The Burning Season

Dorjee and Aceh's Rock & Roll Governor meet THE GOVERNATOR

Director of 'The Burning Season' Cathy Henkel is currently in Los Angeles filming the Governors' Global Climate Summit, hosted by none other than the Governor to end all Governors: Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The GGCS brings together governors from climate-sensitive states worldwide, with the aim of discussing the outlook for a comprehensive global agreement on climate solutions that prevents the world passing the “tipping point” (as described by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).  The GGCS also plans to conclude a cooperative Summit Declaration on climate solutions, which is basically an agreement between all the governors to implement meaningful strategies o prevent climate change.

Segments of the Summit are available for online viewing at www.uctv.tv/climate

The goal for the documentary makers was to shoot a scene which will appear in the upcoming feature-length 'Director's Cut' of the documentary, slated for a cinema release in 2009.

Cathy reports from Beverly Hills, California:

The first day at Governor Schwarzenegger's Global Climate Summit was eventful. I filmed him during his opening address and during a tour of a renewable energies expo. He also signed a MOU with several governors from Indonesia and Brazil including Governor Irwandi of Aceh. Arnie appears larger than life, even up close, and has a great sense of humour.

Stay tuned to the Blog for updates on the progress of the Director's Cut.

Meanwhile, here are some photos from the shoot in LA:

 

ScienceDaily reports: stop expanding oil palm plantations

An interesting article in ScienceDaily (Sep. 17, 2008) warns the continued expansion of oil palm plantations will worsen the dual environmental crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, unless rainforests are better protected. Read the article here.

Forests to the rescue on climate

Ross Garnaut has advised Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd that Australia is uniquely placed to use biosequestration to soak up carbon emissions, with its northern savannahs likely to continue to receive good rainfall despite the effects of climate change, according to an article published today in The Australian.