Ten must-see movies about energy and climate change
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Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives. Photo: Chiara Goia.
As more research emerges about the effects that human activity is having on our planet, filmmakers have gotten behind the camera to document how exactly these effects are playing out around the world in creative, inventive, enlightening, challenging and often distressing ways. Through interviews with scientists, activists, and those experiencing the detriments of climate change first hand, these ten documentaries take a close look at what climate change is, why it’s happening, and what we can do to stop it. Although the films on this list tackle this hefty topic in vastly different manners, they are all sure to educate and inspire you.
An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
In one of the best-known climate documentaries, former vice president Al Gore takes the viewer through a keynote presentation on global warming, potential future crises it could cause, and the scientific opinion on it. The film has been credited with reinvigorating the environmental movement, won two Academy Awards, and has been used in science courses in schools around the world since its release. A (PDF file) 2007 study (external link, opens in new window) found that 66 per cent of those who watched An Inconvenient Truth said it changed their mind about global warming. An Inconvenient Sequel (external link, opens in new window) followed in 2017.
The 11th Hour (2007)
Produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, this captivating documentary proposes that everyone needs to be involved in the battle against climate change in order to reverse the destruction that has already happened and prevent worse damage being done. Over 50 politicians, scientists and activists were interviewed for the documentary, resulting in a very reliable consensus about the causes and effects of climate change.
GasLand (2010)
After being offered $100,000 from the a natural gas industry to allow a fracking plant to be built on his land, Josh Fox decided to find out a little more about how the fracking industry affects the people living in close proximity to it. He spoke with residents who were experiencing a variety of chronic health problems directly related to gas industry activity. His 2016 follow-up was titled How to Let Go of the World and All the Things Climate Can’t Change (external link, opens in new window) .
Chasing Ice (2012)
Environmental photographer James Balog, initially a climate change skeptic, heads to Greenland, Iceland and Alaska in this mesmerizing documentary to tell a visual story of global warming. Balog uses time-lapse photography to show how quickly glaciers are melting in the far North. The award-winning sequel, Chasing Coral (external link, opens in new window) , premiered on Netflix in 2017.
The Island President (2012)
President of the Maldives at the time, the charismatic Mohamed Nasheed brought democracy to the nation after 30 years of tyrannical rule. In The Island President, winner of TIFF’s People’s Choice Documentary Award, filmmaker Jon Shenk follows Nasheed’s first year in office, faced with the reality of what rising sea levels will mean for his country and the frustration of negotiations at the failed COP 15 UN climate talks. Despite his underdog status, Nasheed packs a punch as he fights for the future of his homeland.
DamNation (2014)
Shot in and around the Elwha Dam in Washington State, this in-depth documentary focuses on the adverse impacts dams the huge number of dams in the U.S. have on ecosystems, salmon runs and Indigenous populations who rely on the resources that rivers provide. Narrator and producer Travis Rummel guides the viewer on an emotional journey that educates about a lesser-known but important environmental issue.
Time to Choose (2015)
Time to Choose is film that examines not only the problems created by climate change but also what we can do about them. Oscar-winning director Charles Ferguson explores the scope of the global crisis through interviews with people living on the front lines of climate change affected area, innovators, and climate leaders working to save the planet. The film leaves the audience with a clearer understanding of what is wrong and what needs to be done to fix this complex issue.
To the Ends of the Earth (2016)
To the Ends of the Earth, released in 2016, follows the lives of people living at the frontiers of extreme oil and gas extraction. Locations explored in the documentary include Canada’s high Arctic and the Alberta tar sands. It also looks at the growing number of scientists, authors and activists who imagine a future where reliable energy and sustainability are possible at the same time.
Before the Flood (2016)
Narrated by and featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Before the Flood follows the star to five continents on his journey as United Nations Messenger of Peace to witness the effects of climate change firsthand. Although most of what he finds out is quite alarming, the film has an overall message of hope that if countries work together they’ll be able to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Anote’s Ark (2018)
Kiribati, a Pacific island nation with a population of 100,000, is in the process of disappearing into the sea. Anote Tong, president of Kiribati from 2003-2016, is the subject of Anote’s Ark. Montreal filmmaker Matthieu Rytz followed the internationally recognized advocate on climate change action and environmental protection for a number of years for the film, which premiered last month at Sundance.
Kiki Cekota is a third-year Journalism student at Ryerson University.