The new and the older generations get excited about technological advances. However, how truly informed are we about the impact on our environment on a global scale? EVs and electric cargo aircraft are great but we seldom spend any time pondering the long-term implications of these technologies.

The good news is that people are becoming more aware and willing to change. In this course of events, it is imperative that we understand the very real effects of climate change – a phenomenon that has been set in motion by us.  

As countries, environmentalists, and climate change activists gear up for the upcoming 27th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP27), we have rounded up a few documentaries you can watch to better understand what is happening to our planet. Not only do they make for good streaming time, they are also sure to bring you up to date on the issues that nations will and should address at the upcoming conference. 

Nuclear

The world is finally being forced to address the dominance of huge oil firms and the strategies they have used to benefit a tiny group of corporations and individuals for generations as fossil fuels continue to warm the globe. Director Oliver Stone, through his documentary film Nuclear, explores the potential for the world community to overcome obstacles like climate change and reach a brighter future through the power of nuclear energy with unprecedented access to the nuclear industries in France, Russia, and the United States. As this documentary premiered at the Venice Film Festival on September 9, it isn’t available on online streaming platforms yet. But, be sure to add this to your watchlist.

Seaspiracy

A shocking Netflix documentary film about the environmental impact of fishing, Seaspiracy examines multiple instances of human impact on marine life and advocates for ending fish consumption. With a passion for marine life, the filmmaker discovers shocking global corruption on his voyage to chronicle the harm people cause to aquatic species. 

Extinction: The Facts

The world is inching towards the sixth mass extinction caused by human activity like deforestation, poaching, and overfishing, not to mention – climate change. The David Attenborough-narrated documentary, Extinction: The Facts, explores how one million species are being driven to extinction by human activity and development and how biodiversity is related to epidemics like Ebola. Watch this documentary on Prime Video. 

Just Eat It

Jenny and Grant, filmmakers and food enthusiasts, explore food waste concerns from the farm through the grocery store to their own refrigerator and freezer. They commit to giving up grocery shopping and only eating food that has been wasted. The movie challenges viewers to reconsider their connection with and perception of food. Just Eat It will get you to think twice about avoiding ‘ugly’ produce at the grocery store and throwing food away every time you dine out. You can buy or rent this documentary here.

2040

If you want something less bleak, 2040 is a surprisingly upbeat pick. Instead of dwelling on how pressing our concerns are, this solution-oriented documentary looks for innovative approaches to the crises caused by climate change. It focuses on technological innovations that, according to academics and ecological specialists, could potentially change the course of events by 2040. The adoption of renewable energy sources like rooftop solar, the transition to regenerative farming methods, and the varied ways seaweeds are used to support food security are some ways to build a sustainable future. Not available on streaming platforms in the Middle East, this is yet another documentary to add to your watchlist.