Yukon Research Centre, Arts Centre present evening of films on climate change

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Whitehorse – The Yukon Research Centre and the Yukon Arts Centre are presenting a double feature on climate change, with Canadian explorer and environmental filmmaker Mark Terry presenting two of his award-winning documentaries in an evening of exploration and discussion on the topic

The Antarctic Challenge: A Global Warning and Terry’s latest feature, The Polar Explorer, will be screened on Thursday, March 22 at the Yukon Arts Centre, starting at 7:00 p.m.Completed in 2011, The Polar Explorer was made in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme. It was the only film officially invited by the UN to screen to delegates and world leaders attending COP16, the Climate Change Conference in Cancun last December. His presentations resulted in a new resolution being added to the Kyoto Protocol (Enhanced Action on Adaptation, Section 2, Subsection 25).

The film reports on the latest scientific discoveries related to climate change at both polar regions. It features the only footage ever taken of the world’s biggest iceberg, the Petermann Ice Island, a chunk of ice five times the size of Manhattan that broke from the Petermann Glacier in Greenland creating a considerable threat to rising sea levels and pressure on oceanic fault lines.

The Antarctic Challenge: A Global Warning, a made-for-TV documentary in HD, explores the past, present and future of scientific exploration on the world’s most mysterious continent. It garnered much national and international acclaim, winning 11 awards at industry and environmental film festivals around the world.

The film’s director, writer and producer, Terry – winner of this year’s Gemini Humanitarian Award – is touring with the film to continue his mission of educating the world of these new environmental discoveries that will impact on all of us.

“The land ice is melting at a much faster rate than any of us had previously realized,” he said. “A larger volume of fresh water is now being added to the world’s seas posing a threat to coastal communities around the world.”

Each film is about one hour in length. The filmmaker will be present to answer questions following the screening.

Admission is $10 for Adults, $5 for Students/Youth, with proceeds to benefit the Yukon College Student Scholarship fund.