One scientist vs 52 climate change sceptics

The late Stephen Schneider, one of the greatest climate communicators, on Insight Credit: Standford University

In an Insight special recorded just weeks before his unexpected death, Steve Schneider faces a tough audience of 52 climate sceptics and fence-sitters in an attempt to convince them that society needs to take urgent action against climate change.

Schneider served as a consultant on climate to every U.S. President between Richard Nixon and Barack Obama, was part of the group of scientists to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007 for his work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and was professor of Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies at Stanford University in California.

He was a passionate communicator and his dedication to helping the public understand the science of climate change is clear in this hour-long special episode, which will air at 7:30 pm on Tuesday 7 September 2010 on SBS in Australia.

The sceptics pose some tough questions, and some of the comments are even more harsh – one sceptic claims that man-made climate change is simply being used to build hysteria in order to ensure grant money for climate scientists.

If you have any outstanding questions or comments, then following the episode there will be a one-hour online discussion at www.sbs.com.au/insight, hosted by Jenny Brockie and with David Karoly, a friend and colleague of Schneider, from the University of Melbourne and who is also part of the IPCC.

Schneider passed away unexpectedly from a pulmonary embolism on 19 July 2010 at the age of 65, on a flight from Stockholm to London. The Insight special report is an incredibly moving hour of television and a must watch for anyone who wants to see one of the greatest climate communicators defending the cause he loves, sadly for one of the last times.

The episode will air tonight at 7:30pm on SBS One and will be repeated on Friday 10 September at 1:30pm, Monday 13 September at 2:30pm and played on SBS Two on Thursday 9 September at 7:30pm.