New Leonardo DiCaprio Documentary Addresses The Effects Of Climate Change

Leonardo DiCaprio continues to use his status as one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors to spotlight global warming and lobby for change. In his latest project, DiCaprio addresses the effects of climate change in a documentary titled Before the Flood.

The documentary follows DiCaprio as he travels to different parts of the world (China, the Arctic Circle and Sumatra to name a few) and talks to the likes of President Barack Obama and Pope Francis.

Working in collaboration with director Fisher Stevens, executive producer Martin Scorsese, and others, DiCaprio revealed the project at the Toronto Film Festival in early September. Following its screening at the White House on Monday, Before the Flood debuts on the National Geographic Channel on October 21.

For his part, DiCaprio isn’t new to the fight against global warming. Since being taught the effects of climate change by Al Gore in his 20s, the actor has been an outspoken figure in the movement for change. DiCaprio was even designated a U.N. Messenger of Peace in 2014 to help spread awareness.

Perhaps his most memorable moment involving climate change came after he won an Oscar for his performance in The Revenant. As a preface to his comments on global warming, DiCaprio talked about the movie’s relationship between man and the environment and how the production crew had to relocate to remote parts of the world just to find snow.

“Climate change is real. It is happening right now. It is the most urgent threat facing our entire species and we need to work collectively together and stop procrastinating. We need to support leaders around the world who do not speak for the big polluters or the big corporations, but who speak for all of humanity, for the indigenous people of the world, for the billions and billions of underprivileged people who will be most affected by this. For our children’s children and for those people out there whose voices have been drowned out by the politics of greed. I thank you all for this amazing award tonight. Let us not take this planet for granted. I do not take tonight for granted. Thank you so very much.”

Coincidentally, DiCaprio’s latest plea for change comes on the heels of a major environmental announcement. In late September, the Scripps Institute of Oceanography announced that Earth’s carbon dioxide levels passed 400 parts per million, a figure that scientists say makes global warming irreversible.

While mundane figures don’t typically elicit a strong emotional response from the general public, perhaps someone with the starpower of Leonardo DiCaprio can do just that.