cc: Sian Buckley date: Thu, 25 Jul 2002 18:25:26 +0100 from: David Akerman subject: Lomborg programme - request... to: "'m.hulme@uea.ac.uk'" Dear Dr Hulme, I know that you have just spoken with our researcher, Sian, and thought it would be helpful as the producer/director of this project to outline for you our interest in your participation in this film. We aim to explore the ideas of Bjorn Lomborg, principally, with the co-operation of the man himself. We do not seek to stir further controversy - that was done last year and earlier this year - but we do aim to try to shed a little light on why there was such controversy surrounding the publication of Lomborg's book, the Skeptical Enironmentalist. Our film will not by any means be limited to an exposition BL's ideas on global warming or the appropriateness of Kyoto - but it will feature those topics at some length. In this regard we feel we need both visual materials and some expert guidance on how climate modelling is done - so there is a partly expository reason for asking to film at the Tyndall Centre. Moreover, we feel it important - in order not to confuse the viewer with rival and equally weighted alternative views - to talk to some expert "honest brokers", people without affiliation to Lomborg, but equally without feelings of great antipathy to him or his ideas - who can pick their way through the minefield and point out just where the real fault lines lie in this debate. In other words, some kind of assessment of where Lomborg is asking the right questions (or the wrong ones) and proposing interesting solutions and alternatives (or not, as the case may be...) It's a delicate matter - we aren't trying to make a classically "balanced" film, in the sense of presenting two rival views and allowing the viewer to decide (in theory) ... because we can't possibly do that 40 minutes for one thing and it would likely end up being bewildering for most viewers... but we do want to shed light on how Lomborg's ideas fit (or don't) into the framework of the environmental/global warming debate. For your information, we will probably speak to three or four people in total in the way we are requesting to speak to you. The rest of the cast list is quite uncertain, but may include people like Prof Philip Stott, Sir John Maddox (former Ed of Nature) and Lewis Wolpert (from UCL...) - none of these people is identified (to the best of my knoweldge) with any commitment to a political faction, neither have they taken up arms either for or against Lomborg... I hope you feel you would be able to speak to us. If you will consider it, then I know August 12th would be the earliest date you could make... so perhaps then or the 13th/14th? I look forward to hearing from you. I shall be away from the BBC for a few days from tomorrow - but available on my alternative email: davidakerman7@hotmail.com - or by all means contact Sian again, on 0208 752 4537 Best wishes, David Akerman Producer/Director, BBC Current Affairs This e-mail (and any attachments) is confidential and may contain personal views which are not the views of the BBC unless specifically stated. If you have received it in error, please delete it from your system, do not use, copy or disclose the information in any way nor act in reliance on it and notify the sender immediately. Please note that the BBC monitors e-mails sent or received. Further communication will signify your consent to this.