Press and media enquiries should be directed to:
Jonathan Atkinson – 0782 861 7933 or email beyondthetippingpoint@gmail.com

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 05/07/2010

New film explores attitudes to climate change ‘tipping points’

‘We have 30,000 days, 100 Months, 5 years left! Copenhagen (now Mexico) is our last chance!’ In the face of  consensus on the reality of climate change scientists, policy makers and campaigners are increasingly in the habit of issuing deadlines, ultimatums and points of no return.

But what impact does this language have on the decisions taken by activists, campaigners, and policymakers?

A provocative new film, ‘Beyond the Tipping Point?’, produced and directed by Dr. Stefan Skrimshire from The University of Manchester is launched on Thursday 15th July 2010 at the Manchester Museum.[1]

The film has grown out of a three year research project funded by the Lincoln Theological Institute [2] [3] exploring how we imagine the future in the face of impending environmental crisis and how this affects the way we respond.

Once launched, it will be made freely available as an educational tool for campaign and community groups, schools and universities, to encourage people to discuss and reflect on the actions and decisions they take in relation to climate change.

Including footage from last year’s UN climate talks in Copenhagen, the film features interviews with a Met Office international climate expert, a Bangladeshi social justice campaigner; direct action group Plane Stupid, Buddhist leaders and leading academics.[4]

A rich diversity of perspectives emerge from these interviews. Whilst some of the contributors argue that ‘shock and awe’ will force the public to take action, others say activists must be more careful in the way they communicate. One interviewee argues that we should focus our attention on adapting our neighbourhoods to combat the unavoidable effects of rising temperatures.

Dr Skrimshire says:
“This film asks a deeper set of questions about time, ethics and the imagination. It explores what exactly we mean when predicting a point after which all action comes too late, whether it be to save the human species, civilisation, or simply the lifestyles to which we have become accustomed.”

“Do we act to change the future, or to prepare ourselves for what is to come? Or are our actions simply an expression of who we are and what values we hold? Do the apocalyptic tipping points we all read about generate despair, or galvanise political responses to crises?”

Leo Murray of direct action group Plane Stupid says:
“This (film offers) insight into the implications of an imminent point of no return in the climate system, and should be seen by everyone involved in the struggle to prevent us from reaching that point…This type of critical reflection will be invaluable to our understanding of our own actions and what we seek to achieve by them.”

Professor Alastair McInosh, author of Hell and High Water, says:
“What I love most about this short film is how it draws out the beauty of those who care. It is a prophetic work that touches the spirituality  of where hope’s tenderness resides.”

The film features interviews from people including: Professor Kevin Anderson, Tyndall Centre, The University of Manchester, Dr. Richard Betts, Met Office, Hadley Centre, Leo Murray, Plane Stupid and activists from the Camp for Climate Action.

A trailer for the film can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b-j00HTfFQ
The DVD is 30 minutes long and is available free of charge on request.[5]

For more information about the launch or to receive a review copy of the film contact:
Jonathan Atkinson; telephone 0782 861 7933, email: beyondthetippingpoint@gmail.com

—-ENDS—-

NOTES FOR EDITORS

[1] The launch of Beyond the Tipping Point? will take place at 5.30pm on Thursday 15th July, 2010
at The Fossils Gallery, Manchester Museum, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL. Please get in touch to book a press place.

[2] The film is part of a three year research project funded by the Lincoln Theological Institute, based in the School of Arts, Histories and Cultures of the University of Manchester.

[3] A book entitled – “Future Ethics, Climate change and Apocalyptic Imagination” edited by Dr Skrimshire also forms part of this project and will be published at the end of July 2010 by Continuum.

[4] Interviewees include: Professor Kevin Anderson, Tyndall Centre, The University of Manchester
Dr. Richard Betts, Met Office, Hadley Centre, Ahmed Swapan, Voice, Bangladesh, Paul Morozzo, Climate Camp, Leo Murray, Plane Stupid, George Marshall, Climate Outreach Information Network, Andy Bowman, PhD candidate, The University of Manchester, ‘Polyp’, political cartoonist, Richard Hawkins, Public Interest Research Centre, Joe Ryle, Climate Campaigner, Matt Fawcett, The Kindling Trust, Klaus Herbert, Climate Camp, Police Press Liaison Officer, Copenhagen, Dr. Oliver Smith, The University of St Andrews, Farjana Akter, Voice, Bangladesh, Professor Barbara Adam, Cardiff University, Aubrey Meyer, Global Commons Institute, Kim Bryan, Centre for Alternative Technology, Professor Nik Heynen, University of Georgia, Guhyapati, Ecodharma Centre, Simon Dale, Lammas, Dr. Mark Levene, Southampton University, Chaitanya Kalevar, Just One World, Jonathan Atkinson, Urban Research Collective, Maria Colares, The Amazon, Brazil

[5] A DVD of the film is available by contacting Stefan Skrimshire at beyondthetippingpoint@gmail.com

To watch the film trailer, visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b-j00HTfFQ

More information at www.beyondthetippingpoint.com

For media enquiries contact: Jonathan Atkinson, 0782 861 7933