All language subtitles for Years of Living Dangerously S01E09 1080p AMZN WEBRip DD2 0 x264-herkz_track3_[eng]

PREVIOUSLY ON "YEARS
OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY"...

WELCOME TO BANGLADESH!

THANK YOU.

BANGLADESH
IS THE SIZE OF IOWA.

SO THINK OF ALL OF THE U.S.
BEING PACKED INTO IOWA.

Hall: SO, YOU'VE SEEN
THIS CITY EXPAND?

Rahman: YES. EVERY DAY PEOPLE
ARE COMING FROM THE RURAL AREAS.

THIS WOULD BE CONSIDERED A GOOD
LIVING SPACE IN THIS CITY.

AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS
EXACERBATING ALL OF THIS.

THEY'RE FORCED
TO COME HERE?

OH, YES. WATER IS CREEPING
INTO PEOPLE'S HOMES.

HOW MUCH OF THIS
IS AFFECTED?

HI, MICHAEL. I'M CHAD.
HI, CHAD.

CHAD TILLEY,
A FORMER U.S. AIR FORCE PILOT,

HAS BEEN FLYING RELIEF MISSIONS
IN BANGLADESH

FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS.

HAVE YOU FLOWN IN A BUNCH
OF SMALL AIRPLANES BEFORE?

Hall: UH, YEAH, A FEW.

OKAY. HAVE YOU BEEN
IN A SEAPLANE BEFORE?

NO.

OKAY, COOL.
FIRST TIME.

I'VE SPENT THE LAST FEW DAYS
IN DHAKA,

BANGLADESH'S
OVERCROWDED CAPITAL,

WHERE THOUSANDS OF NEW MIGRANTS
ARE ARRIVING EVERY DAY.

NOW CHAD IS TAKING ME SOUTH
TO THE PART OF THE COUNTRY

WHERE MOST OF THESE MIGRANTS
COME FROM.

I WANT TO SEE WHAT'S MAKING THEM
COME TO DHAKA.

MICHAEL, IF YOU LOOK AT DHAKA,
IT'S KIND OF LIKE LEGOLAND.

IF YOU LOOK, YOU'LL SEE
JUST BUILDINGS EVERYWHERE.

THAT AREA OFF THE LEFT WING

IS THE MOST DENSELY POPULATED
SQUARE KILOMETER

ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH.

144,000 PEOPLE
PER SQUARE KILOMETER.

IT'S CRAZY HOW QUIET THE CITY
SEEMS FROM THE AIR,

AND BEFORE LONG,
WE'VE LEFT IT BEHIND COMPLETELY.

UNLIKE IN AMERICA,

WHERE WE HAVE A LOT OF ROCK
AND GRAVEL IN OUR SOIL,

HERE WE HAVE MUDDY,
KIND OF SOFT SAND.

THE WATER CAN DO WITH IT
AS IT PLEASE.

YOU SEE HOW
ALL THESE FIELDS

ARE REFLECTING BACK
NOT JUST THE RIVER?

ALL STILL WATER.

YOU SEE HOW ALL THIS AREA
IS STILL UNDERWATER.

I'VE HEARD PEOPLE CALL
BANGLADESH A LAND OF RIVERS,

BUT THAT DIDN'T PREPARE ME
FOR WHAT I'M SEEING.

THERE'S WATER EVERYWHERE.

IN YOUR EXPERIENCE,

IS IT RAINING MORE LATELY
OR MORE INTENSELY?

I'VE BEEN HERE
FOR EIGHT YEARS,

AND I FLY DOWN HERE
WEEKLY, DAILY,

AND THIS IS SOME
OF THE HIGHEST WATER LEVEL

THAT I'VE SEEN IN MY TIME.

RIGHT.

I BELIEVE
THAT I'M FLYING IN

IN THE MIDST
OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

RIGHT.

Friedman:
REPORTING ON CLIMATE CHANGE

HAS TAKEN ME ALL OVER THE WORLD,

BUT SOONER OR LATER, THE STORY
ALWAYS LEADS ME BACK HOME.

THE UNITED STATES HAS PUT

MORE GREENHOUSE GASES
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE

THAN ANY OTHER COUNTRY
IN HISTORY.

SO, WHAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY
TO THE REST OF THE PLANET?

IF THERE'S ONE PERSON WHO SHOULD
HAVE AN ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION,

IT'S THE PRESIDENT.

BARACK OBAMA'S RECORD
ON CLIMATE CHANGE IS MIXED.

HE'S MADE SOME IMPORTANT STEPS
FORWARD,

LIKE PLACING NEW RESTRICTIONS
ON COAL-FIRED POWER PLANTS,

AND HE'S SHARPLY INCREASED
FUEL-EFFICIENCY STANDARDS

FOR CARS AND TRUCKS.

BUT THE ISSUE CERTAINLY
HASN'T TAKEN CENTER STAGE

IN HIS PRESIDENCY.

HE'S ALSO BEEN LIMITED IN WHAT
HE CAN DO BECAUSE OF OPPOSITION

FROM REPUBLICANS AND COAL-
AND OIL-STATE DEMOCRATS.

GIVEN HOW SERIOUS THE THREAT IS,

IT'S HARD TO ARGUE
THAT AMERICA IS DOING ENOUGH.

I WONDER WHAT THE PRESIDENT
HIMSELF THINKS.

ALL RIGHT.

Man: SO,
WELCOME TO CHILE, MAN.

Sanjayan: THANK YOU.

[ BOTH LAUGH ]

Sanjayan: I'M A SENIOR SCIENTIST
FOR CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL.

MY EXPERTISE IS BIOLOGY,

SO CLIMATE CHANGE HAS NEVER BEEN
PART OF MY OWN RESEARCH.

BUT TODAY,
I'M JOINING AN EXPEDITION

WITH GLACIOLOGIST
DR. PAUL MAYEWSKI,

AND I'M ABOUT TO SEE

WHAT CUTTING-EDGE CLIMATE
SCIENCE LOOKS LIKE UP CLOSE.

HEY, PAUL.
Dr. Mayewski: SANJAYAN.

HOW ARE YOU?
WELCOME
TO THE CHILEAN ANDES.

GOOD TO SEE YOU.
GREAT TO SEE YOU.

WHERE ARE WE GOING?

WE'RE GONNA BE GOING
RIGHT UP THERE.

CAN I SEE IT FROM HERE?
NO, YOU CAN'T.

IT'S RIGHT
AROUND THE CORNER.

IT'S JUST
UNDER 20,000 FEET.

"RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER"
IS NOT QUITE...

[ LAUGHTER ]
THAT'S LIKE...

WE'RE GOING TO A GLACIER
AT THE TOP OF A VOLCANO

CALLED TUPUNGATITO.

PAUL SAYS IT'S ONE OF THE ONLY
PLACES IN THE WORLD

WE CAN FIND
WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR --

A PRISTINE RECORD OF EARTH'S
CLIMATE, FROZEN IN ICE.

THE ICE HAS BEEN
VERY, VERY COLD,

AND THE RECORD IN THE GLACIER
IS REALLY WELL-PRESERVED.

BUT YOU MIGHT HAVE TO DRAG ME
UP THERE A LITTLE BIT.

I BET YOU'LL DO JUST FINE.

ALL RIGHT.

I'M NOT SO SURE.

THE CLIMB WILL TAKE FIVE DAYS,

ENDING UP AT AN ELEVATION
OVER 19,000 FEET.

PAUL TELLS ME VERY FEW PEOPLE
HAVE EVER SET FOOT UP THERE,

AND EVEN OUR CHILEAN GUIDES SAY
IT'S A PUNISHING TRIP.

BUT WHAT'S EVEN SCARIER IS WHAT
PAUL THINKS HE MIGHT FIND --

EVIDENCE THAT OUR CLIMATE
COULD BE CHANGING

MUCH MORE DRAMATICALLY
THAN WE EVEN REALIZE.

Woman: THIS REPORT CONSTITUTES
AN ALARM-CLOCK MOMENT

FOR THE WORLD,

BECAUSE THIS REPORT
WILL TELL US, AGAIN,

THAT EVERYTHING WE THOUGHT
WE KNEW ON CLIMATE CHANGE

HAS ACTUALLY BEEN
UNDERESTIMATED,

THAT THE EFFECTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE WILL BE UPON US

FASTER AND IN A MORE INTENSE
FASHION THAN WE HAD THOUGHT.

