Life on Our Planet takes viewers on a 4-billion-year journey, chronicling the extraordinary story of life’s evolution from its miraculous beginnings to the vibrant world we inhabit today. As narrator Morgan Freeman explains in the series, “So far, Earth has endured five apocalyptic extinction events, wiping out three quarters of all life,” resulting in the world as we know it today. And while the impact of a mass extinction has not been felt for 66 million years, experts believe a sixth extinction event is already here.
As filmmakers, our goal was to use compelling visuals to help viewers step into these various epochs, and experience what it’s like for species on the brink of extinction. We wanted viewers to also understand that we’re in the middle of a sixth extinction, caused not by asteroids or volcanic eruptions but by us, humans. Our rising carbon emissions coupled with the ecological damage we’ve caused to the natural world have endangered countless species on this planet — including our own.
Despite this forecast, there remains hope. We are the first species in the 4-billion-year story of life to understand what is happening to our world. We are also the first species to understand what is needed to put it right. How we act now matters. We have a short window of time in which we can make changes and repair that devastation. If you are one of the many Life on Our Planet viewers motivated to reverse the sixth mass extinction, we invite you to learn more about impactful steps you can take today. Leading experts Dr. Leah Stokes, Dr. Jonathan Foley, and Dr. Marshall Shepherd share actions we can take to help tackle climate change, one of the leading threats to life on Earth.
Whether you’re a homeowner or renter, you can upgrade your fossil-fuel appliances to modern, reliable electric machines like pollution-free induction stoves or heat pumps. Use this tool to explore incentives for electric upgrades to your home. (And visit these sites if you’re in Canada, the UK, or Australia.)
You might be surprised to learn that every job can be a climate job. Wherever you work, you can encourage your employer to reduce their impact on the climate. Project Drawdown’s Climate Solutions at Work is a great place to start!
You can maximize your impact by working with the growing number of people who, in different ways, are taking action to find solutions to reduce carbon emissions. Find a group by searching for keywords (e.g. “climate action group”) and the location you live in.
If you find these tips helpful, share them with others. As climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe says, talking about climate change with family and friends is the single biggest way to inspire them to act too.
If you want to explore more movies and shows about our planet, head to our Sustainability Stories collection.
