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PINSENT: Last time
on The Polar Sea,
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00:00:17,017 --> 00:00:19,102
arctic hitchhiker
Richard Tegner
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00:00:19,144 --> 00:00:24,274
is aboard
the Swiss yacht Libellule
as she sprints West,
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00:00:24,316 --> 00:00:27,611
trying to exit
the Northwest Passage
before the ocean freezes.
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00:00:29,655 --> 00:00:32,783
On the Alaskan coast
the oil industry
dominates everything
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00:00:35,160 --> 00:00:38,497
and nobody believes
in climate change.
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00:00:38,539 --> 00:00:42,793
I think that's just
one of the biggest hoaxes
that's been perpetrated on us.
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00:00:42,835 --> 00:00:45,921
PINSENT: The oil industry
hopes to expand
across the melting Arctic,
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00:00:47,840 --> 00:00:51,259
even as scientists gather
more evidence
of environmental disaster.
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00:00:54,513 --> 00:00:58,183
Albedo is a positive feedback
loop for adding heat.
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00:00:58,225 --> 00:01:01,353
GEORGE DIVOKY: There has been
certainly a decrease in black
guillemots in this region.
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00:01:01,395 --> 00:01:03,605
I mean, you just can't
look away but at the same ways
13
00:01:03,647 --> 00:01:05,357
you can't look away
from a train wreck.
14
00:01:05,399 --> 00:01:07,442
TEGNER: If a tanker
breaks down here,
15
00:01:07,484 --> 00:01:09,778
it would be
terrible catastrophe.
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00:01:49,109 --> 00:01:50,485
(WIND BLOWING)
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00:02:15,427 --> 00:02:19,139
TEGNER: We rounded Cape Barrow
coming from the Beaufort Sea.
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00:02:22,183 --> 00:02:25,104
The smell of the air
is different.
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00:02:26,187 --> 00:02:28,816
Now I can feel
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00:02:29,942 --> 00:02:34,738
the smell of
pine trees little bit.
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00:02:36,782 --> 00:02:40,327
PINSENT: Libellule is
on the final stretch
of the Northwest Passage.
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00:02:43,122 --> 00:02:46,166
It will exit the passage
through the Bering Strait
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00:02:46,207 --> 00:02:49,252
but not be safe
until it reaches Dutch Harbor
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00:02:49,294 --> 00:02:52,297
in the Aleutian Islands.
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00:02:52,339 --> 00:02:56,551
It will be the first
recreational catamaran
to complete the passage,
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00:02:56,593 --> 00:03:00,722
which is one of few records
still to be broken here.
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00:03:00,764 --> 00:03:04,893
And that is a fact
that would amaze the man
for whom Barrow is named.
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00:03:07,980 --> 00:03:13,110
John Barrow commanded
the British admiralty
in Victorian times.
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00:03:13,152 --> 00:03:15,529
He was obsessed
with finding the
Northwest Passage
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00:03:15,570 --> 00:03:18,239
and sent more than
20 missions on that quest.
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00:03:20,408 --> 00:03:24,038
None succeeded
and many ended
with ships destroyed
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00:03:24,079 --> 00:03:25,497
and sailors perished.
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00:03:27,916 --> 00:03:30,377
Much of the fault
lay in Barrow's methods.
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00:03:30,418 --> 00:03:34,506
He insisted captains follow
his strict sailing orders.
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00:03:34,548 --> 00:03:38,218
But his routes were based
on bad information
and whimsical theories.
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00:03:41,096 --> 00:03:45,893
The worst was Barrow's belief
in an open Polar Sea
at the top of the world.
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00:03:45,934 --> 00:03:50,480
He thought sea ice
was just a fringe
surrounding open water
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00:03:50,522 --> 00:03:54,068
that connected
the world's oceans.
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00:03:54,109 --> 00:03:57,112
But the Polar Sea
did not exist
in Barrow's time.
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00:03:58,238 --> 00:04:01,700
It was created
by the industrial age.
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00:04:01,742 --> 00:04:05,537
Burning fossil fuels
warmed the air,
melted the ice
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00:04:05,579 --> 00:04:09,041
and made an open sea
that even little boats
can sail.
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TEGNER: In the distance
we have walruses
blowing in the water.
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00:04:26,100 --> 00:04:28,769
We can feel
their fishy breath.
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00:04:28,810 --> 00:04:34,108
It smells like
a can of sardines,
well used.
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00:04:34,149 --> 00:04:38,278
And there are several of them
and we're heading towards
the island here
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see how close we can get
before they dive
into the water.
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(BIRDS CHIRPING)
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00:05:01,843 --> 00:05:03,929
(WALRUS BELLOWING)
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00:05:23,490 --> 00:05:25,575
PINSENT: The spectacle
of the big walrus herd
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00:05:25,617 --> 00:05:27,702
is actually a sign
of climate change.
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00:05:30,122 --> 00:05:32,749
Walrus normally spread out
across sea ice.
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00:05:39,422 --> 00:05:43,177
They raise their young there
and forage under the ice.
