A climate scientist discusses Comet metaphors and global warming, and the director of Netflix's "Don't Look Up" (exclusive)

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Kate Marvel wants to see more climate change movies, such as Liam Neeson's "revenge" film and Congressional action.

Netflix's "Don't Look Up" creator recently spoke with a climate scientist on how the movie contributes to the global warming conversation.

Kate Marvel, an associate research scientist at Columbia University and NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, spoke with filmmaker Adam McKay exclusively for Space.com in a 24-minute audio interview made available exclusively to Space.com.

David Wallace-Wells' book "The Uninhabitable Earth" (Tim Duggan Books, 2019) by a U.S. climate change journalist describes possible consequences of global warmings, such as climate wars and severe economic collapses. McKay says he went into a state of "real terror" and couldn't sleep for three nights after reading the book.

According to an interview, McKay said, "I couldn't get over that, so I went on a sort of fact-finding journey just to talk to individuals." "I spoke with reporters and scientists about climate change and kept asking questions. Every response I received was even bleaker than I had anticipated."

Climate change is depicted in "Don't Look Up," using the metaphor of a looming comet to illustrate the public's, scientists, and policy-makers reactions.

Asteroid Chicxulub, which scientists believe wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, has been compared to climate change by McKay. "This [climate change] is the largest narrative in human history," he added.

McKay's view of climate change: "The urgency and threat are completely accurate," Marvel stated during their conversation.

According to this climate modeler, many of the projections of global warming made in the 1980s are "more or less spot-on" today. Temperatures have risen by 0.32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0.18 degrees Celsius every decade since 1981, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's climate dashboard in March 2021.

Human activity, such as industrial emissions or car exhaust, contributes to increased carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Using websites like Bloomberg Magazine's "Bloomberg Green," Marvel described the emissions as "absolutely horrific."

While watching "Don't Look Up," Marvel felt a sense of empathy for the astronomers warning humanity of the impending comet, especially Jennifer Lawrence's role (the Ph.D. candidate Kate Dibiasky; the deadly comet bears her name in the film.)

"My Ph.D. is in astrophysics, which I studied in college. As a result, I had a strong affinity for astronomers, "Marvel stated. As one observer said, "It was hard for me to watch a scientist try to present their discoveries and simply be bad at it because they have no media experience."

Marvel added, jokingly: "As a scientist named Kate trying to warn the world, I was hurt. The character of Kate, on the other hand, resonated with me since she had no choice in the matter. She's only here to look at some comets for fun. This young scientist is merely trying to do some research when she's suddenly forced into an unfamiliar realm. As a result, that was something I felt to the core of my being."

Marvel acknowledged that she had suffered personal attacks like Dibiasky in the film, but she attempts to avoid interacting with people who deny climate change.

According to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication's quarterly assessments of American public opinion, "the internet is full of irritable people who are saying bad things all the time." She stated that a survey found that only 7% of the population believes climate change is a hoax, and that portion is "much over-represented online."

According to Marvel, the public's understanding of climate change has been abysmal for a long time. "This polar bear is so cute. There is no saving this polar bear from certain demise. It's all your fault, and you should take responsibility for it." I think that doesn't resonate with people," Marvel said.

She asserted that the field of attribution science has grown in recent years, partly due to improved measurements and partly due to the overwhelming evidence of man-caused global warming. Taking this summer's warmth in the Pacific Northwest as an example: "That would have been practically unthinkable without climate change," she said.

However, she also stated that the scientific community realizes the necessity of outreach to "those who tell stories," social scientists, environmental justice campaigners, and other organizations. Explaining why this matters and helping people come up with answers are the two main things we need to do."

What can the average person do? Marvel advocates for a more active role in the political process to combat climate change. "Make an immediate phone call to members of Congress. Speak with your representatives in Congress. Do you want to see action taken to combat climate change? Tell them so. Tell them how much you care about this. "Also," she quipped, "it's incredibly cathartic to yell at senators — or their voicemail...."

"We need emissions to reduce by seven percent per year" to keep the planet from warming by the Paris Agreement's 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 degrees Celsius). She stated that "massive systemic restructuring" is needed because shutting down global activity is not viable.

According to Marvel's assessment, a lot of that work is already beginning, which is good news. "But there's a catch: it's not quick enough. Fortunately, we can speed things up even more. It's a problem that can be solved if you organize, yell, and demand political action—if you pay attention."

"I'm quite pro-laughter," Marvel said of the film's humorous tone. "It allows people to bond," she said. "A climate change romcom" and "a revenge movie where Liam Neeson punches a lot of fossil fuel execs" are some of her other ideas for future climate films from Hollywood.

Reference : https://www.livescience.com/netflix-dont-look-up-climate-scientist-metaphor

Image source : https://pixabay.com/id/illustrations/perubahan-iklim-pemanasan-global-2254711/

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