Climate change is one of our world’s biggest challenges in the coming decades. It has become a hotly debated issue due to political infighting in developed and developing economies. Thankfully, climate change documentaries are gaining popularity, and these films can serve as great resources for understanding climate change and gaining insight into potential solutions.
Tackling the problem through films can help reach a wider audience and promote awareness among individuals who would not otherwise be interested in learning about such an important topic. Here is a selection of the top climate change movies this year, ranging from historical documentaries to the most recent blockbusters.
Must Watch Climate Change Movies
1. Don’t Look Up
Don’t Look Up, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, is first on our list of the most significant climate change movies. The film depicts the narrative of a science professor and his younger student who find a rapid comet on its way to Earth and will most certainly destroy it. They must work together to persuade the government and the public of the existential danger and its devastating implications on civilization.
2. Princess Mononoke
Despite its 25th anniversary, the Japanese film Princess Mononoke remains one of the most famous and timely climate change movies. On his way to discover a cure for a demonic curse, the protagonist Ashitaka becomes embroiled in a battle between the forest gods and Tatara, a mining colony. The hard-hitting political animation illustrates the repercussions of destroying nature and humanity’s incapacity to live in peace, presenting a powerful message that, tragically, is still very much relevant today.
3. Down to Earth with Zac Efron
Allow actor Zac Efron, podcaster, and health expert Darin Olien to guide you through the significance and intricacies of sustainability, nutrition, and other topics as they journey from the Amazon to Paris to Los Angeles, learning about environmental activities throughout the globe.
4. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet
A Life on Our World is a detailed history of the planet that speaks to our conscience and inspires us to act today. Natural historian and award-winning BBC presenter David Attenborough relates the narrative of his life via the natural marvels he’s experienced in this 2020 documentary and warns of what might happen to our world if we don’t take precautions to safeguard it.
5. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
William Kamkwamba, a Malawian agricultural engineer born into a farming family, gained news in 2001 when he constructed a functional windmill out of discarded bicycle parts and leftovers. He was just 14 years old at the time. Based on Kamkwamba’s book of the same name, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind recounts the incredibly accurate tale of how he constructed a wind turbine and rescued his little agricultural hamlet from hunger.
6. Fire Chasers
This four-part documentary series examines the destructive wildfires in California, emphasizing the brave firefighters who put their lives in danger to douse the flames and save local wildlife, residents, and the environment. You’ll read about jailed volunteers and seasoned firefighters who discovered the community via the firefighter training program. You’ll also find the value of watching out for one another when a disaster strikes the whole world.
7. Bigfoot Family
If you’re looking for a family-friendly film, check out this animated adventure about a young boy, Adam, and his father, the benevolent Bigfoot, who move to the town of Rocky Valley, Alaska, only to be confronted by (surprise!) a large oil company planning to bomb the area to extract oil more efficiently. It is up to Bigfoot and Adam to defend their family and town, even if it means facing up against an oil tycoon.
8. Kiss the Ground
Kiss the Ground provides an optimistic look at a potential answer to the climate crisis, regenerated soil. At the same time, other essential documentaries and films focus on where we went wrong and how we got to this stage in the climate catastrophe. Woody Harrelson narrates and directs a group of academics and celebrity campaigners (including Gisele Bündchen and Jason Mraz) as they discuss how investment in regenerative agriculture may help revive depleted ecosystems, increase food production, and even mitigate the effects of climate change.
9. An Inconvenient Truth
The documentary on former US Vice President Al Gore’s attempts to educate the public about climate change by Davis Guggenheim isn’t the most engaging title on our list. It often seems like you’re being lectured on an introductory slide presentation.
However, it is also the most energizing video on our list, demonstrating many scientific foundations and the extent of global warming. Gore’s explanations aren’t showy, but he makes complicated concepts like The Keeling Curve accessible to practically any audience willing to listen.
10. 2040
2040 is a pleasantly positive choice if you search for something less dismal and more upbeat. Rather than emphasizing the immediacy of issues, the documentary tells the narrative of an Australian father who imagines what life may be like for his four-year-old daughter in the future.
Much of the movie focuses on technological achievements and innovative solutions to climate change concerns, ranging from renewable energy like rooftop solar to regenerative agriculture methods and the varied use of seaweed to combat the growing issue of food poverty.
More About Climate Change: Benefits on the Effects of Climate Change, Climate Change Books, Climate Change in the Polar Regions
Bottomline
The impact of climate change is becoming more and more prominent over the years. After looking at the dramatic climate shifts over the years, rising concerns are spreading throughout the scientific community, and the impact these shifts are having on our planet is undeniable. While the climate shift resulting from global warming may still be just a degree or two, greenhouse gas increases will tip the Earth towards even warmer temperatures.
However, this doesn’t mean the end of the world for everyone. On the contrary, large-scale initiatives are being put into place to address the impending threat of climate change. Several countries worldwide invest in developing clean, renewable energy to fuel their economies. When laying out a solution, perhaps the latest film from the movie industry might do the trick.