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00:05:43,218 --> 00:05:45,679
Since ice moves
with the ocean currents,
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00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:46,596
they always have fresh food.
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00:05:49,141 --> 00:05:53,187
Without ice,
walruses are forced to crowd
rocks and beaches.
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00:05:53,228 --> 00:05:55,856
They quickly exhaust
the nearby food
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00:05:55,897 --> 00:05:58,650
and their young are often
crushed by the crowd.
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00:06:07,159 --> 00:06:10,369
On the Alaskan coast,
the decline of walrus
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00:06:10,411 --> 00:06:12,914
is also a loss
to the Inupiat culture.
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00:06:22,841 --> 00:06:26,385
Inupiat have always survived
by hunting marine mammals.
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00:06:33,727 --> 00:06:36,395
People here still have
a deep attachment to hunting.
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00:06:48,533 --> 00:06:51,328
However, many are
reluctant to believe
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00:06:51,370 --> 00:06:53,330
that it is undermined
by climate change.
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00:06:57,918 --> 00:07:02,630
Barrow's main business is UIC,
the Inupiat owned corporation
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00:07:02,672 --> 00:07:05,842
that was built with money
the community got in exchange
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00:07:05,884 --> 00:07:07,677
for giving up
its oil rich land.
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00:07:10,138 --> 00:07:11,848
EDWARDSEN: We have our
own engineering firm,
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00:07:11,890 --> 00:07:13,641
we have our construction firm
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00:07:13,683 --> 00:07:16,228
and oil field services
that Umiak.
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00:07:16,270 --> 00:07:19,647
We have our bowhead
transportation and
barge delivery.
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00:07:19,689 --> 00:07:22,359
And then we have our
Bowhead technical services
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00:07:22,401 --> 00:07:24,444
that are government
contracting
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00:07:24,485 --> 00:07:29,574
and, um, we also have
our foundation.
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00:07:29,616 --> 00:07:32,369
Our engineering firm
has done an outstanding job
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00:07:32,411 --> 00:07:34,996
doing logistic works
for oil field services
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00:07:35,038 --> 00:07:40,335
when it comes to
ConocoPhillips, Shell,
Exxon Mobil.
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00:07:40,377 --> 00:07:43,088
We have our fingers
in the jar.
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00:07:45,506 --> 00:07:49,469
PINSENT: UIC has some
40 subsidiaries.
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00:07:49,510 --> 00:07:53,140
But the work that excites
Anthony is whale hunting.
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00:07:54,849 --> 00:07:57,060
One of our very successful
whaling captains.
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00:07:57,102 --> 00:08:00,021
And you can see all
these pictures of
these whales he's got,
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00:08:00,063 --> 00:08:01,398
he's got dates on them.
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00:08:02,023 --> 00:08:04,318
Good eating.
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00:08:04,359 --> 00:08:09,156
His dad taught him
about whaling and
he kept that in his heart.
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00:08:09,197 --> 00:08:12,492
That's what it's all about
we keep it in our heart
and when it comes to family
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00:08:14,119 --> 00:08:16,579
it's, it's in us already.
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00:08:17,831 --> 00:08:19,082
It's very important to us.
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00:08:19,124 --> 00:08:20,583
It's our way of life.
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00:08:20,625 --> 00:08:22,210
Our culture
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00:08:22,252 --> 00:08:25,213
and we try
and pass it down from
generations to generation.
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00:08:26,298 --> 00:08:27,548
It's all about family.
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00:08:33,096 --> 00:08:34,222
This is our boardroom.
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00:08:36,475 --> 00:08:37,892
Yeah, that's a traditional
Umiak right there.
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00:08:37,934 --> 00:08:40,979
With this Ugruk skin.
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00:08:41,021 --> 00:08:42,397
Ugruk is bearded seal.
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00:08:42,439 --> 00:08:44,274
This one's a six skinner.
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00:08:44,316 --> 00:08:45,566
Matter of fact that's my boat.
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00:08:47,277 --> 00:08:49,112
The white fish, the caribou,
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00:08:49,154 --> 00:08:53,241
and you know that's just like
our, the beef that you have.
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00:08:53,283 --> 00:08:54,826
Caribou is our main
source of meat.
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00:08:55,827 --> 00:08:58,205
Then we catch the geese,
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polar bear, the ptarmigan,
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the walrus,
and the main course is
our bowhead whale.
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00:09:10,091 --> 00:09:12,593
PINSENT: The bowhead is
a true Arctic whale.
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It has no dorsal fin
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00:09:15,930 --> 00:09:19,976
so it moves easily under ice
and can break through
with its massive head.
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00:09:21,811 --> 00:09:22,979
(WHALE SNORTING)
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It can live for 200 years.
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00:09:27,150 --> 00:09:32,155
Alaska's bowheads were
nearly wiped out
by commercial whaling.
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00:09:32,197 --> 00:09:35,325
Now, they're threatened
by the burning
of fossil fuels,
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00:09:35,367 --> 00:09:37,369
which makes sea water acidic
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00:09:37,411 --> 00:09:40,080
and weakens the crustaceans
that bowhead eat.
