Fourteen years ago I was contracted to write and produce a short film about climate change. The project, a collaboration between National Geographic and the United Nations Foundation, was intended to advance the message of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) around the release of its 4th report. The eight-minute short premiered in the United Nations General Assembly Hall, playing to packed house of world leaders and policy makers. A career highlight at the time, I was thrilled to be involved in spotlighting such meaningful and consequential work. However now, after this week’s publication of the IPCC’s 6th report, I remain stunned and disappointed at how difficult it continues to be to confront the issue, making changes of our own to listen to the science, improve resiliency, and adapt to new realities.
Certainly there’s been no shortage of media coverage through the years. Far reaching global documentaries and local news stories alike continue to sound the alarm. I regularly report on climate change as well — examining sea level rise, global wildfires, coral bleaching, and migration trends. Throughout my work — projects for broadcasters, streamers, the United Nations, and international NGOs — I’ve tried to point to potential solutions. Still, the sell can be hard. Commissioning editors often worry about audience fatigue when considering the many doom and gloom scenarios.
The UN Secretary General called this latest IPCC report a “code red for humanity.” It’s clear time is running out. But the report also offers hope that meaningful efforts to address the climate crisis can still make an impact and help avoid the most dire outcomes. Media organizations should increasingly turn to assess new opportunities, new technologies and adaptations. Done right this can create exciting new paths of exploration.
The challenge – to make programming more than a distraction and empty entertainment. We need to stick to the script — understanding the science is real and unassailable. Our profession is our purpose, creating accessible and engaging storytelling can drive action to protect what we still can and make adjustments where we must.
Stories command attention and influence action. Motivated media makers must be vigilant, focused, truthful, and creative. We have the the power to mobilize our communities and the potential to change a changing world.
#IPCC #Climatecrisis #CodeRed