President H.W. Bush: WE ALL KNOW
THAT HUMAN ACTIVITIES

ARE CHANGING THE ATMOSPHERE

IN UNEXPECTED
AND IN UNPRECEDENTED WAYS.

Man: ...THAT THE GREENHOUSE
EFFECT HAS BEEN DETECTED,

AND IT IS CHANGING
OUR CLIMATE NOW.

Man #2: THE ATMOSPHERE AND OCEAN
HAVE WARMED.

THE AMOUNT OF SNOW AND ICE
HAVE DIMINISHED.

SEA LEVEL HAS RISEN,

AND THE CONCENTRATIONS
OF GREENHOUSE GASES HAVE...

Schwarzenegger:
THERE IS NO MORE FIRE SEASON.

WE HAVE WILDFIRES
ALL YEAR 'ROUND.

Man #3: CLIMATE CHANGE,
EXTREME WEATHER...

...AND OUR
VULNERABILITY TO IT.

Man #4:
...WHERE 12 YEARS OF DROUGHT HAS
LEFT THE LANDSCAPE BONE-DRY.

Man #5: WE GOT ANY PATRIOTS
IN THE CROWD?!

Woman #2: A NEW SCIENTIFIC
REPORT HAS DETERMINED

THE LAST DECADE WAS THE WARMEST
ON RECORD.

Man #6:
OUR WORLD IS CHANGING FASTER

AND MORE DRAMATICALLY
THAN EVER BEFORE.

OKAY, GUYS, WE'RE GONNA COME IN
AND LAND IN THE WATER NOW.

PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR SEAT BELTS
ARE FASTENED.

THERE IT IS.

Hall:
YEAH, THAT'S NO DINGHY.

Hall: I'M FINALLY HERE
IN SOUTHERN BANGLADESH.

THERE'S SO MUCH WATER
IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY

THAT BOATS ARE THE MAIN WAY
TO GET AROUND.

AND FOR THE NEXT FEW DAYS,

I'LL BE LIVING ON ONE --
THE M.L. BALAWI.

I ASKED DR. ATIQ RAHMAN,

THE CLIMATE SCIENTIST
I MET EARLIER IN MY TRIP,

TO JOIN ME DOWN HERE.

Hall: YOU'RE AN EXPERT.

I AM ADMITTEDLY A NOVICE,
AND I'VE COME HERE...

NO, AND I'VE LEARNED A BIT,
BUT THE MORE I LEARN,

THE MORE I REALIZE
HOW MUCH THERE IS TO LEARN

AND HOW COMPLICATED
THE PROBLEM IS.

I WAS WONDERING
IF YOU COULD SHARE WITH ME

SOME OF YOUR THOUGHTS
ABOUT CLIMATE MIGRATION.

IT'S LIKE TAKING SOMEONE
FROM THEIR MOTHER.

BUT WHILE THESE PEOPLE
MAY NOT WANT TO LEAVE,

SOON, THEY MAY NOT HAVE
A CHOICE.

CYCLONES ARE GETTING
MORE INTENSE.

TWO RECENT ONES, SIDR AND AILA,

LEFT MORE THAN
A MILLION PEOPLE HOMELESS.

AND OTHER, MORE SUBTLE CHANGES
IN THE CLIMATE

CAN ALSO WREAK HAVOC HERE.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER THREAT
TO THE CROPS

THAT WE CAN'T EVEN SEE -- SALT.

IN 2009, CYCLONE AILA PUSHED
SALTWATER SO FAR INLAND

THAT FIVE YEARS LATER,
MUCH OF IT IS STILL THERE,

AND THE RISING SEA LEVEL
ONLY MAKES THIS WORSE.

ATIQ TELLS ME THAT AFTER
A LONG HISTORY OF FAMINE,

ONE OF HIS COUNTRY'S
GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS

IS THAT IT NOW GROWS ENOUGH FOOD

TO BE NEARLY 100%
SELF-SUFFICIENT.

BUT CLIMATE CHANGE RAISES
THE QUESTION, "FOR HOW LONG?"

WALKING THROUGH THIS MUD,

I AM BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND HOW
FRAGILE LIFE IS BECOMING HERE.

MICHAEL.

HI.

HI. MICHAEL.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

Hall: SEEING THESE REMNANTS
OF PEOPLE'S HOMES

MAKES IT HARD TO GRASP
WHY THEY TRY TO STAY,

ESPECIALLY BECAUSE ALL OF THIS
WILL EVENTUALLY BE UNDERWATER.

President Obama:
OUR FOUNDERS BELIEVED

THAT THOSE OF US
IN POSITIONS OF POWER

ARE ELECTED NOT JUST TO SERVE
AS CUSTODIANS OF THE PRESENT,

BUT AS CARETAKERS OF THE FUTURE.

SOMEDAY, OUR CHILDREN
AND OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN

WILL LOOK AT US IN THE EYE,

AND THEY'LL ASK US,
DID WE DO ALL THAT WE COULD

WHEN WE HAD THE CHANCE TO DEAL
WITH THIS PROBLEM

AND LEAVE THEM A CLEANER,
SAFER, MORE STABLE WORLD?

AND I WANT TO BE ABLE TO SAY,
"YES, WE DID."

IN YOUR JUNE 26th GEORGETOWN
SPEECH ON CLIMATE,

YOU CONCLUDED BY SAYING,

"SOMEDAY, OUR CHILDREN
AND OUR CHILDREN'S CHILDREN

"WILL LOOK AT US
IN THE EYE,

AND THEY'LL ASK US,
DID WE DO ALL THAT WE COULD?"

AND I WANT TO BE ABLE
TO SAY, 'YES, WE DID.'"

HOW ARE YOU DOING
WITH YOUR GIRLS?

YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY,

I THINK ABOUT WHAT
I'M LEAVING BEHIND FOR THEM.

THE TRUTH IS
WE'RE NOT YET DOING

ALL THAT WE NEED TO DO.

NOW, THE GOOD NEWS IS,
IS THAT AMERICA

ACTUALLY HAS MADE
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS

OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

WE'VE SEEN THE PRICE
OF THE SOLAR POWER

AND WIND POWER
DROP SIGNIFICANTLY.

THE RULES
THAT WE PUT FORWARD,

IN TERMS OF FUEL EFFICIENCY
ON CARS,

ARE GONNA TAKE HUGE AMOUNTS
OF CARBON DIOXIDE

OUT OF THE ATMOSPHERE,

AS WELL AS SAVING
AMERICAN TAXPAYERS

ABOUT $1.7 TRILLION

IN WHAT THEY OTHERWISE
WOULD HAVE SPENT ON GAS.

IF YOU TAKE THE U.N.'S
CLIMATE STUDY, BASICALLY,

IT SAYS THAT IF WE GO
BEYOND TWO DEGREES CENTIGRADE

IN GLOBAL AVERAGE
TEMPERATURES

SINCE
THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION,

WE'RE GONNA CROSS INTO

SOME REALLY DANGEROUS,
UNSTABLE TERRITORY --

ARCTIC MELTING,
MASSIVE SEA-LEVEL RISE,

DISRUPTIVE STORMS.

THE INTERNATIONAL
ENERGY AGENCY SAYS

IN ORDER TO STAY UNDER
THAT TWO-DEGREE RISE,

WE'RE REALLY GONNA
HAVE TO KEEP

MOST OF THE OIL, GAS,
AND COAL --

70% IS A ROUGH NUMBER
THEY USE -- IN THE GROUND.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

WELL, SCIENCE IS SCIENCE,
AND THERE IS NO DOUBT

THAT IF WE BURN
ALL THE FOSSIL FUEL

THAT'S IN THE GROUND
RIGHT NOW,

THAT THE PLANET'S
GONNA GET TOO HOT,

AND THE CONSEQUENCES
COULD BE DIRE.

SO, WE CAN'T BURN IT ALL?

WE'RE NOT GONNA BE ABLE
TO BURN IT ALL.

WHAT THAT MEANS IS

OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DECADES,

WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO
BASICALLY BUILD A RAMP

FROM HOW
WE CURRENTLY USE ENERGY

TO WHERE WE NEED
TO USE ENERGY.

WE'RE NOT GONNA TURN OFF
A SWITCH AND SUDDENLY,

WE'RE NO LONGER
USING FOSSIL FUELS.

BUT WE HAVE TO USE
THIS TIME WISELY.

I VERY MUCH BELIEVE

IN KEEPING THAT
TWO-CELSIUS TARGET AS A GOAL.