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00:09:48,713 --> 00:09:51,174
Inuit are the only people
still allowed to hunt bowhead.
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00:09:52,759 --> 00:09:54,802
The seasonal hunts in Barrow
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00:09:54,844 --> 00:09:56,137
are big community events.
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TEGNER: It's our way of life.
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00:10:00,934 --> 00:10:04,521
We provide food to people
that cannot go out
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00:10:04,563 --> 00:10:06,606
and go to the store and buy.
120
00:10:13,196 --> 00:10:16,575
PINSENT: But Anthony
doesn't worry that
burning fossil fuels
121
00:10:16,616 --> 00:10:20,328
will harm the whales,
nor does he believe
it is warming the Arctic.
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00:10:24,499 --> 00:10:28,253
EDWARDSEN: I don't know
if the industry's causing
the climate change.
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00:10:28,295 --> 00:10:31,381
My oldest boy
you know he would do
a lot of research on
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00:10:31,423 --> 00:10:33,425
the climate change
and he said,
125
00:10:33,467 --> 00:10:36,636
"Dad you know what,
when the axis tilted so much,
126
00:10:38,096 --> 00:10:41,433
"it can only go so much,
127
00:10:41,475 --> 00:10:45,937
"and then it's gonna
suddenly go back
to where it was.
128
00:10:45,979 --> 00:10:49,065
That's when that
catastrophic event happened."
129
00:10:49,107 --> 00:10:53,487
And I think that's
what's happening
it's just tilting so much.
130
00:10:53,528 --> 00:10:56,656
And it's only going to go
so far then when it has to,
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00:10:57,491 --> 00:10:59,742
when it goes all back to...
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00:10:59,784 --> 00:11:02,287
And that catastrophic event
will happen.
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00:11:13,881 --> 00:11:17,093
PINSENT: One of UIC's most
active companies is Umiak.
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00:11:18,719 --> 00:11:21,389
The company is named
after Umiak boats,
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00:11:21,431 --> 00:11:24,976
which are made
from walrus skins
and used for hunting whales.
136
00:11:36,112 --> 00:11:40,492
Umiak supplies
logistic support
on the Alaskan coast.
137
00:11:40,534 --> 00:11:43,953
Most of its business
comes from oil companies
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00:11:43,995 --> 00:11:47,957
or from scientists
studying climate change.
139
00:11:47,999 --> 00:11:51,336
Anne Jensen is Alaska's
most prominent archeologist.
140
00:11:55,756 --> 00:11:59,594
She works on the
eroding beaches
outside Barrow,
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00:11:59,636 --> 00:12:04,224
where every storm washes up
more walrus and carries away
more history.
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00:12:08,269 --> 00:12:12,607
Anne's team is trying
to salvage an ancient
Inupiat house
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00:12:12,649 --> 00:12:17,445
that is being destroyed
by the thawing permafrost
and raging ocean.
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00:12:19,780 --> 00:12:21,740
JENSON: We're at a site
that's known as Walakpa.
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00:12:23,451 --> 00:12:26,538
People have lived here
for about 3,500 years.
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00:12:26,580 --> 00:12:30,958
Uh, and it's been used
for camping up until
more or less the present day.
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00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:33,752
It was first excavated at
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00:12:33,794 --> 00:12:37,756
in 1968-1969
and it was very stable.
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00:12:38,675 --> 00:12:41,595
The bluff actually sloped out,
150
00:12:41,636 --> 00:12:45,014
you know it was a normal
coast flow but it went out
to about here.
151
00:12:45,056 --> 00:12:47,392
There was a storm
and it came all the way
back to here,
152
00:12:47,434 --> 00:12:49,352
it took out all that.
153
00:12:49,394 --> 00:12:53,231
Just, you know,
gone over night essentially.
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00:12:53,273 --> 00:12:56,735
And you know, so if we had
another storm like that
155
00:12:56,775 --> 00:12:59,987
and it got up to there
it would pull out
a lot of this.
156
00:13:00,029 --> 00:13:03,074
So here we are trying to do
some salvage immediately.
157
00:13:05,868 --> 00:13:06,911
MALE ASSISTANT 1:
It's pretty interesting.
158
00:13:06,953 --> 00:13:08,329
There's a lot more
to it than what I thought.
159
00:13:08,371 --> 00:13:11,666
You know, you envision
them living like
such simple existence.
160
00:13:11,708 --> 00:13:13,042
I always thought
they were just up here,
161
00:13:13,084 --> 00:13:14,877
people were up here
just freezing their asses off.
162
00:13:15,629 --> 00:13:17,672
You know, all the time.
163
00:13:17,714 --> 00:13:19,633
I don't think it was like that
I think they were pretty warm.
164
00:13:19,674 --> 00:13:20,799
Living in pretty
decent houses,
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00:13:22,218 --> 00:13:25,305
and I'm sure at times
it was feast or famine
166
00:13:25,346 --> 00:13:27,515
but you know at times
they were living
pretty good I think.
