In the last half of the 20th century, scientists began understanding that industrialization and the effects of explosive population growth were affecting the fundamental structure and composition of earth"s atmosphere. Man"s ever-increasing thirst for energy, quenched by the burning of fossil fuels, has dramatically increased greenhouse gases in the lower atmosphere. We are now experiencing the first impact of these accumulating gases: A general warming of the planet. This 2-disc set examines and explains this phenomenon, and looks into the future where other, more deadly impacts are predicted to follow. In the first decade of the 21st century, we find ourselves at the precipice of a dangerous, rising storm. Shot in High-Definition this series is presented and narrated by Bradley Whitford. Programs in This Series: Program 1: Warnings from a Warming Planet This program examines the scientific evidence that the burning of fossil fuels has had on our fragile planet. As the 20th Century entered its final decades, scientists began warning that the worlds climate could shift as a result of 250 years of intense burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. Burning fossil fuels release greenhouse gases, particularly carbon dioxide, which builds up in the lower atmosphere. We are now seeing the consequences: Dramatic shifts in the Arctic landscape and ocean temperatures, and massive death events in plant and animal life are among the factors that confirm these effects. There is now abundant evidence that we are experiencing a worldwide climate shift: The warmest years on record have been set consistently in the first years of this century with record-setting temperatures recorded globally. Chapters in this program: Warnings from a Warmer Planet Warmer Droughts Fires Warming of the Oceans Disappearance of Coral Reefs Acidification of the Oceans The Arctic Melting of the Sea Ice Melting of Glaciers & Ice Fields Thawing of the Permafrost Program 2: Predictions for a Warmer Planet With the 21st century still in its formative years, the world"s leading climate, atmospheric and weather scientists take a hard look at the consequences of climate change. Using sophisticated computer models and real time data, they reveal their predictions for the warming Earth. Our unique planet faces a bleak and uncertain future. The burning of fossil fuels has placed the planet on the tipping point of global catastrophe. Global Warming is driving dramatic changes in weather, climate and ecosystems. Understanding that these predictions of devastation will likely come to pass without immediate human intervention on a global scale is imperative. The alternative may be events too catastrophic to imagine. Chapters in this program: Predictions for A Warmer Planet Doomsday Scenarios Science and Global Warming The Effect of Global Warming Scientific Models Weather Models -Climate Circulation Models