The Antarctica Challenge: A Global Warning

Filmmaker Mark Terry headed to Antarctica to report on research being conducted during the International Polar Year (which lasted from March 2007 to March 2009 to accommodate both polar regions) for this PBS-aired documentary, which interweaves scholarly interviews with stunning cinematography as it presents both distressing and hopeful information. Viewers learn that the remote continent is essentially a frozen desert, with a huge amount of freshwater locked in its glaciers, while surrounding seas support abundant life forms. But global warming has accelerated the ice melting process, which could eventually inundate Earth's low-lying coastlines, and has affected wildlife as well, with penguins observed on so-called “suicide marches” and seals being blinded by ultraviolet rays that stream through an expanding ozone hole. Ice-core samples and other gauges tell scientists how warming waters may be threatening the undersea food chain, which ranges from tiny krill to massive whales, while on land the rising temperatures mean new forms of vegetation are emerging, with consequences still unknown. On the positive side, some experts claim that the “suicide” penguins are actually trekking to stake out new territory, and signs suggest that the ozone hole is stabilizing or even shrinking. But are we too late to turn the tide on an ecological catastrophe? Past treaties banning weapons from Antarctica and limiting human occupation to small research stations signal a positive first step toward preserving this vital wilderness, but clearly now is the time for increased international action. DVD extras include a featurette on the challenges of filming in Antarctica. Recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)