MONTERO, ROGESSA FAITH B.

11 – ROGER

REFLECTION ON THE FILM ‘GEOSTORM’

Modern day technology enables mankind to foresee or predict the occurrence of

natural disasters thanks to the system of satellites orbiting the Earth from space. Weather
systems and its causes and effects are being monitored by scientists around the globe to
assess the possible impact of such phenomenon to our planet and even ascertaining the
when and where aspects with accuracy. As such, we are able to prevent or at least
mitigate the effects of such catastrophic happening.

But having some sort of clairvoyance and seeing into the future is one thing and
being able to completely control the events about to unfold is another. This is the plot for
the 2017 movie the Geostorm. The premise for this movie is that the human race is finally
able to control the weather and climate of the Earth as we know it. The complexity of this
premise is not unclear to notice at the onset, and one will have immediate idea that this
kind of intervention by mankind is a bad one.

For what reasons should the ‘geoengineering’ of weather might be considered as

a good idea? Well, according to the film, it is to prevent natural disasters from happening
on a global scale. While the intentions are noble, the other side of the coin must still be
looked into particularly the risks of malfunction in the system or worse the
weaponization of climate and weather by the world’s super powers. These possibilities
are to be assessed whether the risks involved are less considerable than the end sought
to be attained.

Human intervention with weather and climate is not new and in reality, we have
developed certain ways how can we control the weather. Basic example is the artificial
rains as a measure of addressing the irrigation needs of agricultural area through cloud
seedling which ultimately produces the rain showers precariously needed in times of
drought.

But to bring this mechanism into a global scale seemed to be impossible and
dangerous at best. The impossibility of controlling the atmosphere is visible from the plot
of the film. The Earth’s atmosphere is a vast yet connected thing where the causing of
some disturbance in one location will have a chain of effects on other areas of the
atmosphere. Not to mention the enormous amount of data and resources needed to fully
carry out this attempt is something that was not seen before.

However, the film is actually accurate in identifying the problem that

‘geoengineering’ of weather intends to address, which is the climate change. The heat
levels of the planet are rising in a very alarming rate. The ice glaciers of the north and
south poles were melting resulting to the increase of the already high sea levels, the
carbon dioxide emission continue to hurt the Earth’s atmosphere thereby putting at risk
every living thing on the planet to harmful solar rays, and the overall threat that it projects
to livable condition to our planet.

As such, it is imperative for us to respond to this apocalyptic menace to ensure

that the future generations will still have a place they could call home. Initiatives on a
greener way of living is something that we, as individuals, are capable of so as not to add
to the world’s suffering. This film imparts to us a realization that if the time comes, and
God forbid it does, may the humanity overcome the global apocalypse without the need
to resort in applying the theory of ‘Geostorm’.