YOU HAVE MANY SUPPORTERS
IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNITY,

AND FOR GOOD REASON.

BUT ONE OF THE COMPLAINTS
WE HEAR

IS THAT THE PRESIDENT'S DONE
WONDERFUL THINGS ON COAL,

BUT THEN IN HIS STATE OF
THE UNION OR OTHER SPEECHES,

HE'LL TOUT HOW MUCH WE'RE
EXPLORING OFFSHORE OIL,

NATURAL GAS, COAL.

HOW DO YOU WRESTLE
WITH THAT?

WELL, HERE'S HOW
I THINK ABOUT IT.

WE'VE GOT TO MEET FOLKS
WHERE THEY ARE.

I DON'T ALWAYS LEAD
WITH THE CLIMATE-CHANGE ISSUE

BECAUSE IF YOU RIGHT NOW
ARE WORRIED ABOUT

WHETHER YOU GOT A JOB
OR YOU CAN PAY THE BILLS,

THE FIRST THING YOU WANT
TO HEAR IS,

"HOW DO I MEET
THE IMMEDIATE PROBLEM?"

ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS
IN POLITICS

IS GETTING A DEMOCRACY
TO DEAL WITH SOMETHING NOW

WHERE THE PAYOFF
IS LONG TERM

OR THE PRICE OF AN ACTION
IS DECADES AWAY.

Sanjayan: WE JUST SET OUT ON A
FIVE-DAY ASCENT OF TUPUNGATITO.

UNTIL WE GET TO THE TOP,

THIS TRIP IS LESS ABOUT SCIENCE
THAN ENDURANCE,

WHICH IS WHY WE ARE ALSO JOINED
BY A TEAM OF CHILEAN COWBOYS,

WHO WILL GUIDE US
ON THIS TREACHEROUS JOURNEY.

I AM DEFINITELY
OUT OF MY ELEMENT HERE,

AND IT'S A RELIEF WHEN
WE FINALLY STOP FOR A BREAK.

IT ALSO GIVES ME SOME TIME
TO ASK PAUL

WHY HE WANTS TO GO
ON THIS CRAZY TREK.

Dr. Mayewski:
VERY SPECIAL PLACE.

SPECTACULAR.

IF IT WASN'T THE FACT THAT
I WAS NOT ABLE TO BREATHE,

IT WOULD BE FANTASTIC.

THAT'S RIGHT.

OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES,

PAUL HAS BEEN COLLECTING
ICE-CORE SAMPLES

FROM AROUND THE WORLD

TO CREATE A RECORD
OF EARTH'S CLIMATE,

GOING BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

AND HE'S TURNED UP EVIDENCE
OF SOMETHING FRIGHTENING --

THAT CLIMATE CAN CHANGE FAR MORE
QUICKLY THAN WE EVER IMAGINED.

EVERYBODY BELIEVED,
INCLUDING ME,

THAT THE CLIMATE SYSTEM
OPERATED SLOWLY.

ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE SAW
THESE TREMENDOUS CHANGES,

MANY DEGREES FAHRENHEIT,

HAPPENING IN LESS
THAN 10 YEARS --

IN SOME CASES,
IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR --

AND STAYING AT THAT LEVEL
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

SO, ABRUPT CLIMATE CHANGE
WAS BORN,

AND WE REALIZED THE SYSTEM
CAN CHANGE QUICKLY.

WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

I MEAN, ARE WE TALKING
ABOUT DISASTER MOVING QUICKLY?

FOR SOME PARTS
OF THE PLANET, YEAH.

REALLY?!
DOESN'T THAT TERRIFY YOU?
OH, YEAH.

PAUL SAYS, IN THE PAST,
ABRUPT CLIMATE-CHANGE EVENTS

MAY HAVE BROUGHT DOWN
ENTIRE CIVILIZATIONS.

UNTIL AROUND 2200 B.C., THE
AKKADIAN EMPIRE OF MESOPOTAMIA

SPANNED WHAT IS NOW SYRIA,
IRAQ, AND SOUTHERN TURKEY.

BUT THEN AN ABRUPT SHIFT
IN RAINFALL PATTERNS

CAUSED A SEVERE DROUGHT,
AND THE EMPIRE COLLAPSED.

3,000 YEARS LATER,

THE SAME THING HAPPENED
IN CENTRAL AMERICA.

STRICKEN BY DROUGHT,
THE MAYAN CIVILIZATION

VIRTUALLY DISAPPEARED
AROUND 900 A.D.

AND 650 YEARS AGO IN GREENLAND,
AN ABRUPT CHANGE IN TEMPERATURES

PUT A SWIFT END
TO THE VIKING COLONIES

THAT HAD PROSPERED THERE
FOR CENTURIES.

THESE SUDDEN EVENTS, SAYS PAUL,

WERE TRIGGERED
BY NATURAL CYCLES --

SLOW CHANGES TO THE CLIMATE
OVER THOUSANDS OF YEARS

THAT EVENTUALLY REACHED
A TIPPING POINT.

NOW HE'S WORRIED
THAT GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS

COULD BE PUSHING OUR PLANET
TOWARDS ANOTHER TIPPING POINT,

BUT IN A FRACTION OF THE TIME
IT WOULD TAKE NATURALLY.

TO FIND OUT IF THAT'S HAPPENING,

PAUL NEEDS ICE SAMPLES
FROM THE TOP OF THAT MOUNTAIN.

[ WHISTLES ] OH!

THAT'S EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

IT'S INCREDIBLY ROUGH TERRAIN.

YOU KNOW,
WHEN YOU'RE ON THE HORSES,

YOU JUST HANG ONTO THEM IN THE
SADDLES, AND THEN YOU JUST PRAY.

THERE'S NO SENSE
OF CONTROLLING THESE HORSES.

YOU JUST HOLD ON,
DON'T LOOK DOWN,

AND THEN TRUST
THAT THEY'LL GET UP THERE.

IRONICALLY,
MAN-MADE CLIMATE CHANGE

IS ACTUALLY MAKING THE TREK
ITSELF MORE DIFFICULT.

A COUPLE OF DECADES AGO, THEY
COULD CLIMB TO JUST 16,000 FEET

AND FIND ICE THAT HAD BEEN
FROZEN FOR MILLENNIA.

NOW THAT'S ALL MELTED,

SO WE HAVE TO GO
ALMOST 4,000 FEET HIGHER,

AND SOON, THERE'S A REMINDER

OF JUST HOW DANGEROUS
THIS CLIMB IS.

Man: OH!

ONE OF THE COWBOYS HAS A BAD
FALL AND BREAKS HIS COLLARBONE,

BUT THE MOST TREACHEROUS TERRAIN
IS STILL AHEAD.

Hall: AS I MAKE MY WAY
THROUGH SOUTHERN BANGLADESH,

WHAT I'M SEEING
IS HARD TO TAKE IN --

HALF-SUBMERGED TREES,
HOUSES BUILT ON STILTS

TO KEEP THEM
ABOVE THE RISING WATER.

THERE'S SOMETHING APOCALYPTIC
AND OTHERWORLDLY ABOUT IT ALL.

I COME ACROSS
A FAMILY WHOSE HOME,

PERCHED ON THE EDGE
OF A RIVERBANK,

LITERALLY WASHED AWAY
IN THE NIGHT.

[ SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

NOW THEY ARE SEARCHING
FOR ANOTHER PLACE TO LIVE.

AND A FEW DAYS INTO MY TRIP,

I SEE ONE OF THE MOST SURREAL
THINGS I'VE EVER SEEN --

A FLOATING HOSPITAL.

HI, MICHAEL.
RUNA.

RUNA KHAN IS THE CO-FOUNDER
OF FRIENDSHIP,

AN ORGANIZATION THAT
PROVIDES HEALTH SERVICES

TO THE MOST INACCESSIBLE PLACES.

Khan:
LIVING HERE IS A CHALLENGE.

YOU KNOW THAT DISASTER
IS GOING TO STRIKE YOU.

SO, THEY WORK
TOWARDS THE MONTHS

IN WHICH THEY KNOW
THAT IT HAPPENS.
MM-HMM.

YOU KNOW, THEY KNOW
WHEN THE FLOOD'S COMING.

THEY KNOW WHEN THE SEASONS
OF THE STORMS,

SO THEY'RE PREPARED.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN IT COMES
WITHOUT THAT PREPARATION,

AND IT KEEPS COMING
AND KNOCKING YOU OUT EVERY TIME

YOU WANT TO STAND
ON YOUR FEET?

