[Environmental Story in Media] Before the Flood

 

Today, we would like to introduce a superstar in the film industry and brings positive influence. It is Leonardo DiCaprio(Leo), one of the most attractive actors in the world. He had been nominated 6 times before finally winning the Best Actor for the 88^th Academy Awards well-known as Oscar in 2016. At that time, his acceptance speech got global attention as it focused on the concerns of climate change.

   

“Climate change is real. (…) And we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. Let us not take this planet for granted.”

To be honest, the combination of Leo and the environment doesn’t seem to suit well. His interest in the environment went back to the time when he was filming the movie <Beach> which came out in 2000. Leo was starring in the movie. At that time, the film crew and Leo were severely criticized for destroying beaches and forests for visual effects. Since then, he started to pay attention to environmental issues and became an enthusiastic environmental advocate, getting more involved in the field.

 

<Before the Flood>, A Nonfiction Film from the Eye of a Representative of a Fiction Film

Leo organized an environmental protection organization and has been supporting various projects which are related to global warming, renewable energy, and conservation of endangered animals. As an experienced man in the field, he also produces documentary films about the environment, and <Before the Food>(2016) is one of them. In the movie, he visited many places in the world, showing the consequences of climate change explicitly. 

     

Among them, Kiribati, a small island in Oceania, was in a serious situation. When it was filming, most of the land already started sinking under the water due to sea-level rise that every citizen needed to prepare for immigration. Palau, a neighboring country, was also facing a similar problem. These two countries may sound unfamiliar and strange to us. However, we need to realize that the pain they have been suffering is a consequence of the indiscreet development and consumption of advanced countries including us.

Tommy E. Remengesau Jr., the president of Palau when filming, left a scathing remark to us. “The small island nations who contribute the least to the causes of climate change are actually going to feel the worst impacts, the worst scenario because of global warming.”

The whole film shows how the world became devastated due to environmental pollution. Yet, it ends with the potential that there is room to improve the situation by our strong will and effort. The Paris Agreement in 2015 was one of the solutions. Replacing Kyoto Protocol in 1997, it focused on every member country’s responsibility to reduce the emission of GHG since 2020 while the previous one relying on the lead of advanced countries only. Leonardo delivered a passionate speech on the day the Paris Agreement was signed and the movie ends with a significant catchphrase, ‘IT IS UP TO ALL OF US’.

5 Years After <Before the Floor>, Assignment Left on Us

Then, how about today, 5 years after the movie being released? 

Unfortunately, global warming is still going on. The world is suffering from abnormal heat waves, heavy rains and snows and Leonardo DiCaprio continues working on alerting people around the world how dangerous global warming can be.

What about the Paris Agreement which was called to be a solution for global warming? In fact, there was great controversy over the previous president of the US, Donald Trump, withdrew the Paris Agreement right after his accession. If you think about that it was the U.S. that initially designed the Paris Agreement, it is rather tragicomic. Although Joe Biden returned the U.S. to the Paris deal, it is clear that the environmental issue should not be used as a strategy for anyone’s political or economic benefit. 

                     

After all, it asks for everyone’s participation including individuals, families, companies, and other communities so as to resolve the fundamental cause of global warming. Wouldn’t do the catchphrase in a movie, ‘IT IS UP TO ALL OF US’, mean?

Now, how about finding small things that we can practice in our daily life? We may choose poultry instead of beef which contributes a lot to carbon emission, purchase items without palm oil, or reduce plastic consumption. As the title of the movie <Before the Flood> indicates, we hope our effort could bear fruit it is too late.