggesting to contribute financial provision to those
countries, just so they would sign in the treaty pledging to abstain from national
infrastructures that would greatly damage the ozone layer such as coal-powered plants.
Ultimately, the documentary ended with a showing of the success of such major global
movement to have the prospective countries sign the pledge, with Gore being hopeful that
such treaty would be implemented among the countries efficiently in the local level.

Al Gore is optimistic about solving the problem of climate change, because he

believes it is not far-fetched to conclude that virtually everyone around the globe has already
experienced its effects; it is a global concern and it calls for every citizen to move. Since we
already know the culprit causes, we have experienced the effects, and we have ideas on how
to help, the more we should believe that we have the power to restore the earth. Gore has
shown the global perspective in addressing the global concern, while it should also be
reflected in the local implementation. Most importantly, as Gore believes and as each of us
should never forget, the earth is not merely the dwelling place for the passing people of today
but more so for the unborn generation; it is the very reason why we should cooperate because
if it would not be us who will experience the ultimate turmoil of climate change, then it
would be the future generations.

As a law student, then, I believe that the role of the legal profession in addressing
climate change is to promote and recruit more active environmental lawyers so that what
needs to be addressed will not only be by-passed but acted upon. As future lawyers, we
should be not merely take the environmental law course as mere side dish; it should take
major consideration in the academe. In the recent USC-NEDA Philippine Development Plan
held this month, one of the speakers relayed natural and man-made disasters inhibit the
sustainability of economic growth. I believe this is due to the perverted view we have on our
environment in light of the economic aspect. We have succumbed to the bandwagon belief,
which in actuality is a form of unbelief, that the environment should be used to boost our
economy; that should not be the case. Instead, we should rethink why in the first place we
have high GDP rates and yet fall short in employment rates. One major reason pointed out by
the NEDA is that environmental disasters can easily sweep away the temporary economic
gains acquired through labour. The environment itself is speaking to us, that we should not
take it lightly. We have to establish sustainable development, and I believe there is no other
way to start it off but through environmental development. It is then the role of the legal
profession to make legislation more relatable, not merely focusing on national objectives, but
presenting with emphasis to the common citizen how to think globally while acting locally.
Some environmental laws are just too broad and penalties are too high for some criminal acts
or omissions, but regardless of that, I think we should start shifting our concern on the
implementation; at the end of the day, laws usually become futile because of improper
implementation. Lawyers should advice local leaders about the concrete ways to really
implement the environmental laws locally through ordinances with conscionable penalties
and instructions which are attainable by the community, especially by the poor. The legal
profession should even be mandatorily involved in climate change, and not just to be offered
to lawyers who are interested. It is a global concern, and while laws are loosely executed
without pointing out the blunders in such implementation, we can never really witness
apparent outcomes from the international treaties concerning global warming and climate
change.