AND THAT'S WHAT'S HAPPENING.

WHAT DISEASES
AND HEALTH ISSUES

HAVE YOU SEEN INCREASE?

SKIN INFECTION,
DUE TO THE SALINITY

AND BEING IN THE WATER
ALL THE TIME,

DIARRHEAL DISEASE, A.R.I.,
RESPIRATORY-TRACT INFECTION,

GYNECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS.

LIKE, EVEN CHILDBIRTH
BECOMES SO DIFFICULT.

MORTALITY RATES OF THE MOTHER
AND THE CHILD INCREASES.

DUE TO THE CLIMATE CHANGE,

NOT ONLY IS THERE
A HEALTH ISSUE.

THERE IS
A LIVELIHOOD ISSUE.

AS I TOUR THE BOAT, I'M STRUCK

BY ALL THE UNFORESEEN IMPACTS
CLIMATE CHANGE CAN HAVE,

BUT I'M ALSO AMAZED BY HOW
RESILIENT THESE PEOPLE ARE,

HOW HARD THEY'RE TRYING
TO HANG ON TO THEIR LIVES HERE.

IT MAKES ME WONDER,
"HOW MUCH CAN PEOPLE ADAPT?"

IN ORDER TO STAY HERE, PEOPLE
WILL NEED A WAY TO GROW FOOD

EVEN AS SALTWATER CREEPS FURTHER
AND FURTHER INLAND.

IT'S ONE OF THE BIGGEST
CHALLENGES THEY FACE,

AND I HEARD ABOUT
AN AMERICAN EFFORT TO HELP.

HELLO, MICHAEL.

HELLO, MR. AMBASSADOR.
WELCOME.

LOOK AT THIS PALACE
AFLOAT.

YEAH.

AMERICAN AMBASSADOR DAN MOZENA

HAS SERVED IN THE U.S. FOREIGN
SERVICE FOR OVER 30 YEARS

IN COUNTRIES
FROM INDIA TO ANGOLA.

HE SAYS HE REQUESTED THIS POST
IN BANGLADESH

BECAUSE HE FELL IN LOVE
WITH THE COUNTRY

DURING A PREVIOUS
ASSIGNMENT HERE.

Mozena: WE'RE OFF
TO VISIT A RICE PADDY,

AND WE'RE GONNA SEE
SOME COMPARISONS

OF DIFFERENT RICE SEEDS.

WE'LL SEE
A TRADITIONAL VARIETY,

AND WE'LL SEE AN IMPROVED,
FLOOD-TOLERANT VARIETY.

DAN TELLS ME RICE MAKES UP
80% OF THE DIET HERE,

AND BANGLADESHIS TAKE PRIDE
IN THEIR RICE.

Mozena: THERE ARE OVER
500 VARIETIES OF RICE

IN BANGLADESH.

YOU KNOW, WE AMERICANS,

WE THINK OF WHITE RICE
AND BROWN RICE,

BUT THEY HAVE 500.

WHAT'S REALLY SPECIAL ABOUT
THE FLOOD-TOLERANT VARIETY

IS IT HAS THE SAME FLAVOR
OF RICE

AS THE TRADITIONAL VARIETY.

OTHERWISE,
PEOPLE WON'T EAT IT.

THEY WON'T GROW IT.
THEY HAVE TO HAVE THE TASTE.

I MUST SAY I'VE BECOME
A RICE SNOB, TOO.

I HAVE.

YOU CAN REALLY SEE HERE.
YOU SEE IT?

THIS IS THE IMPROVED VARIETY
THAT IS STRESS-TOLERANT,

AND THIS VARIETY WILL ENDURE --
AND LISTEN TO THIS --

BEING COMPLETELY SUBMERGED
FOR UP TO 15 DAYS,

WHEREAS THE OTHER ONE,
YOU KNOW,

AFTER THREE OR FOUR DAYS,
IT'S GONNA TAKE A REAL WALLOP.

THIS KIND OF WORK IS OBVIOUSLY
MAKING THIS LAND MORE USEABLE,

BUT ALL ESTIMATES SUGGEST
THAT WITHIN SEVERAL DECADES,

THIS PART OF BANGLADESH
WILL BE UNDERWATER.

IT'S SOBERING,
BUT AS I LOOK AHEAD,

I THINK PEOPLE CAN ADAPT.

YES, BUT I DO WONDER
IF ADAPTATION HAS ITS LIMITS

AND WE MAY ONE DAY
COME TO A PLACE

WHERE WE DISCOVER
THAT IT DOES.

I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT.

I CAN TELL THE AMBASSADOR IS
A NATURALLY OPTIMISTIC PERSON,

BUT HE ALSO APPRECIATES
HOW SERIOUS THIS THREAT IS.

Mozena:
THE RISING SEA LEVELS,

THE INCREASED
WEATHER EXTREMES --

OFTEN, THESE ARE
VERY THEORETICAL,

ABSTRACT NOTIONS.

THEY'RE NOT THEORETICAL
AND ABSTRACT HERE.

THESE ARE REAL,

AND WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW,
THIS IS THE FRONTIER.

NO TEXTBOOK HERE.
THIS IS JUST REALITY.

AND HE SAYS THE CONSEQUENCES

COULD REACH
FAR BEYOND BANGLADESH.

A FAILED BANGLADESH --

A BANGLADESH
THAT HAS NOT ADAPTED

TO THE IMPACT
OF CLIMATE CHANGE,

A BANGLADESH
THAT IMPLODES --

THAT'S A TREMENDOUS
SECURITY RISK

TO THE REGION AND TO US.

SOUTHEAST ASIA IS ALREADY
A POLITICALLY VOLATILE REGION.

TO UNDERSTAND HOW CLIMATE CHANGE
COULD CREATE EVEN MORE CONFLICT,

JUST LOOK AT A MAP.

IF THE ESTIMATES ARE RIGHT,
BY THE END OF THE CENTURY,

TENS OF MILLIONS OF BANGLADESHIS
WILL BE FORCED OUT OF THIS AREA.

IF THE COUNTRY IS UNABLE TO
PROVIDE ANOTHER PLACE FOR THEM,

THERE'S PRETTY MUCH ONE PLACE
THEY CAN GO.

AND INDIA
IS ALREADY MAKING IT CLEAR

THAT IT WILL GO TO GREAT LENGTHS
TO KEEP THEM OUT.

SO, EVERY MORNING, YOU GET
AN INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING --

YOUR NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR,
THE C.I.A. COMES OVER.

DO YOU ALSO GET
A REGULAR BRIEFING

FROM YOUR SCIENCE ADVISOR

ON THESE CLIMATE,
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES?

President Obama: I DO.

AT LEAST ONCE A DAY,
YOU'LL SEE SOMETHING

ON THE NATIONAL
SECURITY SIDE

OR DOMESTIC POLICY SIDE
THAT IS IMPACTED

IN SOME FASHION

BY THE POSSIBILITIES
OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

THE AREA WHERE
WE ARE MOST CONCERNED

IS HOW CLIMATE CHANGE
COULD END UP

HAVING PROFOUND NATIONAL
SECURITY IMPLICATIONS

IN POOR COUNTRIES.

WE'RE OBVIOUSLY CONCERNED
ABOUT DROUGHT IN CALIFORNIA

OR HURRICANES AND FLOODS
ALONG OUR COASTLINES.

ALL THOSE THINGS ARE
BREAD-AND-BUTTER ISSUES

THAT TOUCH
ON AMERICAN FAMILIES.

BUT WHEN YOU START SEEING

HOW THE SHIFTS
CAN DISPLACE PEOPLE,

ENTIRE COUNTRIES CAN BE
FINDING THEMSELVES

UNABLE TO FEED THEMSELVES,

AND THE POTENTIAL INCIDENTS
OF CONFLICT

THAT ARISES OUT OF THAT,
THAT GETS YOUR ATTENTION.

THERE'S A REASON WHY
THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE

AND THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF
IDENTIFIED CLIMATE CHANGE

AS ONE OF OUR MOST SIGNIFICANT
NATIONAL SECURITY PROBLEMS.

IT'S NOT JUST THE ACTUAL
DISASTERS THAT MIGHT ARISE.

IT IS THE ACCUMULATING
STRESSES

THAT ARE PLACED ON A LOT
OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

AND THE POSSIBILITY OF WAR,
CONFLICT, REFUGEES,

DISPLACEMENT THAT ARISE
FROM CHANGING CLIMATE.