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00:13:28,849 --> 00:13:31,770
That's baleen right there.
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00:13:31,810 --> 00:13:34,397
Just thrown out, frozen,
and it stayed that way
for a long time.
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00:13:39,068 --> 00:13:41,655
PINSENT: Most of Anne's
young team are amateurs
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00:13:41,696 --> 00:13:44,574
who spend half their time
working with oil companies
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00:13:44,616 --> 00:13:46,825
and half with
climate scientists.
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00:13:50,664 --> 00:13:51,830
MALE ASSISTANT 2:
We all work for Umiak
173
00:13:51,872 --> 00:13:53,792
and that's
our native corporation.
174
00:13:53,832 --> 00:13:55,293
And then once
one project's done
175
00:13:55,335 --> 00:13:57,003
usually they bring us
to another project
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00:13:57,044 --> 00:14:00,006
so, this is the
second project.
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00:14:00,047 --> 00:14:04,344
PINSENT: They are learning
from professional
archeological technicians.
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00:14:04,385 --> 00:14:09,641
Tango, elephant,
lima, India, zulu.
179
00:14:09,683 --> 00:14:12,644
PINSENT: Their cultural roots
show in their phonetics.
180
00:14:12,686 --> 00:14:16,022
U is for Ulu,
an Inuit knife.
181
00:14:16,063 --> 00:14:18,274
Or U is for umbrella.
182
00:14:18,316 --> 00:14:20,276
Ulu, ulu, ulu.
183
00:14:21,319 --> 00:14:22,320
Ralph.
184
00:14:23,780 --> 00:14:25,281
(ON DEVICE) Umbrella,
roger that.
185
00:14:25,323 --> 00:14:26,741
(CHUCKLING)
Oh, umbrella, that's it.
186
00:14:30,203 --> 00:14:32,622
JENSON: There's a layer that
has fox skulls in there
187
00:14:32,664 --> 00:14:33,998
and that's probably
from like the 20's.
188
00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:35,834
But then you got a layer
with a lot of baleen
189
00:14:35,875 --> 00:14:38,002
in it underneath that
and that's probably
190
00:14:38,044 --> 00:14:42,131
prewhaling so more or less
precontact here.
191
00:14:42,173 --> 00:14:44,884
But contact is really 1850.
192
00:14:44,925 --> 00:14:47,804
You can see all
the bones in there,
you guys see all that?
193
00:14:47,846 --> 00:14:50,306
Stacks of bones.
194
00:14:50,348 --> 00:14:53,184
JENSON: There's actually
whole bunch of fox skulls
have fallen out.
195
00:14:54,644 --> 00:14:57,230
Because after whaling
collapsed a lot of people
196
00:14:57,271 --> 00:15:00,316
did to earn cash money
was fox trapping.
197
00:15:00,358 --> 00:15:03,361
Because at that time
Arctic fox furs
were really valuable.
198
00:15:04,987 --> 00:15:07,198
Obviously this stuff
has been frozen
199
00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:10,951
until very, very recently
because they're
in beautiful shape.
200
00:15:10,993 --> 00:15:13,413
Between the erosion
and the permafrost melting.
201
00:15:13,454 --> 00:15:16,457
I actually am starting
to think there would be
202
00:15:16,499 --> 00:15:19,168
a fairly good idea
to just spend money
203
00:15:19,210 --> 00:15:23,631
on digging and conserving
stuff because it's just not
gonna be there in 50 years.
204
00:15:27,761 --> 00:15:30,012
There's buildings that have
managed to endure
205
00:15:30,054 --> 00:15:33,433
and as the climate gets
warmer and wetter
a new bacteria or whatever
206
00:15:33,474 --> 00:15:35,935
show up then
they start to rot faster.
207
00:15:35,976 --> 00:15:38,020
It's a real problem.
208
00:15:38,062 --> 00:15:41,858
It's affecting the heritage
of pretty much anyone
whose lived in the Arctic.
209
00:15:41,900 --> 00:15:43,359
The preservation of it.
210
00:15:43,401 --> 00:15:47,321
People are losing
massive amounts
of their heritage daily.
211
00:15:49,616 --> 00:15:51,951
They're important places
that are getting eaten up
by the ocean.
212
00:15:55,162 --> 00:15:57,123
PINSENT: As climate change
erases history,
213
00:15:58,541 --> 00:15:59,751
it writes a new future.
214
00:16:06,507 --> 00:16:08,134
(SPEAKING FRENCH)
215
00:16:19,061 --> 00:16:20,980
(SPEAKING FRENCH)
216
00:16:31,866 --> 00:16:33,660
(SPEAKING GERMAN)
217
00:16:41,459 --> 00:16:43,837
PINSENT: They sail toward
the Bering Strait,
218
00:16:43,878 --> 00:16:49,300
where the passage ends
in overlapping,
invisible finish lines
219
00:16:49,342 --> 00:16:51,719
the border between
America and Russia,
220
00:16:51,761 --> 00:16:54,973
the International dateline
and the Arctic Circle.
