2007 Awards of Special Merit

Eugene Linden

“The Winds of Change: Climate, Weather, and the Destruction of Civilizations”
published by Simon & Schuster.

Winds of Change Excerpt.pdf

It is commonly assumed that any fundamental change in climate will be gradual enough that society can function without long-term disruption. In his book, Eugene Linden shakes that complacency to its core. Eugene Linden manages the remarkable feat of bringing a new light to the most written-about environmental challenge of the era, climate change.

Our civilization is by no means the first to be challenged by changes in weather patterns – so were those of the Akkadians 4,200 years ago; the Mayans 1,100 years ago, the Norse in North America during the Little Ice Age, and many others.

Linden presents compelling evidence of climate as a “serial killer” of civilizations, fully acknowledging the uncertainties surrounding this hypothesis. For many years a reporter on global environmental issues for Time magazine, Linden in Winds of Change provides an entertaining and provocative read, culminating with an exquisitely disciplined cry of rage at the seeming inability of our own societies to address the threat of global warming.

East Oregonian Publishing Company

"Our Climate is Changing... Ready or Not"

This project represented an extraordinary effort on the part of a group of small newspapers in the Pacific Northwest. The leaders of these papers – a 12,000-circulation daily in Pendleton, Oregon; a 10,000-circulation daily in Astoria, Oregon; and four weeklies in Oregon and Washington – combined their limited staff resources to report local impacts of global climate change.

Daily Astorian website

The result is sophisticated, compelling journalism, extraordinary for publications of this size and scope. The series explored a range of phenomena, from the introduction of new species preying on juvenile salmon, to the loss of a spawning cycle by oysters simply finding the water too warm to procreate, to the consumption of recreational beaches by invasive Spartina grasses.

These journalists gave their readers a new connection with the problem of climate change, and new motivation to act to mitigate it. Their ingenuity and dedication fully justify this Award of Special Merit.

A DOX production for NOVA/WGBH and the BBC

“Dimming the Sun: What Does This Climate Conundrum Mean for the Future of Earth?”

“Dimming the Sun” brings to light a different, but critical, take on global warming. It’s the issue of global dimming – the decrease of sunlight hitting Earth.

Studies show that particle pollution is to blame – increased particulates in clouds attract more and smaller droplets of water, which reflect more sunlight back to space. In addition, the particles themselves block sunlight.

Dimming the Sun website

This situation actually appears to have counteracted much of the effect of global warming – in fact it may have contributed to the complaisance some feel about dealing with climate change. And the obvious solution to global dimming – decreased particulate pollution – undercuts efforts to combat global warming.

NOVA talked with “unsung” climate researchers – scientists whose evidence of global dimming initially had been downplayed. Even today, climate change models generally don't take global dimming into account. Reports like “Dimming the Sun” could gain the issue increased prominence.

NOVA takes inherently non-visual aspects and makes them visual, engaging and enlightening. Exceptional production values, great story-telling, and important subject matter make this fascinating and disturbing report worthy of a 2007 Grantham Prize Award of Special Merit.