YOU KNOW, I DID,

FOR THE "YEARS OF LIVING
DANGEROUSLY" SERIES,

I DID THE SYRIA --

DROUGHT AND ITS IMPACT
ON THE REVOLUTION THERE.

AND THE MOST SCARY CONCLUSION
I DREW FROM THAT

IS SYRIA COULDN'T MANAGE
A FOUR-YEAR DROUGHT

WHEN THEY HAD A GOVERNMENT.

WHICH GIVES YOU SOME SENSE
OF WHAT HAPPENS

IN A LOT
OF THESE COUNTRIES

THAT ARE JUST BARELY
HANGING ON AS IT IS.

THEY DON'T HAVE A LOT
OF MARGIN FOR ERROR.

THAT HAS NATIONAL
SECURITY IMPLICATIONS.

WHEN PEOPLE ARE HUNGRY,
WHEN PEOPLE ARE DISPLACED,

WHEN THERE ARE A LOT
OF YOUNG PEOPLE,

PARTICULARLY YOUNG MEN,

WHO ARE DRIFTING WITHOUT
PROSPECTS FOR THE FUTURE,

THE FERTILITY OF THE SOIL
FOR TERRORISM

ENDS UP BEING SIGNIFICANT.

IT CAN HAVE
AN IMPACT ON US.

[ MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

Sanjayan:
WE'VE REACHED BASE CAMP,

AT AN ELEVATION OF 10,000 FEET.

WE'LL SPEND
THE NEXT FEW DAYS HERE,

LETTING OUR BODIES
GET USED TO THE ALTITUDE,

BEFORE WE PUSH THE REST
OF THE WAY TO THE SUMMIT.

EVERY DAY, PAUL CHECKS
OUR OXYGEN LEVELS.

IT REMINDS ME JUST HOW EXTREME
THIS JOURNEY IS,

BUT PAUL SEEMS TO GENUINELY
ENJOY ALL OF THIS.

HE'S SORT OF LIKE
A REAL-LIFE INDIANA JONES.

Sanjayan: YOU KNOW,
PEOPLE THINK OF SCIENTISTS

AS PEOPLE WHO ARE, LIKE, STUCK
IN LABS WITH LAB COATS

AND ALL OF THAT,

AND YOU GUYS DO SOME OF THAT,
BUT YOU ALSO DO THIS.

KEEPING YOURSELF ALIVE
WHILE DOING REALLY GOOD SCIENCE

IS PRETTY TRICKY.

YOU HAVE TO LEARN HOW
TO LIVE IN THESE ENVIRONMENTS,

AND THAT'S THE BIG DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE TYPES OF THINGS

THAT MANY OF US WHO WORK
IN THE FIELD DO,

AND OTHERS.

WE KNOW EXACTLY
WHERE THE DATA COMES FROM.

WE CAN DO 100 DIFFERENT
MEASUREMENTS

ON A SINGLE LITTLE SLAB OF ICE,
AND FROM THAT,

WE CAN TELL
ALL SORTS OF THINGS --

TEMPERATURE, PRECIPITATION,
STORM PATTERNS,

WHERE THE STORM CAME FROM,
INDUSTRIAL POLLUTANTS,

FOREST FIRES,
VOLCANOES.

ON AND ON AND ON.

HOW FAR BACK IN TIME
CAN YOU GO?

UM...

WITH CONFIDENCE.

YEAR BY YEAR WITH QUITE
REASONABLE CONFIDENCE,

WE CAN GO BACK
110,000 YEARS.

JESUS.

USING AN ICE CORE THAT WAS
ABOUT 10,000 FEET THICK

THAT WE DRILLED
IN GREENLAND.

IF YOU GET AN ICE CORE
FROM THE CORRECT PLACE,

YOU CAN SOLVE PROBLEMS.

WE WERE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE
THAT CHANGES IN ACID RAIN --

INCREASES -- WERE LARGELY DUE
TO HUMAN ACTIVITY,

AND THE REALLY EXCITING THING
WE WERE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE

IS THAT AS SOON AS
THE LEGISLATION CAME IN,

THE CLEAN AIR ACT,

WHICH REDUCED A LOT
OF THOSE EMISSIONS,

YOU SEE THE LEVELS
GOING DOWN.

SO, ICE CORES DON'T LIE.

AND THERE'S SOMETHING SPECIAL
ABOUT THE ICE AT TUPUNGATITO.

PAUL SAYS THIS SPOT
SITS AT THE OUTER EDGE

OF ONE OF THE BIGGEST

AND MOST IMPORTANT WIND CURRENTS
ON THE PLANET.

THE ICE CAN TELL US
IF THAT CURRENT IS SHIFTING,

WHICH COULD BE THE BEGINNING OF
AN ABRUPT CLIMATE-CHANGE EVENT.

AND IT SEEMS LIKE SOMETHING
HAS BEEN CHANGING AROUND HERE,

AT LEAST ACCORDING
TO OUR CHILEAN GUIDES.

ALL THESE CHANGES
HAVE FORCED THEM

TO FIND OTHER WAYS
TO MAKE A LIVING,

LIKE GUIDING US
UP THIS MOUNTAIN.

AND TOMORROW, WE'RE GONNA
NEED THEM MORE THAN EVER

AS WE MAKE THAT FINAL PUSH
TO THE SUMMIT.

I'M FEELING A LITTLE NERVOUS.
WE'RE AT 10,000 FEET NOW.

WE'RE GOING UP ANOTHER
9,000 FEET IN A SINGLE DAY.

Hall:
I'M WITH MORSHED ALI KHAN,

THE BANGLADESHI JOURNALIST
I MET BACK IN DHAKA.

HE WANTS TO SHOW ME
HOW DANGEROUS

THE LIFE OF A CLIMATE MIGRANT
CAN BE.

OH, INDIA
IS YOUR BIGGEST NEIGHBOR,

AND PEOPLE FIND IT EASIER
TO GO INTO INDIA

THAN TO DHAKA.

AND, YES,
THERE IS A THREAT.

LOTS OF PEOPLE CROSS
THIS BORDER, MICHAEL,

AND MANY OF THEM ILLEGALLY.

MANY MEN, WOMEN,
CHILDREN GET SHOT DEAD

BY THE BORDER SECURITY
FORCE OF INDIA.

WOW.

WE CAN GO THIS WAY.

THAT'S INDIA.

SO, BEYOND THIS POLE HERE
IS NO-MAN'S-LAND?

YES, I THINK SO.

WE CAN ALWAYS ASK
HOW FAR WE CAN GO.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

WE ARE ALLOWED TO GO.

MORSHED TELLS ME
THIS IS CONSIDERED

ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS
BORDERS IN THE WORLD.

I'M NOT SURE
HOW FAR I WANT TO GO.

OH, MANY OF THESE HOUSES

ARE USED AS, YOU KNOW,
FIRST STOPOVER

FOR THE ASPIRING MIGRANT.
MM-HMM.

SO, THEY SPEND
THE NIGHT HERE.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,
THEY'RE JUST SMUGGLED ACROSS.

ALREADY, MILLIONS
OF BANGLADESHIS HAVE FLED

ACROSS THE BORDER TO INDIA

AND ARE LIVING AND WORKING THERE
ILLEGALLY,

LEADING INDIA
TO GET VERY SERIOUS

ABOUT STOPPING ANY MORE
FROM CROSSING.

LET'S WALK A LITTLE FASTER,
MICHAEL.

CAN WE?
SURE.

YEAH. UP TO THE FENCE,
AND THEN WE GET BACK.

IT'S NOT A VERY SAFE PLACE,
YOU KNOW?

MORSHED SAYS
THE INDIAN SECURITY FORCES

HAVE KILLED
NEARLY 1,000 BANGLADESHIS.

OUR THREAT IS FROM
THE INDIAN SIDE OF THE BORDER.

IF THEY FIND THAT SOMEBODY'S
TRYING TO INTRUDE,

THEY'LL SHOOT AND THEN TALK,
IF HE'S ALIVE.

UNTIL A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO,

THEY MAINTAINED
A SHOOT-ON-SIGHT POLICY

FOR ANYONE TRYING TO CROSS
WITHOUT PERMISSION.

SO, JUST ACROSS THERE,
YOU CAN SEE THE FENCE.

HAVE A BETTER LOOK --
VIEW OF THE FENCE.

JUST THERE.

YEAH,
THAT'S A LONG WALK.

