Climate crisis. Neighbors were coming down. Everybody was helping each other, pushing the cars. To the epicentre of a political debate. Carbon pollution is co2, and thats really not a polutant its a plant food. We go to the front lines of a debate that may not be decided. Theyre gonna raise the sidewalks. That must be what two feet . Until its too late. As mayor, i dont have the liberty or time to debate why Climate Change is happening. Dr. Shini somara is a mechanical engineer. With all of that innovation do you think its actually going to solve the problem. Lindsay moran is an excia operative and analyst. Why is this issue political . Dr crystal dilworth is a molecular neuroscientist. Why does a small segment of scientists not believe . Im phil torres. Im an entomologist. Wow that was something else, i mean it was a real rush for me. Thats our team. Now lets do some science. [ ] hey guys welcome to techknow, im phil torres joined by Lindsay Moran, dr. Crystal dilworth and dr. Shini somara. Its a debate that somehow is still raging on is the climate changing, is man to blame and is there anything we can do to stop the disaster. Most agree the answers is yes. Thats most scientists, not all of them. Shini, crystal, lindsay, you each had a piece of the story. At the c. I. A. I was trained to analyse complex and sometimes contradictory data. Climate change fits into that model as well. Washington d. C. Politics are part of the equation. No matter what the science is, theres going to be contentious debate. I had a different experience. I was dealing with the scientists and citizens who are not debating if Climate Change is happening, but they are living it now. I think its interesting that both sides of the debate claim to be on the side of science, and use studies as ammunition. We wanted to know who is right. Things got interesting. As scientists we are trained to look at the data and go from there. Thats what we try to keep in mind as we delve into the debate the politics of Climate Change. The picture esque sunrise on the strip of Miami Beach Florida hides the danger facing the tourist island. Florida is sort of an epicentre for climate impacts those are forcing a massive citywide reconstruction effort, turning miami beach into a reallife laboratory to deal with a climate changing alltoo fast. Florida is not alone, as techknow discovered. Travelling around the world to talk to experts on the forefront of climate science. We flew with n. A. S. A. As they measured the arctic ice melt on greenlands glaciers, marking another year of decline. The climate of the arctic has been changing. We travel to peru, where rain forests are declining. In 2005 there was the biggest drought in the amazon, in the history of our records. 2010, five years later, a bigger drought hit the amazon. These are the climate projections playing out before our eyes. We saw a core sample from the last ice age, to get a comparison on how quickly Greenhouse Gases are accumulating today. This sample represents 3,000 years of changing of Carbon Dioxide. The equivalent change of Greenhouse Gases that happened in the last decade took thousands of years to happen when the earth was not being influenced by humans. These scientists reflect the fact that 97 of all Research Published on Climate Change say its fuelled by manmade Greenhouse Gas emissions. As scientists we barely agree on anything. To say 97 of climate experts say the climate system is warming today is phenomenal. Scientists aside some politicians are not buying it. It changes, it gets hot and cold but man made . Isnt that the question . Then why did the dinosaurs go extinct . Dinosaurs aside, techknow went to washington d. C. Where a herd of lawmakers dont agree with the scientists we interviewed. Like republican senator Jeff Sessions questioning e. P. A. Administrator geena mccarthy. Would you acknowledge that over the last 18 years, that the increase in temperature has been very little, and that it is well below most of the environmental models that showed how fast temperature would increase. No, i would not agree with that. A 1 degree temperature is significant. Carbon pollution is co2, its not a pollutant. Its a plant food. It doesnt harm anyone, except temperature increases. That senator is not alone. As we hear, 2014 has been the warmest year on record. Do you know what this is . Its a snowball. And that is from outside here. So its very, very cold out. Im not a scientist. Im not qualified to debate the science over Climate Change. Im not a scientist, and i dont claim to be. Im not a scientist either. But you know what, i know a lot of really good scientists, at n. A. S. A. , and noah, and at our major universities. Topping obamas list of experts is dr john holdren director of the office of science and technology. Techknows Lindsay Moran met with him just steps from the oval office. What we are facing is humandriven changes in the Global Climate that are producing more hot days, heatwaves, extreme downpours and wildfires and droughts. Sea level is rising. The ocean is acidifying because it absorbs excess Carbon Dioxide that