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The Most Impactful Documentaries About Climate Change
December 3, 2021 at 10:30 PM
Image of a filmmaker producing a climate change documentary.

Climate change permeates our culture. We see its consequences in extreme weather events, disaster movie plots, and politics on the local and national levels. Gen Z is more concerned with taking action on climate change than any other generation. However, for many, feelings of anxiety about the planet’s future leave them in a place of inaction. Climate change documentaries have the power to change the narrative, showing audiences the critical work being done by dedicated individuals, communities, and organizations around the world. They inspire hope and participation in creating meaningful global change. Here are some of the most impactful documentaries about climate change.

An Inconvenient Truth

Former presidential candidate, Al Gore, produced this seminal climate change documentary in 2006, bringing the first cultural urgency to the issue. Unlike many documentaries to come, it doesn’t use sweeping visuals of the planet. Instead, it shows Al Gore giving a slide show presentation explaining the causes and effects of climate change––and the action we need to take.

2040

From Australian filmmaker Damien Gameau, 2040 imagines a future where the world takes decisive action on climate change, using existing technologies on a global scale. It presents an optimistic view of the future where empowering the right communities creates massive, sustainable change.

Before the Flood

From National Geographic and UN Messenger for Peace, Leonardo DiCaprio, Before the Flood is an excellent introduction to the widespread consequences of climate change. It describes what’s at stake while presenting potential solutions for mitigating the most damaging causes of environmental degradation.

Our Planet

Created by Netflix, Silverback Films, and champion of the planet, Sir David Attenborough, Our Planet is an eight-episode series. Each episode takes viewers through a different ecosystem, showing how climate changes affect each one and their interconnections from food chains to weather patterns.

Kiss the Ground

Narrated by the incomparable Woody Harrelson, Kiss the Ground focuses on the role of agriculture in climate change. It presents personal action and potential global solutions such as sustainable farming to reverse desertification.

A Plastic Ocean

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has been getting more attention in recent years. In part thanks to A Plastic Ocean, which highlights the impact of plastic waste on our bodies and oceans. This British climate change documentary takes viewers around the world to see the consequences of eight million tons of plastic dropped into the ocean every year.

A gorgeous iceburg from the Colombia Glacier. Photo taken from my sailboat in Prince William Sound, Alaska.

One Strange Rock

National Geographic, Darren Aronofsky, and Will Smith explore the wonder of planet Earth in this sprawling climate change documentary ten-part series. Eight astronauts join Smith to reflect on the incredible wonder of our planet in the universe.

Chasing Ice

This Emmy-winning documentary uses advanced timelapse filmmaking techniques to show audiences the consequences of climate change on the arctic. It focuses on the photojournalist, James Balog, who went from climate change skeptic to advocate after documenting disappearing glaciers in the Arctic back in 2005.

Partner with Green Bridge Films to tell your story with a climate change documentary.

You have an engaging, inspiring story to tell about your community or organization’s work to fight climate change. However, in today’s world, a great story isn’t enough. You need to share it with impactful, memorable filmmaking. At Green Bridge Films, our team partners with clients to get to know their stories. Together, we’ll develop a documentary that shares their vital work with filmmaking that feels authentic to their organization. Our mission is to spread hope about the future and inspire people to move from a place of despair to one of action.

Let’s work together to create an impactful climate change documentary that tells your story.