VERY EXPOSED.

DO YOU THINK ANY MEMBERS
OF THE INDIAN BORDER POLICE

CAN SEE US FROM HERE?

YEAH.

HELLO.
[ LAUGHS ]

[ IMITATES GUNSHOTS ]

GOOD ONE.

ALL RIGHT,
LET'S GET OUT OF HERE.

YEAH.

I'VE NEVER BEEN
TO SUCH AN EERIE PLACE,

AND I WONDER
WHAT WILL HAPPEN HERE

WHEN MILLIONS OF BANGLADESHI
HOMES ARE UNDERWATER.

I DON'T KNOW IF THAT FENCE

WOULD DETER PEOPLE FROM TRYING
TO GO ACROSS, YOU KNOW.

I DON'T THINK SO.
THEY'RE DESPERATE.

YEAH.

TWO AND A HALF YEARS
TO GO.

IF THERE'S ONE THING YOU COULD
DO TO ADVANCE THIS ISSUE,

WHAT WOULD YOU
LIKE IT TO BE?

THE WAY WE'VE SOLVED
PREVIOUS POLLUTION PROBLEMS,

LIKE ACID RAIN,
WAS WE SAID,

"WE'RE GONNA CHARGE YOU

"IF YOU'RE RELEASING THIS STUFF
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.

"WE'RE GONNA LET YOU
FIGURE IT OUT,

"BUT WE'RE GONNA TELL YOU

"YOU CAN'T JUST KEEP ON
DUMPING IT OUT IN THE ATMOSPHERE

AND MAKING EVERYBODY ELSE
PAY FOR IT."

SO, IF THERE'S ONE THING
THAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE,

IT'D BE FOR US TO BE ABLE
TO PRICE

THE COST
OF CARBON EMISSIONS.

WE'VE OBVIOUSLY
SEEN RESISTANCE

FROM THE REPUBLICAN SIDE
OF THE AISLE ON THAT,

AND IN FAIRNESS,
THERE ARE SOME DEMOCRATS

WHO'VE BEEN CONCERNED
ABOUT IT, AS WELL,

BECAUSE REGIONALLY,
THEY'RE VERY RELIANT

ON HEAVY INDUSTRY
AND OLD POWER PLANTS,

AND THEY'RE WORRIED ABOUT

A SIGNIFICANT CHANGE
ON THAT FRONT.

WHEN YOU'RE DEALING
WITH A LOT OF THOSE PEOPLE

IN THE HOUSE
REPUBLICAN CAUCUS,

CLIMATE SKEPTIC AT BEST,
DENIER AT WORST,

DO YOU EVER,
ONCE IN A WHILE,

YOU JUST WANT TO GO OFF
ON THEM?

I MEAN, GO OFF
LIKE A ROMAN CANDLE.

I WOULD SAY, "WHAT IS IT
WITH YOU PEOPLE?"

YOU KNOW, I MEAN,
YOU KNOW, YOUR KID IS SICK.

YOU CONSULT
A HUNDRED DOCTORS.

97 OF THEM TELL YOU
TO DO THIS.

THREE TELL YOU TO DO THAT,

AND YOU WANT TO GO
WITH THE THREE.

THAT'S NOT CONSERVATIVE.

I MEAN, DO YOU EVERY ONCE
IN A WHILE JUST WANT TO...

[ IMITATES
BRAKES SCREECHING ]

UH, YEAH.
ABSOLUTELY.

GOOD.
I'M GLAD TO HEAR THAT.

LOOK, IT'S FRUSTRATING WHEN
THE SCIENCE IS IN FRONT OF US,

AND WE CAN ARGUE ABOUT HOW,

BUT LET'S NOT ARGUE
ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

THE SCIENCE IS COMPELLING.

THE BASELINE FACT
OF CLIMATE CHANGE

IS NOT SOMETHING THAT
WE CAN AFFORD TO DENY,

AND IF YOU PROFESS LEADERSHIP
IN THIS COUNTRY

AT THIS MOMENT
IN OUR HISTORY,

THEN YOU'VE GOT TO RECOGNIZE
THAT THIS IS GONNA BE

ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
LONG-TERM CHALLENGES,

IF NOT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT
LONG-TERM CHALLENGE

THAT THIS COUNTRY FACES
AND THE PLANET FACES.

THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT
THE PUBLIC MAY GET OUT AHEAD

OF SOME
OF THESE POLITICIANS,

AND I THINK THAT
AS THE PUBLIC STARTS SEEING

GREATER FREQUENCY
OF EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS,

AS THEY START SEEING

THAT WHAT USED TO BE
HUNDRED-YEAR STORMS,

SEEM TO BE HAPPENING
EVERY YEAR OR TWO,

AND YOU START SEEING
THE ECONOMICS OF INACTION,

THEN PEOPLE START THINKING,
"YOU KNOW WHAT?

"WE'RE GONNA REWARD
POLITICIANS

"WHO TALK TO US HONESTLY
AND SERIOUSLY

ABOUT THIS PROBLEM."

Sanjayan: THE FINAL ASCENT
IS SHEER MADNESS.

WE CREEP ALONG A NARROW RIDGE

WITH STEEP,
1,000-FOOT DROPS ON EITHER SIDE.

A SINGLE FALSE STEP HERE,
AND SOMEONE COULD ACTUALLY DIE.

Sanjayan:
YOU REMEMBER THAT SCENE

IN "RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK"

WHERE HE'S RUNNING
OUT OF THE CAVE,

AND THE BIG BALL IS ROLLING
BEHIND HIM?

I FELT THAT MUCH PERIL
COMING UP HERE.

THIS IS WHY PEOPLE
STUDY CORAL REEFS.

THIS IS WHY PEOPLE STUDY
CORAL REEFS.

GOOD POINT.

AFTER FIVE GRUELING DAYS,
THIS TREK HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL.

TWO MEMBERS OF OUR TEAM
WERE INJURED.

TWO MORE BECAME SO SICK
THEY COULDN'T CONTINUE.

BUT WE'VE FINALLY MADE IT,
JUST BARELY.

[ BREATHING HEAVILY ]

AT THIS ALTITUDE,
THERE'S SO LITTLE OXYGEN

THAT I'M FINDING IT HARD
TO THINK STRAIGHT.

OH, MY GOD.

BUT FOR PAUL, THIS IS
WHEN THE REAL WORK BEGINS.

OKAY, GINO, ARE YOU READY?

Gino: READY.

FIRE AWAY.

WOW.
THAT GOES DOWN LIKE BUTTER.

SURE DOES.

OKAY, THANKS, GINO.

HOLD ONTO IT TIGHT.

THEY'VE GOT CLEAN GLOVES ON,
SO IT'S NOT CONTAMINATED.

OH, YEAH. OKAY.

ALL RIGHT, NOW WHAT?

AND THEN ALL OVER THIS GLACIER
WILL BE...

BIGGER AND BIGGER CORES.

BIGGER AND BIGGER SECTIONS.

I'LL GO
TO TRANSFERRING PROCESS.

CAN I GET NEAR YOU?

YEAH, SURE.
A LITTLE BIT CLOSER. YEAH.

WE ARE GOING TO SCRAPE JUST
TO HAVE A CLEAN SECTION.

YEAH.

JUST SHAVING OFF THAT ICE.

THE OUTER AREA
MIGHT BE CONTAMINATED

FROM THE DRILL ITSELF,

SO WE TRY TO REMOVE
THE OUTER PORTION.

AND I'M STAYING DOWNWIND
OF YOU AT ALL TIMES

SO THAT I DON'T GET IT
CONTAMINATED.

IS THAT IT?
YEAH.

THAT'S WHY YOU GUYS
ARE DRESSED UP LIKE...

THAT'S WHY WE DRESS UP.
...SPACEMEN.

Dr. Mayewski:
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA,

IF YOU TOUCH THAT
WITH YOUR BARE HAND,

THERE'S ENOUGH SWEAT
IN YOUR BARE HAND

TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE
A BIG OCEAN STORM,

SEA SALT COMING
FROM THE OCEAN,

SO WE HAVE TO BE
VERY, VERY CAREFUL.

JUST GONNA POP IT OUT.

Sanjayan: THAT'S SAFE NOW?
I CAN HOLD IT?

IT'S SAFE. YEAH.

Sanjayan: I AM HOLDING
A LITTLE BIT OF THE PAST.

Dr. Mayewski: THAT'S IT.
WE'VE GOT WHAT WE NEEDED.

