Seminar

Free online seminar available from Fathom - source of online learning.

Video Clips

If you were to conduct a quick, unscientific survey on whether the Earth's environment is getting better or worse, undoubtedly a majority will tell you that, with each generation, things are not improving. We seem to be using up the earth's natural resources to an extent that we are depleting natural resources such as oil and coal. Urban air pollution, it seems, is getting worse and worse, And our responses to the impending environmental crisis appear to be too little or too late.

But is this picture of doom an accurate representation of reality? Bjørn Lomborg, a statistician from the University of Aarhus, Denmark, maintains that it is not. He puts forth the grounds for his controversial argument. Far from being pessimistic about the state of the world, he holds that we have every reason to be optimistic for the future. This seminar outlines some of the arguments, using brief extracts from the book and commentary from the author.

  

(Click on the links below to view the video clips)

	Video Clip 1: Bjørn Lomborg outlines the reasoning behind his ideas expressed in The Skeptical Environmentalist.
	Video Clip 2: Bjørn Lomborg discusses the issues surrounding non-renewable resources.
	Video Clip 3: Bjørn Lomborg talks about the issues surrounding air pollution.
	Video Clip 4: Bjørn Lomborg describes the Greenhouse Effect and discusses issues surrounding the Kyoto Agreement.

Technical Requirements

In order to view the video clips, you should have the appropriate software, plug-ins, and network connections. Please take the time to download the latest versions of the plug-ins mentioned below if you do not already have them.

Browser:
Netscape versions 4.x up to 4.76, or Internet Explorer versions 4.x or later. Your browser must have JavaScript enabled and must be set to accept cookies.

Network Connection:
The recommended minimum connection is 56K modem with throughput of 34Kbps or more. A faster connection is encouraged to take better advantage of the media elements in the seminar.

Plug-ins:
If you do not have RealPlayer already installed, please download from the following site:

* RealPlayer 7 or later - http://www.real.com