221
00:16:56,850 --> 00:16:59,811
More than 30 yachts
attempted the passage
this summer.
222
00:17:00,561 --> 00:17:03,272
Only five succeeded.
223
00:17:03,314 --> 00:17:07,944
Libellule will claim
a victory that eluded
the world's greatest navies
224
00:17:07,986 --> 00:17:10,321
for centuries,
at the cost of many men.
225
00:17:12,573 --> 00:17:15,034
TEGNER: Here we are
in the Bering Strait.
226
00:17:15,075 --> 00:17:19,998
We are closing up
on the Diomede Islands.
227
00:17:20,039 --> 00:17:23,250
This side we have the USA
228
00:17:23,292 --> 00:17:27,630
and on the other side here,
we have Russia.
229
00:17:31,091 --> 00:17:33,553
That was an
interesting experience
230
00:17:33,594 --> 00:17:38,641
just passing between
these huge political forces.
231
00:17:38,683 --> 00:17:43,855
Russia on one side,
and USA on the other side.
232
00:17:43,897 --> 00:17:46,357
You can almost stretch out
your hand and touch
these islands.
233
00:17:50,737 --> 00:17:55,950
On board Libellule
we celebrated when
we passed Diomedes,
234
00:17:55,992 --> 00:17:59,245
because that's
more obvious than
235
00:17:59,286 --> 00:18:02,164
the just a theoretical line
in the middle of the sea.
236
00:18:03,457 --> 00:18:05,960
(SHOUTING)
237
00:18:19,933 --> 00:18:24,938
I'm not the one to
look for publicity but
I posted a press release
238
00:18:24,979 --> 00:18:30,818
to two of the biggest
newspaper in Stockholm,
in Sweden.
239
00:18:30,860 --> 00:18:33,071
"I hitchhiked through
the Northwest Passage,"
240
00:18:33,112 --> 00:18:36,115
but I have not
got any answer.
241
00:18:36,156 --> 00:18:39,869
I don't know
if they really took it in.
242
00:18:39,911 --> 00:18:43,873
But it occurred to me
it's some sort of record
243
00:18:43,915 --> 00:18:48,586
being the first one aboard
a catamaran doing
the Northwest Passage.
244
00:18:49,879 --> 00:18:52,381
That's something. But it...
245
00:18:52,423 --> 00:18:56,510
I was just lucky being there,
at the right moment.
246
00:18:56,552 --> 00:18:59,847
PINSENT: The journey
has taken Richard
almost 10,000 kilometers
247
00:18:59,889 --> 00:19:02,182
from its start in Iceland.
248
00:19:02,224 --> 00:19:04,143
PINSENT: He began
as a reluctant sailor
249
00:19:06,270 --> 00:19:08,815
urged on
by his adventurous
friend Martin,
250
00:19:11,567 --> 00:19:14,821
who was forced to abandon
the quest when his boat
broke down.
251
00:19:41,263 --> 00:19:43,099
TEGNER: Martin invited
me here
252
00:19:43,975 --> 00:19:46,519
and now he has returned home.
253
00:19:47,770 --> 00:19:49,188
I'm grateful to him.
254
00:19:51,315 --> 00:19:54,652
For him it was to
achieve something
255
00:19:54,694 --> 00:19:57,196
that he had done
with his own hands.
256
00:20:00,033 --> 00:20:02,493
I was wondering
about that, if,
257
00:20:04,244 --> 00:20:08,041
if I, if this just sort of
came to me like a,
258
00:20:08,082 --> 00:20:09,750
like a huge gift.
259
00:20:10,376 --> 00:20:11,251
Or if I have
260
00:20:12,170 --> 00:20:13,838
accomplished something
261
00:20:15,006 --> 00:20:19,719
by struggling and...
262
00:20:24,182 --> 00:20:26,308
(EXHALES)
I'm not sure about that.
263
00:20:49,456 --> 00:20:53,211
We are just entering
Nome, Alaska.
264
00:20:53,252 --> 00:20:56,172
The hub of this
part of Alaska.
265
00:20:57,381 --> 00:21:00,426
So here we will stop
for refueling.
266
00:21:02,220 --> 00:21:04,889
Philipp and his uncle, Michael
267
00:21:04,931 --> 00:21:08,017
will leave the boat here
and go home.
268
00:21:16,901 --> 00:21:20,279
PINSENT: Libellule's captain,
financier Philipp Cottier
269
00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:22,489
is pleased with her success,
270
00:21:22,531 --> 00:21:24,992
but not convinced
that it means
much for shipping
271
00:21:25,034 --> 00:21:26,535
through the
North West Passage.
272
00:21:28,871 --> 00:21:30,581
(SPEAKING GERMAN)
273
00:22:15,584 --> 00:22:16,752
American French Fries!
274
00:22:19,630 --> 00:22:21,590
MAN 1: Hey Richard what do
you think of this trip?
275
00:22:21,632 --> 00:22:25,803
Ah, well at least the
beer was nice at the end.