AND WHEN WE GET BACK
TO PAUL'S LAB,

WE'LL FIND OUT WHAT THAT PIECE
OF ICE HAS TO SAY.

Hall: I'M HEADING TO A DISTRICT
CALLED SATKHIRA,

A FEW MILES AWAY
FROM THE INDIAN BORDER,

TO SEE SHAHIDUL, THE CLIMATE
MIGRANT I MET BACK IN DHAKA.

AFTER TWO CYCLONES
DEVASTATED HIS HOME,

SHAHIDUL MOVED TO DHAKA
AND ALMOST LOST HIS LIFE

WHEN THE BUILDING
WHERE HE WORKED COLLAPSED.

HELLO, SHAHIDUL.

THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR MEETING US HERE.

HI.
[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

HE SAYS HE'S VERY HAPPY
TO SEE YOU,

AND HIS HOUSE IS FIVE KILOMETERS
AWAY FROM HERE,

OKAY.
SO HE'S INVITING YOU TO GO
WITH HIM TO HIS HOUSE.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

THIS WAY?

OKAY.

SIT DOWN.

OH, IT'S NICE.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

Ali Khan: AFTER THE DISASTER,
I NEVER THOUGHT

THAT I WOULD BE ABLE
TO COME BACK HOME.

CAN I ASK, HOW DID YOU FEEL

WHEN YOU HEARD THAT SHAHIDUL
WAS HEADING TO DHAKA TO WORK?

SHE SAYS THEY DIDN'T WANT HIM
TO GO ANYWHERE,

BUT SHAHIDUL'S FATHER DIDN'T
EARN ENOUGH TO RUN THE FAMILY,

SO HE HAD TO HELP.

[ SPEAKING
NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

HE SAYS THAT AILA
DEVASTATED HIS HOUSE.

WHERE WAS YOUR HOUSE
BEFORE AILA?

JUST HERE.

WOULD YOU BE WILLING
TO SHOW US THE SITE

WHERE THE HOUSE
ONCE STOOD?

[ CONVERSING
IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

LET'S GO.

THIS IS WHERE
HIS OLD HOUSE WAS.

AILA DESTROYED IT, AND THEN
HE SHIFTED ACROSS THE ROAD.

YOU ONLY MOVED
RIGHT ACROSS THE ROAD.

YOU DIDN'T GO ANY FURTHER.
WHY?

HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY LAND
ELSEWHERE,

SO THIS IS THE LAND
HE FOUND SUITABLE.

I IMAGINE THE EXPERIENCE
OF AILA WAS VERY SCARY.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE?
WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

EVERYTHING WAS SWEPT AWAY
BY THE HIGH TIDE, YOU KNOW.

I PREFERRED
TO SAVE MY CHILDREN,

RATHER THAN MY BELONGINGS.

OF COURSE.

DO YOU FEAR OR EVEN EXPECT

THAT A STORM LIKE AILA
WILL COME AGAIN?

RIGHT.

RIGHT.

Friedman:
WE PUT A LOT ON YOU.

YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT,
OBVIOUSLY.

AS MICHELLE REMINDED ME,
I VOLUNTEERED FOR THIS JOB.

BUT IT DOES SEEM TO ME

THAT YOU COULD USE
YOUR BULLY PULPIT,

IF NOTHING ELSE,

TO REALLY SHIFT PUBLIC OPINION
ON THIS ISSUE,

SO, FOR THE NEXT PRESIDENT...
RIGHT.

'CAUSE IN SOME WAYS,
MR. PRESIDENT,

IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE WAITING
FOR THE PERFECT STORM --

A STORM BIG ENOUGH
TO END THE DEBATE

BUT NOT SO BIG
AS TO END THE WORLD,

AND THAT'S REALLY
WHAT I WORRY ABOUT.

DO YOU SEE THAT POTENTIAL,
AT LEAST?

I WOULD SAY THIS.

THE WAY TO SHIFT
PUBLIC OPINION

IS NOT SIMPLY
A TOP-DOWN STRATEGY.

IT'S GOT TO BE
A BOTTOM-UP STRATEGY

SO THAT PEOPLE CAN SEE,
"WHAT KIND OF IMPACT

"IS CLIMATE CHANGE POTENTIALLY
HAVING ON MY COMMUNITY?

"IS IT GONNA AFFECT
MY PROPERTY VALUES

"BECAUSE SUDDENLY
I'M IN A FLOOD ZONE,

"WHERE I WASN'T
10 YEARS AGO?

"IS IT GONNA HAVE AN IMPACT
IN TERMS OF MY FARM?

"BECAUSE I NOTICE
THAT THE WATER THAT I RELY ON

IS LESS REGULAR."

THE POINT IS THAT PEOPLE
LIVE IN THE HERE AND THE NOW,

AND THE MORE WE CAN MAKE
THE CLIMATE ISSUE

SOMETHING THAT IS
HERE AND NOW,

THAT'S HOW PUBLIC OPINION'S
GONNA SHIFT.

WE INTERVIEWED SECRETARY KERRY,
AND ONE OF THE POINTS HE MADE

IS THAT
WE WOULD REALLY BENEFIT

IF THERE WERE
A MASS MOVEMENT.

THE GOOD NEWS IS
THE NEXT GENERATION, I THINK,

IS MUCH MORE MINDFUL
OF THIS.

THEY WORRY ABOUT IT.
THEY CARE ABOUT IT.

THE THING THAT WE HAVE
TO FIGHT IS THE CYNICISM

THAT THEY MAY FEEL

ABOUT GOVERNMENT BEING ABLE
TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

THAT MAY BE
THE GREATEST THREAT

TO DEALING
WITH THIS PROBLEM.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
I CONSTANTLY TELL MY TEAM --

BECAUSE, LOOK, WHEN
YOU'RE WORKING IN WASHINGTON,

SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
ROLLING A BOULDER UP A HILL,

AND NOWHERE
DO YOU FEEL THAT MORE

THAN ON SOMETHING
LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE --

THAT THE MOST
IMPORTANT THING

IS TO GUARD
AGAINST CYNICISM.

I WANT TO MAKE SURE

THAT EVERYBODY WHO'S BEEN
WATCHING THIS PROGRAM

OR LISTENING TO THIS INTERVIEW
DOESN'T START CONCLUDING THAT,

"WELL, WE'RE ALL DOOMED.

THERE'S NOTHING
WE CAN DO ABOUT IT."

THERE'S A LOT
WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.

IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN
AS FAST OR AS SMOOTHLY

OR AS ELEGANTLY
AS WE'D LIKE,

BUT IF WE ARE PERSISTENT,
WE WILL MAKE PROGRESS.

THAT'S BEEN THE HISTORY
OF THIS COUNTRY,

AND GENERALLY,
THE TRAJECTORY OF THE WORLD

HAS BEEN WHEN PUSH COMES
TO SHOVE, WE RESPOND.

Sanjayan: I'M ON MY WAY
TO PAUL MAYEWSKI'S LAB

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE.

LAST TIME WE SAW EACH OTHER,

WE'D JUST COME DOWN
FROM THE SUMMIT OF TUPUNGATITO.

NOW I WANT TO KNOW

WHAT HE'S FINDING
IN THOSE SAMPLES WE TOOK.

[ Laughing ] HEY!

HEY!
HOW ARE YOU?

HOW ARE YOU?

GOOD TO SEE YOU.
GOOD TO SEE YOU.

HEY, HOW ARE YOU?
I'M DOING WELL.

YOU LOOK GREAT.
SO DO YOU.

BUT IT TURNS OUT MY TIME
IN THE FREEZING COLD ISN'T OVER.

ALL SET?

YEAH.
HERE WE GO.

-20. AFTER YOU.
ALL RIGHT.

SO, THIS IS
A PIECE OF THE ICE

THAT WE BROUGHT BACK FROM
TUPUNGATITO, IF YOU REMEMBER.

WOW.
YEP.

THAT LOOKS EXACTLY
LIKE THAT ICE.

NO, I'M JUST KIDDING.
I HAVE NO IDEA.

I MEAN, IT LOOKS...
THAT'S FROM TUPUNGATITO?

YEP. YEP, IT IS.

NOW YOU'RE GONNA SEE
SOMETHING REALLY AMAZING.

YOU'RE GONNA SEE THE HIGHEST
RESOLUTION RESULTS

THAT HAVE EVER COME
FROM AN ICE CORE.

SO, HERE WE ARE
AT THE LASER SYSTEM.

