A Note to Readers

Burning fossil fuels in not the only reason for global warming; the burning conscience of humankind is responsible as well. It is not unknown that the unprecedented rise in the global temperature is largely a human-induced change. However, despite its serious consequences, the problem has been ignored for several decades now. Recently, people are becoming more vocal in expressing their concern about the said issue through various mediums including climate change documentary films. These films highlight seriousness of the situation and employ techniques that help to motivate viewers to take action instead of reacting passively. Climate change documentary films use dramatic narratives coupled with evocative imagery to appeal to pathos, educate people about environmental concerns and urge them to take action.

Global warming is the escalating temperature of Earth caused by the rising emission of greenhouse gases from activities such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation (United Nations, n.d.). The catastrophic changes such as declining glacier volumes, rising sea levels, and unpredictable weather patterns are among the few consequences that underline that the future humanity is heading towards is not bright at all. Thus, there in an urgent need to push people to save the planet and reduce the damage that they have done. Climate change documentary films can be very effective in addressing this and spurring action.

The primary audience for this project is university students because they comprise the youth of this world who actively participate in change, take a strong stance on many social issues and are avid watchers of documentary films. This topic is of direct concern for these students because they can work to ensure a better future for upcoming generations as well as avoid the mistakes of the past generations in handling the response to this problem.

In addition to university students, this project holds importance for every human being because global warming is not a concern for just one section of the society. It is a problem that all the people on this planet have contributed to.

Global warming has turned into a comfortable reality today. Looking after the environment occupies a very low position on the list of priorities. It is evident that something has to be done immediately because this problem is becoming worse every passing moment. In this dark reality, documentaries on climate change can catalyze the response to global warming.

Such films can be used an important tool to change the way people think about climate change, learn about the consequences of their action and realize what needs to be done before it is too late. The use of pathos by these films is very essential in imposing the urgency of the situation. This is an important research topic because it, most definitely, can produce the much-needed change and possibly, control the effects of climate change.

I have used the facts from the United Nations website to give some background information on global warming such as the temperature of the Earth will reach a high of 4.4° C and its effects include deteriorating marine life and melting ice sheets (United Nations, n.d.). For this section, I chose a picture of burning firewood by Garth (n.d.) because it represents the burning Earth. This picture perfectly paints the picture of the future we are heading towards.

Additionally, I decided to include “How dare you!” !"(United Nations, 2019, 0:28) from the environmental activist, Greta Thunberg’s speech to emphasize the gravity of the problem. This introductory section provides a perfect balance of appeal to logos and pathos which makes it impactful.

Next, I have provided evidence from four studies that support the idea the climate change documentaries produce behavioural changes in the audience. I decided to choose the picture of a camera surrounded by leaves captured by Benites (2021). This image is meant to represent documentaries and nature together. It is connected to the topic which is about climate change documentary films.

The inclusion of Griep & Reiner’s (2016) study, which shows that documentaries can be used to educate viewers about complex scientific phenomena and Lin’s (2013) experiment, which shows that such films produce a first-person effect, underpins the idea that the said-category of films influence the cognitive component of social behaviour. Similarly, Bondi et al.’s (2021) evidence for increased motivation after viewing these films demonstrates that these changes last for a long time. The last scholarly article I used was a study by Janpol & Dilts (2016) who found that documentaries can influence our decision to donate to charities. All these studies provide strong evidence that watching documentaries not only influence our thoughts but also how we act and what decisions we make.

For the next section, I have provided an in-depth analysis of the use of dramatic narratives and the involvement of audience by climate change documentaries. The image of opened books captured by Tomasso (2016), in my opinion, was suitable for the topic because of the link between books and storytelling. I wanted to convey the idea that documentary films are like books because they tell stories and are not merely just movies.

Here, my project is informed by the research by Banchero et al. (2020) and Mancus (2014). Banchero et al. (2020) mention a number of techniques including engaging storylines and visual rhetoric that can influence the viewers. This is directly related to the thesis and adds to the quality of the project. Additionally, the holistic analysis of An Inconvenient Truth by Mancus (2015) enhances the quality of the information. This analysis involves several examples from the said film about documentaries capitalize the idea of unhappy endings and assigning roles to the audience.

I included this section with the purpose of inspiring the readers to play the role of protagonists in the battle against climate change instead to limiting themselves to the comfort of remaining as side characters.

The next section is all about the use of vivid imagery by climate change documentaries to evoke guilt and fear. I have used the study by Bieniek et al. (2019) because it discusses several reasons for inactivity against climate change. It is crucial research because it supplies evidence that documentary films can be persuasive and can be used to fight this ignorance. The inclusion of the studies by the Ahn (2021) and Hammond & Breton (2014), who evaluated how these films create the feelings of apprehension about the future and personal loss, contributes to the viewpoint that visual rhetoric is important to appeal to pathos.

The image of the smiling balloon lying on the road by Dumlao (2018) is linked to the topic on emotional appeal. There exists a contrast between the happiness symbolized by the smiling balloon and the uneasy feeling created by the black road. This image is symbolic of how climate change documentaries simultaneously present themes of hope and hopelessness. The last section is also based on a similar theme.

In the last section, I discuss what can be learned from these documentaries and what can be done to tackle climate change at the individual and community levels. This discussion is supplemented by a picture depicting protest against global warming, captured by Spiske (2019). The photograph embodies the theme hope and tribulation. Not only it reminds humanity of its reckless actions but also uses this reminder to reinforce their fighting spirit. I included this image because I wanted to instill a sense of hope in the readers while reminding them that there is still a long way to go.

Global warming is the damage that cannot be undone and can only be controlled. It is essential to mobilize people to build a better future and spur action. In the age of digital media, climate change documentary films can be relied upon for this purpose. By active involvement of the audience and influencing their ideas about the future, these films emotionally appeal to the viewers and can function as effective means to spread awareness about environmental concerns. They can change the future of this planet and particularly, appeal to the youth of this world to bring change.