humans have added to the atmosphere, into the ocean but on captiol hill, republican james inhofe, chairman of the powerful senate, environmental and public works committee, disputes the idea that humans are fueling Climate Change. The climate is changing and always has. He led a 981 vote agreeing that Climate Change is not a hoax. The hoax is people are so arrogant that they think they have the power to change climate. That is the hoax, not the fact that climate is changing. Techknow invited that senator and the other republican members from the Environmental Committee to appear. All declined or did not respond. First of all, its interesting that senator inhofe argued only god could change the climate and not long after the pope issued a statement saying the human impacts on climate is a great test for humanity. Why is this issue political in this country . The fundamental reason is the misperception that being in favour of addressing the Climate Change challenge is against jobs in the economy. Im not afraid to stand up to big oil. It does us no good to punish manufacturing in missouri, when india and china put up a coal fired plant every 10 minutes, its the same atmosphere. Theres a lot of people in the political sphere that think if you admit the reality of Climate Change, you are inviting a degree of government regulation that will be too pervasive, too intrusive, and against the general inclinations, particularly of Political Parties and factions antiregulation. Do you think substantial contributions from the fossil fuel industry is a factor in the politics of Climate Change . I think that obviously has to be recognised as a factor one strong antiregulation voice is dr Patrick Michaels, director of the center for the study of science at the cato institute. This libertarian thinktank was cofounded by charles koch in 1974. Today, koch and his brother david head Koch Industries one of the largest private companys in america. Through their company and foundations they donate to politicians and issues surrounding the fossil fuel industry. Lets start really simply, does Climate Change exist . Of course, Climate Change has existed since the earth got an atmosphere. Is Climate Change manmade. Some of it has a human cause, thats correct. But michaels is among a group of scientist cited by senator inhofe that believe the worsening Climate Change models are wrong. I would argue that every model that we have i wouldnt argue, these are facts, okay. Shows that if we drop our emissions to zero, we dont do anything really detectable over the course of 100 years. Thats incontrovertible reality coming from our own Environmental Protection agencys models. That is the most irrelevant comment i have ever heard. Techknows crystal dilworth turned dr. Burton richter, a nobel prizewinning physicist, to fact check arguments about Climate Change. It will be destructive. Its still going to have big consequences. So the argument that it doesnt matter what we do, were not going to be able to make a difference. I dont understand the point of that. This is a world issue. The question is what is the world going to do about the temperature rise. If you look at the temperatures measured in the lower atmosphere, by satellites, or you look at all four analyse of the weather balloon data, 5,000 to 20,000 feet in the atmosphere. The disparity between the average of the 107 United Nations computer models, the disparity between the trends predicted by them, average trends, and what is measured by weather balloons and satellite is stunning. First of all theres not 107. There are 25 of general circulation models. All this stuff about layers in the atmosphere, and all that, its a question that we do not fully understand. Where is the heat going . The big surprise in the period when the surface temperature stayed relatively constant is the temperature of the oceans is still going up. To stick your head in the sand and say everything is all right when its not that is foolish. We talked to Patrick Michaels at the cato institute, who has a bit of press for his belief that the federal government has no business mitigating Climate Change. I think hes just wrong about that. Obviously i strongly disagree. Its a little like the arguments that used to go on about tobacco smoking and cancer, where for years there were people who disputed that smoking is implicated in lung cancer. The fact is in modern societies theres a lot of activities that people might want to undertake, that are regulated by the government, because its in societys interests to minimise the damage from those activities. Its true of smoking and Climate Change coming up. While politicians argue the merits of Climate Change, miami beach cant wait. That bay is not republican, its not democrat, it knows no limits. We want to hear what you think about these stories. Join the conversation by following us on twitter and at aljazeera. Com techknow. These people have decided that today they will be arrested. I know that im being surveilled. People are not getting the care that they need. This is a crime against humanity. Hands up. Dont shoot. Hands