276
00:22:25,845 --> 00:22:27,763
(MAN 1 LAUGHING)
277
00:22:27,805 --> 00:22:29,723
At least the beer was nice!
278
00:22:34,937 --> 00:22:39,608
# The sun it shines on
Baffin Bay
279
00:22:39,650 --> 00:22:42,695
# My turn is over now
280
00:22:44,322 --> 00:22:48,617
# Our course is straight
on, Westward ho
281
00:22:48,659 --> 00:22:53,289
# Say hello to Canada #
282
00:22:58,002 --> 00:23:00,963
(ALL CHEERING)
283
00:23:12,599 --> 00:23:14,310
Thank you very much!
284
00:23:22,151 --> 00:23:25,529
PINSENT: The remaining
crew of Libellule make
for Dutch Harbor,
285
00:23:25,571 --> 00:23:27,405
a safe port to overwinter.
286
00:23:30,450 --> 00:23:32,410
And the sailors reflect
on their voyage.
287
00:23:34,496 --> 00:23:37,875
They saw more ice this season
than last year's sailors did.
288
00:23:39,168 --> 00:23:40,878
But the trend is unmistakable.
289
00:23:41,712 --> 00:23:43,839
(SPEAKING FRENCH)
290
00:24:46,484 --> 00:24:50,239
PINSENT: The voyage has
taught them that ice can be
a barrier or a guardian.
291
00:24:52,783 --> 00:24:55,744
The open polar sea that
allowed them passage
292
00:24:55,786 --> 00:24:58,747
is a menace to people on
the shores they pass.
293
00:25:00,124 --> 00:25:03,377
Nowhere is that so
obvious as Kivalina,
294
00:25:05,045 --> 00:25:09,800
a sandy island reachable only
by ice road, plane or boat.
295
00:25:11,218 --> 00:25:13,387
SWAN: Ice is very
important to us.
296
00:25:15,597 --> 00:25:19,393
We are not able to adapt
as we'd like to because
297
00:25:19,435 --> 00:25:22,271
we are dealing with the
effects of a changing climate.
298
00:25:26,650 --> 00:25:30,696
When we're out hunting
for whales we need to
be out on the ice.
299
00:25:30,737 --> 00:25:33,615
That's where we set up camps.
300
00:25:33,657 --> 00:25:36,910
And we used to able to
spend weeks out there.
301
00:25:36,952 --> 00:25:40,914
Now, we're lucky to if we're
able to even spend the night
302
00:25:40,956 --> 00:25:43,125
out on the ice when
we're out whaling.
303
00:25:46,628 --> 00:25:52,009
PINSENT: Twenty years ago
seasonal ice began melting
earlier and freezing later,
304
00:25:52,051 --> 00:25:53,344
making hunting harder.
305
00:25:59,099 --> 00:26:03,270
SWAN: Whatever survives
in the Arctic is what helps
us to survive.
306
00:26:03,312 --> 00:26:08,734
And it's been really hard
because the migration
of the birds,
307
00:26:08,775 --> 00:26:13,197
the seals, the caribou,
it seems like they're
confused a lot.
308
00:26:17,326 --> 00:26:20,829
PINSENT: Community
leader Colleen Swan has
spent her adult life
309
00:26:20,871 --> 00:26:22,456
advocating for Kivalina.
310
00:26:25,543 --> 00:26:27,836
SWAN: This used to be
a seasonal hunting ground.
311
00:26:32,883 --> 00:26:36,636
The federal government came,
built a school on this island
312
00:26:36,678 --> 00:26:38,764
and forced the people
to move here.
313
00:26:41,434 --> 00:26:44,520
They were threatened
if they didn't bring their
children to school,
314
00:26:44,562 --> 00:26:47,314
that they would either be
fined or sent to prison.
315
00:26:50,234 --> 00:26:54,572
There are some records
from 1911 when a
meeting was held
316
00:26:54,612 --> 00:26:58,117
and some elders voiced
their concerns about
this particular site.
317
00:27:00,119 --> 00:27:04,039
They had concerns about
the, um, fall storms and
318
00:27:04,081 --> 00:27:06,542
you know, flooding, erosion.
319
00:27:10,546 --> 00:27:13,882
Back when my great grandmother
was 14 years old, she
said there was a flood.
320
00:27:13,924 --> 00:27:14,967
She did tell a story.
321
00:27:17,177 --> 00:27:20,638
I guess when you grow up in
this environment it's just
normal to you.
322
00:27:23,225 --> 00:27:26,228
But what wasn't normal is what
happened in 2004.
323
00:27:44,288 --> 00:27:48,666
There was no ice to protect us
from the storm surges.
We get them every fall.
324
00:27:50,294 --> 00:27:53,547
It's just that we didn't have
the ice anymore.
325
00:27:56,967 --> 00:28:01,514
One of the elders came up to
me and said he had never seen,
326
00:28:01,555 --> 00:28:06,268
the storms this bad and
the water that high
in his lifetime.
327
00:28:11,482 --> 00:28:16,445
There was nothing that our
people could do to stop it.
