With over $3 billion worth of property at risk for climate change effects, it’s no wonder Miami and UM’s renowned climate scientists Ben Kirtman and Hal Wanless are featured in season two of the acclaimed National Geographic series Years of Living Dangerously.
Kirtman, professor of atmospheric sciences and director of the Cooperative Institute for Marine & Atmospheric Studies at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, and Wanless, professor and chair of the geological science at the College of Arts and Sciences, left Jack Black speechless when they displayed their latest climate science data. The worst estimates show most of Miami completely inundated by the end of the century.
The series chronicles celebrity journeys across the globe as they discover the effects of a warming planet on people, places, animals, and livelihoods. Episode two, “Gathering Storm,” follows actors Jack Black, Ian Somerhalder, and Nikki Reed as they witness firsthand the impacts of climate change on Miami and the marine ecosystems off the coast of South Florida.
Walking in from a windy, rainy storm and sitting in the historic Tower Theater, in the heart of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood and next to famed Domino Park, one wonders whether this Art Deco landmark will, too, succumb to rising seas. The National Geographic Channel, The CLEO Institute, and the Sink or Swim Project held a special premiere screening of “Gathering Storm” at the MDC Tower Theater on Thursday.
On the red carpet, Kirtman was joined by climate change advocates and local elected officials, including Miami Beach mayor Philip Levine, South Miami mayor Philip Stoddard, Miami-Dade County Commissioner Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Chief Resilience Officer Jim Murley, Caroline Lewis of The CLEO Institute, and Delaney Reynolds of the Sink or Swim Project.
Season two of the Emmy Award-winning series premiered on Sunday, October 30 on the National Geographic Channel. Episode two, “Gathering Storm,” will air Wednesday, November 2.
View the Years of Living Dangerously Season Two trailer here.