up. Dont shoot. What do we want . Justice. When do we want it . Now. Explosions going on. Were not quite sure is that an i. E. D. . Faultlines. Al jazeera americas awardwinning investigative series. Monday, 10 00 eastern. On Al Jazeera America. Because i was African American i was trying to fit in. Misty coplelands journey wasnt easy. Dancing gave me the opportunity to grow into the person. I dont think i could be without it. Now, this trailblazer is opening the door for others. I wanna give back to ballet what its done for me. Miami beach florida. The whole planet comes here to have fun. This is an unbelievable place to live. Its the hottest city in the world. Reporter walking down the strip of miami beach, its easy to see why its a tourist mecca. It is vulnerable to rising sea level. Most of it was built not more than four feet above the tide lines. How they are dealing with it in miami may become a blueprint for the rest of the country. We have pictures two blocks from here of people on kayaks when its high tide and floods. Reporter valerie lives a block from the bay and paid the price of sea rise when her condos parking area turned into a swimming pool. By the time you realised what was going on, neighbors came down, everyone helping each other. Most of us lost our cars. You see water in the streets during sunny days without rain. Reporter sandwiched between the Atlantic Ocean and biscayne bay high tide in miami beach has been inching up. Up by a third of an inch, and in the last five years accelerating at 1. 27 inches annually. 2 feet of Sea Level Rise is projected from roughly 2040 to 2060. When we get to that point the people on the high ground will be dry. These people will have issues with salt water in their yards. Reporter pete is a geographic systems coordinator at Florida International university. This shows a rise. Reporter by 2100 Miami Beach Florida could disappear under six feet of Sea Level Rise. Theres an effort to save the city. To the casual observer it may look like a construction nightmare. As an engineer i can tell you the challenges through the city are massive. And the solutions impressive. I thank each and every one of you for being here. Its a great cause keep the city dry. Reporter all this pumps. Well put in 70 to 80 across the city. Reporter firsttime mayor Philip Levine is overseeing pumps, each moving 14,000 gallons of water a minute. So what exactly is going on here . This over here is they are dewatering the ground and putting in Filtration Systems to make sure the pumps in the ground will put out water that will be cleaner and back into the bay. Reporter the problem is not just water topping sea walls, but water bubbling up from below. Miami beach is built on porous limestone that absorbs the rising water. As the limestone is saturated by rising sea, theres an upsurge of water through the sewer system. So far 8 pumps have been installed, and seem to be doing the trick. We think we have a great 5060 year solution. After that human innovation and technology, we believe, will catch up. This is the first type anyone did this on a citywide scale. Well make mistakes. We are the pioneers. I like it. Reporter with a lifetime in miami, dan is a retired boat cap feign and is an environmental activist. He took us on a tour of the citys efforts. Let me show you something. Theyll raise the sidewalks. Look at that. Reporter thats what, 2 feet. At least 2 feet. Its fine for this building, they have raised the base of the building. But for that house there, the door will be two feet below the sidewalk. Reporter what is different building . The first floor is 6 feet off the ground. If you have to leave this building, well be leaving miami beach. Reporter keeping everyone here by installing pumps, building sea walls and raising the streets and buildings comes with a big price tag. It sounds necessary but how much will it cost . 300 million to 400 million. We expect to go to the state and federal government. Floridas construction changes are not the only obstacle. Dr ben curtman, a researcher joined a group of climate scientists for a meeting with floridas republican governor, rick scott posted online. When we are trying to get resources from the state of florida they cant talk about the Climate Change part of it. Christopher is a former Florida State attorney, working on waterway issues. He told Al Jazeera America he was put on notice. They said if you know whats good for you we will not use the terms Climate Change, global warming, Sea Level Rise or sustainability. Reporter Governor Scott denies theres a policy against discussing Climate Change. Department of Environment Protection look, theres lots issue. What is hard for politicians to get their head around is how to respond to what will happen in 2100. Reporter thats when miami beach could be under 6 feet of water. What is your opinion when republicans say man has not caused Climate Change. As mayor, i dont have the liberty or time to debate why Climate Change is happening. All i have is the opportunity to fix it. That bay is not republican, its not democrate, it knows no limits. No