328
00:28:16,487 --> 00:28:20,866
They threw everything they
could at it but the ocean
surge was so strong that
329
00:28:20,907 --> 00:28:23,494
it was just sucking everything
into the ocean.
330
00:28:38,300 --> 00:28:40,594
The land just started
falling apart.
331
00:28:42,429 --> 00:28:45,432
It's the corner of the house.
332
00:28:45,474 --> 00:28:49,311
We had already decided that
we're going to move this
village for more
333
00:28:49,353 --> 00:28:54,483
economic development
opportunities, for more
residential homes.
334
00:28:54,525 --> 00:28:58,070
You know, because we're
overcrowded here in
the first place.
335
00:28:58,111 --> 00:29:03,450
Erosion was at the bottom
of the, of the list of
reasons to move.
336
00:29:03,492 --> 00:29:06,245
But since 2004 it's
now at the top.
337
00:29:10,874 --> 00:29:13,126
PINSENT: Austin Swan
is the mayor of Kivalina.
338
00:29:14,753 --> 00:29:19,341
The rock revetment that
was put in to
339
00:29:21,552 --> 00:29:24,722
prevent erosion on the beach.
340
00:29:24,763 --> 00:29:28,475
When we have all the
storms this, all this
stuff gets washed away.
341
00:29:28,517 --> 00:29:30,769
The grass is what basically
holds it together.
342
00:29:32,688 --> 00:29:35,733
PINSENT: The American
government response to
Kivalina's plight
343
00:29:35,774 --> 00:29:37,901
was to build a rock barrier.
344
00:29:37,943 --> 00:29:40,446
AUSTIN: It's working now,
I don't know how much
longer it'll work.
345
00:29:40,487 --> 00:29:42,281
They say at least
15 years.
346
00:29:44,742 --> 00:29:48,787
If it takes that long to
start relocating well,
347
00:29:48,828 --> 00:29:50,789
we'll probably will stay
here 15 years.
348
00:29:53,292 --> 00:29:55,794
Might, maybe even longer the
way things are going.
349
00:30:10,142 --> 00:30:12,770
(SINGING IN OTHER LANGUAGE)
350
00:31:05,572 --> 00:31:08,659
PINSENT: People here feel
they are facing climate
change alone.
351
00:31:10,828 --> 00:31:14,581
They're terrified of a storm
surge that they won't be
able to escape.
352
00:31:16,458 --> 00:31:19,336
With hunting bad,
good food is scarce.
353
00:31:19,378 --> 00:31:23,923
And authorities seem
paralyzed to help them.
354
00:31:23,965 --> 00:31:26,593
We hear a lot of that.
We're not going to spend any
more money on this island
355
00:31:26,635 --> 00:31:29,722
because you're talking
about moving.
356
00:31:29,763 --> 00:31:33,433
And then they're not giving us
the money to move, which
doesn't make sense.
357
00:31:35,728 --> 00:31:39,732
SWAN: We need to have
the money to move.
358
00:31:39,773 --> 00:31:43,652
They're telling us it's going
to cost too much to move
the entire village.
359
00:31:43,694 --> 00:31:46,154
It's not going to be
a benefit nationally.
360
00:31:46,196 --> 00:31:49,157
It's just going to benefit
like, 400 people.
361
00:31:51,827 --> 00:31:56,248
Four hundred people,
whose lives are
in imminent danger.
362
00:32:09,010 --> 00:32:10,929
We can't just move
to the next town.
363
00:32:12,972 --> 00:32:14,933
People try, but they
always come back.
364
00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:17,686
This is who we are.
365
00:32:27,404 --> 00:32:31,491
PINSENT: It's not the place,
but the community itself that
is home to the people here.
366
00:32:33,243 --> 00:32:35,078
They won't move unless
they can move together.
367
00:32:39,583 --> 00:32:43,253
So, they are stuck
in overcrowded homes
with no services,
368
00:32:43,295 --> 00:32:45,046
except for power and TV.
369
00:32:47,006 --> 00:32:49,259
SWAN: By Western
standards, we're economically
disadvantaged.
370
00:32:49,301 --> 00:32:51,136
We're a very poor community.
371
00:32:53,054 --> 00:32:54,598
We don't have a cash economy.
372
00:32:55,891 --> 00:32:58,811
We have no modern
sewer services.
373
00:32:58,852 --> 00:33:04,357
And that's one of the things
that they really want to have,
is water and sewer services.
374
00:35:14,654 --> 00:35:17,032
(BIRDS SQUAWKING)
375
00:35:17,074 --> 00:35:21,119
JOSEPH: We have a problem
with fecal in the lagoon.
376
00:35:26,374 --> 00:35:29,086
The dump gets compromised
during floods.
377
00:35:31,838 --> 00:35:36,509
PINSENT: A frozen ocean
fed the people of Kivalina
for generations.
378
00:35:36,551 --> 00:35:39,638
The open Polar Sea
now imprisons them.
379
00:35:41,473 --> 00:35:44,142
In Alaska, where
their story is known,
380
00:35:44,183 --> 00:35:48,063
some argue governments
won't move the village
381
00:35:48,105 --> 00:35:52,150
because native relocations
have always gone badly.
