Global Warming - TV (2)

http://home.ebs.co.kr/jisike/title_group/title_index.jsp?gubun=title&gno=119

The second video clip that I found from the Internet was another episode of the television program ‘지식채널e’, which I found previously for the ‘polar bear’ video. The show talked about the Tavalu islands, and that they are in great danger because of the global warming. The Tavalu islands are a small island country that is suffering from the sea level that is increasing gradually every year. According to the video, the average temperature has increased 0.6 Celsius and that one out of nine of the Tavalu Island has already sunk in 1999. The video shows the suffering of the Tavalu residents by introducing one family that lives in the islands. The camera shows their lifestyle and their concerns of the natural disaster they are going through. However, even though the Tuvalu inhabitants are the first climate insurgents, the international law does not confirm ‘climate insurgents’ as actual insurgents. In a result, that they cannot get any official help from the UN. Even their neighbor country Australia refused the emigration of the Tuvalu people, and New Zealand is only admitting seventy-five people a year.

The show successes in arousing the viewer’s sympathy by continuously showing the sinking Tuvalu Island and how the people suffer from the climate. In addition, by providing information of the global warming gives, a direction of what is causing these problems and that human are responsible of the global warming. It also said that in sixty years most of the island countries will sink, which relates to a global audience and makes the audience sense reality. By showing the life of one family, who lives in the Tavalu Island, shows the prospectors how serious the issue is. Showing the family’s concerns and prayers, says that not only other countries like America, Australia, New Zealand, but also the whole universe should be a part of helping these peoples; ‘Don’t let people forget us; we cannot survive this by ourselves.’ Using the soundtrack ‘Over the rainbow’ and creating subtitles that relates to the family’s situation gives a hopeful atmosphere.
It also brings an effect of making the viewers feel sympathy against people. I think it had a great proportion of providing information and pointing out the problem.

Jennifer Shin