Before the Flood: Documentary Analysis on Climate Change and Solutions

This report analyzes the documentary 'Before the Flood,' focusing on the key arguments presented about climate change and global warming. The documentary highlights the impact of human activities, such as the consumption of beef and the use of palm oil, on the environment. The report also discusses the film's call to action, including the need for individual responsibility and collective action from world leaders to address climate change. The analysis examines the film's depiction of environmental degradation, such as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and rising sea levels, as well as the proposed solutions. The report also references the impact of DiCaprio's actions and engagement with world leaders like Obama and Pope Francis, and provides a bibliography of sources used in the analysis. The report aims to understand the film's message about climate change and its solutions.

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BEFORE THE FLOOD
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The documentary, "Before the Flood" is raising an alarm on global warming by Leonardo
DiCaprio. It urges viewers that climate change is a problem that all people should heed.
Furthermore, DiCaprio's globe-traversing in countries like China and India reveal that
corporations and politicians have vested interests which affect the fight on global warming since
these groups have a lot of influence people's daily activities. In particular, DiCaprio highlights
Greenland's melting ice that shows a change in color of its terrain which absorbs heat instead of
reflecting it1. As such, it has become a heat creator instead of a reflector2. Another example is
Miami Beach, which is struggling to raise the road network to overcome rising ocean waters.
Moreover, the documentary calls for people to change their behaviors by avoiding
activities that promote global warming such as keeping cattle. The film details specific things
people should do to mitigate environmental damage. For example, recommending carnivores to
eat less beef and more chicken since raising cattle damages the environment by releasing more
methane gas into the atmosphere compared to raising chicken. Through the documentary, people
are urged to avoid buying palm oil products since their production degrades rain forests which
eventually contribute to global warming. DiCaprio acts an example by taking voluntary carbon
tax as a strategy to sensitize people that whenever they pollute the environment, then they should
be liable for it. Consequently, DiCaprio engages world leaders like Obama, Pope Francis to show
that global warming requires a collective responsibility from leaders to show commitment to the
course of saving our environment.
Bibliography
1 DiCaprio, Leonardo. “Before the Flood.” Appian Way Productions. (2016)
2 Ridley, Jeff K., Philippe Huybrechts, JM U. Gregory, and J. A. Lowe. "Elimination of the
Greenland ice sheet in a high CO2 climate." Journal of Climate 18, no. 17 (2005): 3409- 3427.

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DiCaprio, Leonardo. “Before the Flood.” Appian Way Productions. (2016).
Ridley, Jeff K., Philippe Huybrechts, JM U. Gregory, and J. A. Lowe. "Elimination of the
Greenland ice sheet in a high CO2 climate." Journal of Climate 18, no. 17 (2005): 3409-
3427..
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