382
00:35:52,191 --> 00:35:54,152
Others say they don't want
to set a precedent.
383
00:35:56,822 --> 00:35:59,616
In Kivalina, people suspect
384
00:35:59,658 --> 00:36:03,495
that authorities are
overwhelmed by unleashed
forces they can't control.
385
00:36:07,457 --> 00:36:09,709
SWAN: Why isn't this
getting the attention
that it needs.
386
00:36:13,630 --> 00:36:15,256
This problem with the ocean.
387
00:36:18,677 --> 00:36:22,388
They're afraid to look
at that problem.
388
00:36:27,978 --> 00:36:29,395
And they don't know
what to do with it.
389
00:36:33,692 --> 00:36:35,735
Even with the long term
390
00:36:37,654 --> 00:36:41,199
suggestions, you know which is
to reduce carbon emissions.
391
00:36:43,076 --> 00:36:47,372
I think we're at that point
where it's, it's too late to,
392
00:36:47,413 --> 00:36:49,457
I mean we're too far gone,
393
00:36:50,709 --> 00:36:53,879
that we really are
at that 11th hour.
394
00:36:55,588 --> 00:36:57,966
That things will only get
worse before they get better.
395
00:36:59,258 --> 00:37:01,803
I mean it's been going
on for too long.
396
00:37:04,389 --> 00:37:09,227
That it may take longer
to bring it down, to
reduce the damage.
397
00:37:14,482 --> 00:37:19,029
SWAN: How it relates to the
rest of the world I think, is
where we really need to focus.
398
00:37:22,157 --> 00:37:23,909
What does it mean
you know when,
399
00:37:25,202 --> 00:37:27,370
when you have a
community like Kivanlina
400
00:37:27,412 --> 00:37:30,749
experiencing these things.
What does it mean to the
rest of the world?
401
00:37:32,876 --> 00:37:35,253
I think people have to
get that themselves.
402
00:37:38,506 --> 00:37:40,341
Otherwise it's just
another story.
403
00:38:08,411 --> 00:38:12,707
TEGNER: I've heard stories
about how climate change is
affecting people's lives here.
404
00:38:17,129 --> 00:38:22,550
But these things have become
more profound since I have
witnesses on the trip.
405
00:38:26,596 --> 00:38:31,309
You can see very clear
examples of climate change
in the glaciers.
406
00:38:33,561 --> 00:38:36,648
There is a lot of ice melting.
407
00:38:36,689 --> 00:38:39,192
Millions and millions of
square kilometers.
408
00:39:01,464 --> 00:39:04,884
Some places there are less
animals like caribou.
409
00:39:08,638 --> 00:39:11,266
There were hundreds of
thousands on Baffin Island,
410
00:39:11,308 --> 00:39:12,976
now there are just
a couple of thousand.
411
00:39:20,192 --> 00:39:23,736
Also polar bears get affected
by climate change
412
00:39:23,778 --> 00:39:26,405
their, their way of
seeking their food.
413
00:39:58,479 --> 00:40:01,691
Most people you meet here
they sort of accept,
414
00:40:01,733 --> 00:40:05,111
what can you do about it,
that's the way it is.
415
00:40:07,906 --> 00:40:11,159
Local people have a tradition.
A culture.
416
00:40:11,201 --> 00:40:15,454
Thousands of years back that
they have learned to deal with
417
00:40:15,496 --> 00:40:20,168
uh, natural problems that
occur, coming their way.
418
00:40:20,210 --> 00:40:24,463
Nature behaves that way,
suddenly it changes
419
00:40:24,505 --> 00:40:30,136
and maybe take longer time
for some things to change
420
00:40:30,178 --> 00:40:34,266
but now it's the climate
change and the temperature
is rising. It's...
421
00:40:36,184 --> 00:40:40,939
If you live in the nature,
you have to adapt.
422
00:40:40,980 --> 00:40:42,481
That's the way to survive.
423
00:40:47,612 --> 00:40:49,822
PINSENT: Climate change
is not just a story.
424
00:40:52,617 --> 00:40:55,412
It's a journey, through
uncharted seas,
425
00:40:59,207 --> 00:41:03,461
with nothing to guide
us except what we learn
by sailing them.
426
00:41:40,957 --> 00:41:42,541
TEGNER: It's like when
you go on a vacation
427
00:41:44,543 --> 00:41:50,342
and you think you can
conserve this feeling
and take it with you home.
428
00:41:50,383 --> 00:41:55,180
And after you have to
return home things turn
out a little bit different.
429
00:41:56,973 --> 00:42:00,477
The things you have
experienced they
sort of fade out.
430
00:42:00,518 --> 00:42:01,602
Usually it does.
431
00:42:17,369 --> 00:42:20,288
I think and I hope,
432
00:42:20,330 --> 00:42:23,541
that the feeling will remain.
433
00:42:29,381 --> 00:42:32,008
And I think it has
humbled me a lot.
36913
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