RIGHT.

OUR PIECE OF ICE
FROM TUPUNGATITO

IS NOW SITTING
INSIDE THIS COLD CELL.

IN THE FIRST DAY
WE USED THIS INSTRUMENT,

WE COLLECTED MORE DATA POINTS
THAN I COLLECTED IN THE 40 YEARS

THAT I'VE BEEN LOOKING
AT ICE CORES

AND SAMPLING ICE CORES
IN ONE DAY.

IT'S MIND-BLOWING,
BECAUSE --

IN ONE DAY, MORE THAN
WHAT YOU'D DONE IN 40 YEARS?
YES.

THAT THING LOOKS LIKE A WORM.
IT'S THE LASER.

THAT'S THE EDGE
OF AN ICE CRYSTAL.

YOU SEE THOSE THINGS?
IT'S CUTTING ITS WAY THROUGH.

IN THERE, WE CAN TELL
LEVELS OF CALCIUM,

SODIUM, POTASSIUM,
SULFUR IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

IT'S BASICALLY
A CHEMISTRY LAB IN A BOX.

YES. YES.

AND EACH ONE OF THOSE
HAS A CLIMATE STORY TO TELL.

WOW.

IS THERE ANYTHING SURPRISING
THAT YOU LEARNED

FROM THE TUPUNGATITO SAMPLE
THAT WE BROUGHT BACK?

YES.
WHAT'S THE SHOCKER?

IT LOOKS AS IF IT'S A LOT
DUSTIER UP NEAR THE TOP,

AND THAT PROBABLY MEANS
THAT IT'S GETTING DRIER,

SO THE NEXT QUESTION IS,
"WHY IS IT GETTING DRIER?"

Sanjayan: PAUL TELLS ME

THE ANSWER LIES
WITH A SURPRISING CULPRIT.

THE WIND.

THE BIG THING
ABOUT THE WIND

IS THAT THE WIND IS
WHAT TRANSPORTS MOISTURE.

YOU KNOW
WHERE THE WINDS GO,

YOU KNOW
WHERE THE MOISTURE GOES.

I HAD NO IDEA
THE WIND WAS SO IMPORTANT.

PAUL TELLS ME GIANT WIND
PATTERNS ARE ACTUALLY

ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS
DRIVING OUR CLIMATE.

THEY'RE LIKE ATMOSPHERIC
SUPERHIGHWAYS

THAT MOVE WATER VAPOR
AROUND THE PLANET,

DETERMINING WHICH PLACES
GET RAIN AND WHICH DON'T.

SO, WHAT CHANGES
WHERE THE WINDS GO?

THAT HAS A LOT TO DO
WITH THE FACT

THAT THE POLAR LATITUDES
ARE COLD,

AND AS YOU GET CLOSER
TO THE EQUATOR,

OBVIOUSLY, IT GETS WARMER.

BUT THOSE TEMPERATURE
DIFFERENCES CAN CHANGE,

AND THEY CHANGE BECAUSE
OF GREENHOUSE GAS WARMING

AND BECAUSE OF OZONE DEPLETION
OVER ANTARCTICA.

SO, THE NET RESULT IS THAT
GREENHOUSE GAS WARMING --

THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING
TO THE ATMOSPHERE --

ARE ACTUALLY
BEGINNING TO MOVE

WHERE THE WINDS ARE
AND THE STRENGTH OF THE WINDS.

AND WE WANT IT TO GO
TO TUPUNGATITO,

WHICH IS RIGHT THERE,
BECAUSE YOU CAN SEE

IT'S AT THE VERY NORTHERN LIMIT
OF THE WESTERLY WINDS,

SO IT MAKES IT
A VERY SENSITIVE PLACE

FOR SEEING HOW FAR NORTH
THE WIND CAN GET.

THESE WINDS --
THE WESTERLY WINDS --

ARE MOVING CLOSER
AND CLOSER TO ANTARCTICA

THAN THEY HAVE BEEN PROBABLY
IN THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

AND THEY'RE ACTUALLY ALSO
SPEEDING UP AROUND ANTARCTICA.

AS THE WINDS MOVE SOUTH,

PLACES JUST TO THE NORTH
WILL GET LESS RAIN,

AND IT GOES FAR
BEYOND TUPUNGATITO.

PAUL SAYS PLACES ALL ACROSS
THE PLANET'S SOUTHERN LATITUDES

ARE LIKELY TO DRY OUT
JUST BECAUSE OF THIS ONE SHIFT.

EVEN MORE FRIGHTENING, THIS
SHIFT COULD BE A WARNING SIGN

FOR A MORE ABRUPT CHANGE
IN WIND PATTERNS STILL TO COME.

WE DISCOVERED
THAT A CLIMATE

CAN LITERALLY GO
FROM ONE STATE TO ANOTHER,

MANY DEGREES FAHRENHEIT SHIFT,
IN LESS THAN A YEAR OR TWO

AND STAY THERE FOR DECADES
TO HUNDREDS OF YEARS.

TODAY, WE'RE PUSHING THE SYSTEM
TO HIGHER CONCENTRATIONS

THAN ANYTHING IN THE LAST
MILLIONS YEARS --

AND DOING IT FAST.

...AND MANY TIMES,
MANY TIMES FASTER

THAN WE'VE EVER DONE IT
BEFORE.

PAUL REMINDS ME
THAT IN THE PAST,

CHANGES LIKE THIS HAVE
BROUGHT DOWN CIVILIZATIONS.

WHAT COULD THIS MEAN FOR US?

THANK YOU.

Hall: AT THE END OF MY TRIP,
I SHARE A MEAL WITH SHAHIDUL.

SOON, WE'RE BOTH
GOING BACK TO DHAKA,

BUT REALLY, WE'RE HEADING
IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.

I'M ON MY WAY HOME,
AND HE'S LEAVING HIS.

HE WAS ONLY ABLE TO VISIT
HIS FAMILY FOR A FEW DAYS.

IT'S HARD NOT TO THINK ABOUT
HOW DIFFERENT OUR LIVES ARE.

IT FEELS LIKE WE'RE IN TOTALLY
DIFFERENT WORLDS,

BUT I'VE SEEN HOW CONNECTED
THOSE WORLDS ACTUALLY ARE,

BECAUSE WHAT MY COUNTRY PUTS
INTO THE AIR

IS AFFECTING MORE
AND MORE PEOPLE LIKE HIM.

IT REMINDS ME
OF SOMETHING ATIQ SAID.

AND SOMEBODY HAS TO LEAD THE WAY
TOWARD A SOLUTION,

BECAUSE EVENTUALLY, CLIMATE
CHANGE WILL TOUCH US ALL.

Man: WHOA!

WE ARE READY, AREN'T WE?

HOW ABOUT THIS ONE?

* I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING
ALL OF MY DAYS *

* ALL OF MY DAYS

* MANY A ROAD, YOU KNOW

* I'VE BEEN WORKING ON

* ALL OF MY DAYS

* AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND

* WHAT'S BEEN IN MY MIND

* AS THE DAYS KEEP
TURNING INTO NIGHT *

Man: THE SPRINKLE OF RAIN
FALLS ON THE SOIL,

AND FROM THAT SOIL COMES LIFE.

* I HAVE BEEN QUIETLY
STANDING IN THE SHADE *

* ALL OF MY DAYS

[ THUNDER RUMBLING ]

* WATCH THE SKY BREAKING
ON THE PROMISE THAT WE MADE *

* ALL OF THIS RAIN

* AND I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIND

[ APPLAUSE ]

* WHAT'S BEEN IN MY MIND

I LOVE YOU. I'LL SEE YOU
THIS AFTERNOON, OKAY?

* AS THE DAYS
KEEP TURNING INTO NIGHT *

* SO I SMILE AND KNOW I'LL FEEL
THIS LONELINESS NO MORE *

* ALL OF MY DAYS

* FOR I LOOK AROUND ME

* AND IT SEEMS YOU'VE FOUND ME

* AND IT'S COMING INTO SIGHT

* AS THE DAYS KEEP TURNING...

[ ALL CHANTING ]

* AS THE DAYS
KEEP TURNING INTO NIGHT *

* AND EVEN BREATHING
FEELS ALL RIGHT *

* YES, EVEN BREATHING
FEELS ALL RIGHT *

* NOW, EVEN BREATHING
FEELS ALL RIGHT *

* YES, EVEN BREATHING

* FEELS ALL RIGHT