An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth To Power

Tropic Sprockets by Ian Brockway

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“An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power” is a portrait of Al Gore still resolute in purpose. Though he has had setbacks since his first Oscar-winning “An Inconvenient Truth” (2007), Vice President Gore continues to spread the imperative and quite serious word that our planet is sick due to global warming and that we humans are the major cause.

Though some might say that there is nothing new in this film, Gore’s message needs to be emphasized and heard once more, especially since we now have a presidency that denies global warming’s danger and is further driven to strip the EPA of its potency.

Nevertheless, Al Gore goes to training conferences on  how to talk to people about global warming. He goes to Houston, to Miami in his mission and most are receptive. 

Central to his quest is in persuading India to sign the Paris Climate Agreement as the country has been reluctant to do, because of growing energy demands and standard of living concerns. The agreement aims to hold the average temperature increase to below 2 degrees celsius. Minister of State Piyush Goyal stonewalls the vice-president, citing population demands.

Gore presses on and with India, he succeeds. Quite simply, Mr. Gore is a renewable energy powerhouse and he should be. To sway deniers, he says very plainly that the issue is not that we don’t have very cold days, but rather that the predictable patterns are erratic: the globe is getting warmer and wetter, with the water from the melting glaciers going directly into the ocean making sea levels rise when they should not, directly causing suffering, loss of money, and jeopardizing lives along the coasts world-wide. The foremost trigger of this suffering is quite factually, our consumption of oil and gas. 

Directors Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk make the filmed pilgrimages easily digestible and informative without being self-conscious or overbearing. 

Mr. Gore is revealed as a serious man of intent without bluster or condescension and he is not afraid to get in the thick of things. He goes to a flooded Miami and Houston and sees first hand fish swimming on a Miami street. The vice-president seldom raises his voice, but when he does, he is full of fire and the audience will well recognize the necessity.

While we see Gore understandably discouraged in the midst of a Trump administration, he soldiers on and the signing of the Paris Agreement has the feel of a suspense drama, unfolding before us.

There is a fine moment of levity as Gore and the mayor of Georgetown, Texas pose warmly for pictures. Mayor Dale Ross made his town 100% free of oil and gas. Ross, it is worth noting, is a Republican. 

“An Inconvenient Sequel” makes a life affirming and vital chapter to an immediate problem that requires our direct and careful attention, as crucial as civil rights legislation and or the freedom to legally  love whomever we choose without discrimination.

Albert R. Gore, Jr. isn’t giving up on us or the beloved blue marble named planet Earth, and there is a great wisdom in his compassionate and solemn persistence.

Write Ian at ianfree1@yahoo.com