Thread by @ThierryAaron

I recently watched #BreakingBoundaries on @Netflix and have rather mixed views about it. Here is a short🧵on what I perceived were some of its pros and cons…

First the pros. It is one of the few environmental documentaries that sets out to cover the full breadth of the #EcologicalCrisis we are in. Climate is properly placed as just one of the many extremely serious threats we face from environmental degradation.

This film therefore makes it clear that the question of sustainability is far FAR larger than simply about how we can reduce carbon emissions to net-zero.

Next, the film excelled in conveying both the *urgency & scale* of the environmental threats. Particularly in how it discussed the need to avoid triggering tipping points in the earth system. A topic that needs far more public attention.
nature.com/articles/d4158…

Consequently, the film made it abundantly clear that this is a crisis that is here and now and in need of immediate and drastic action.

Thirdly, the film is noteworthy in how it highlighted the emotions. Rather than simply sober talking heads, the scientists interviewed were shown as clearly deeply angry, scared, frustrated & grieving. This communicated powerfully to the audience:

https://twitter.com/GuardianAus/status/1400691280909193221

Now the cons. The film spent 60 minutes of describing the scientific details of the overlapping environmental crises, and only about 15 minutes of “solutions”; 80:20. The end felt tagged on. Not a good balance in my view.

There was limited effort to link environmental impacts to their social consequences. We were explicitly shown at length the changes to the biosphere, but not what that meant for people, their livelihoods & communities.

@YEARSofLIVING is an example where this has been done well.

"Everybody thinks that climate change is about melting glaciers and polar bears, I think it is a big mistake this is 100% a people story":

Even less effort was made to highlight the injustice of these impacts. The film hardly at all confronted with the suffering being inflicted here and now upon the “wretched of the earth” (Fanon). Instead “humanity” was undifferentiated and treated en-masse.

If I were being generous, I would say the filmmakers were exercising a form of psychological distancing – we are shown scientists weeping over destroyed habitats, but not the fate of the human communities who depend on those habitats.

I’m afraid though that it should be noted that Attenborough and the filmmakers have form in obscuring such voices, as clearly explained by @jerrinetanew:

lareviewofbooks.org/article/watchi…

Finally, these were the solutions the audience were offered: “Simple things like…
- Choosing renewable energy 🌞
- Eating healthy food 🍃
- Planting more trees 🌳
- Saying no to waste ♻️ “

*That's it !* 😱😖

https://twitter.com/NetflixUK/status/1400746583969480704

There is zero analysis of the root drivers of the problem and zero discussion of what could deliver an effective political solution to the global crises we face. Instead we’re only offered platitudes and wishful thinking.

Again this is something politically conscious environmentalists such as @GeorgeMonbiot have had to call Attenborough and such films out on before…
theguardian.com/commentisfree/…

In sum, we’re left with an ostensibly ‘apolitical’ technocratic vision presented by a wealthy scientific elite. Which problematically naturalises the crisis as due to ‘humanities footprint’, thus failing to shed light on the extractivist mechanisms of racial capitalism at work

It’s a view that imagines 'political will' shall manifest merely from the clear presentation of evidence – thereby conveniently side-stepping any political struggle or the need to organise counter-power capable of challenging the status quo.

https://twitter.com/JKSteinberger/status/1351884137788035074

So the scientists keep trying to win the ear of policy makers – seemingly imagining it is themselves who should dictate 'scientifically' what must be done… if only everyone would do as they're told!

A form of ‘cockpit-ism’ woven throughout the film.
mdpi.com/2071-1050/7/2/…

Thus, we get repeated & ever more urgent warnings given by ever more frustrated scientists, which then continue to be ignored by political systems captured by powerful vested interests.

e.g. As exposed by the work of social scientists such as @RBrulle
elgaronline.com/view/edcoll/97…

I hope that scientists (and filmmakers!) begin to deeply reflect on why we have so far failed to act & redirect their efforts so as to share their expert knowledge with social movements seeking a democratic path forward. /End

https://twitter.com/CharlieJGardner/status/1399319655844569090