matter who pays the bill. It will be a shortterm fix. With all the innovation thats proposed, do you think it will solve the problem. No, it will not solve the problems. Miami will need to produce new technologies, invest money to counterbalance the pressure by Sea Level Rise. Reporter what about residents that have been here their entire lifetime, what will they do . I have been here my entire life. I know for a fact that ill have to leave. Reporter coming up on techknow, simulating category 5 hurricanes in a tank. Were here to fully get into the nuances of everything thats going on not just in this country but around the world. As if there were no cameras here, would be the best solution. This goes to the heart of the argument to tell you the stories that others wont cover. How big do you see this getting . Getting the news from the people who are affected. People need to demand reform. Were here to provide the analysis. The context. And the reporting that allows you to make sense of your world. Ali velshi on target only on Al Jazeera America this bit of land on floridas virginia key is home to a hurricane Simulation Lab at the home for marine and atmospheric science. It feels like a giant swimming pool. Roughly the size of a large swimming pool. Reporter dr brian house runs sustain short for surge, structure, atmosphere interaction facility. Why is it important to recreate the conditions in a chamber . Theres a couple of things that we are keen to figure out. What causes hurricanes to intensify, to go from a cat 3 to a cat 5 in less than 24 hours, and is important not just for hurricanes, but Climate Change issues reporter we were invited to see a fullspeed demonstration. Theres no computer model that gets to the physics of whats when the high wind is ripping the top off a wave. Reporter researchers want a better understanding of the transfer of heat from the Ocean Surface and sea spray to the atmosphere. What wind speeds are we at now . At the equivalent 80 Miles Per Hour category 1 storm. Reporter the house is battered and its only category 1. The large waves and wind thats what we are trying to capture. Reporter sensors track the force pushing against the structure. We need to understand how buildings can be resilient to these conditions. Reporter time to crank it up to full speed, 150 Miles Per Hour a category 5 hurricane. Reporter i can really feel it vibrating now. Everything is shaking. That was something else. That was a real rush for me. Studying a storm in a tank is not just an academic exercise for the researchers here. We have chosen to live here, to have our families and homes here in this place where we are just above sea level. Its a personal issue for us. The reality on the ground there in miami is so drastic, but also it seems like a different reality than what they have in d. C. True, but what is interesting to me is the department of defense moved beyond the politics. This is their 2014 Climate Change adaptation roadmap, and they have accepted that Climate Change is happening. Its going to impact the national security, its a threat multiplier, it will have affects on military installations, they are not worried about the politics or what causes it. They are making plans for the future. Whether theres a debate politically, scientifically, 97 of published papers are in agreement. Only three percent disagree and yet everyone focuses on that. It is interesting, because the 3 is necessary for scientific process. You need to have the main conclusions challenged in some way. The people are scientists, crystal. Who are they . They are contrarians. When you look at the 3 that dont agree with the other 97, what does that mean . Oftentimes in science we are taking a narrow look at a specific thing, and that doesnt necessarily fit in the context of the whole. This debate and view is important. Unless you add up the tiny little measurements and look at the big picture, you are not understanding the whole problem. Obviously this is a discussion we could have for hours. It is fascinating. And as the science advances, as the politics advance, we will stay on it. Be sure to check us out next time on techknow, well bring you more. Go behind the scenes at aljazeera. Com. Follow our expert contributors on google. Facebook, and more. The technology is there. Why isnt being done more . How to make recycling work. When these different plastics are blended then the recycling becomes difficult, to impossible. Can we fix americas plastic problem . We cant unscramble an egg. Techknows team of experts show you how the miracles of science. Im standing in a tropcal wind storm. Can effect and surprise us. Wow, these are amazing. Techknow, where Technology Meets humanity only on Al Jazeera America the greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis announces his resignation. Will it help greece reach a new deal with its creditors . Hello from doha. This is world news from al jazeera. Two bomb attacks in the nigeria city of joss. The latest from abuja. We are not where we knead to be on several of the issues. U. S. Secretary of state john kerry say