Released in 2016, the documentary "Before the Flood", presented by National Geographic and directed by Fisher Stevens, as well as produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, tells the real story of the story of our current ecological catastrophe. The film and its message are aimed at those who are already environmentally aware or those who are trying to educate themselves. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The subject of Before the Flood addresses the realities we face regarding climate change and how/if the effects can be reversed. The film follows Leonardo DiCaprio on a three-year journey across the globe to come face to face with the changing Earth. DiCaprio meets with many influential scientists, politicians and lobbyists to discuss their individual views on issues related to climate change, as well as their opinions on what can be done. The film was shot over three years and details DiCaprio's visits to five continents as well as the Arctic. The documentary spends much of its hour-and-a-half running time talking about issues surrounding global change. From the Paris Agreement to the coal tax, including the anti-climate change lobby. The film was financed by Leonardo DiCaprio himself, which shows that he cares a lot about this issue. One of the first issues addressed by the film is that of the tar sands. The consequences of the tar sands are terrifying, wreaking havoc on local ecosystems and producing massive amounts of greenhouse gases. In the book Tar Sands: Dirty Oil and the Future of a Continent, the author states that a proposed tar sand mine expansion would effectively destroy 31,000 acres of forest and also destroy 170 acres of fish habitat along the Muskeg River. would also drain hundreds of thousands of gallons of fresh water. (Nikiforuk) Another major issue addressed by DiCaprio is the massive destruction of coral reefs. As the film shows, more than a billion people rely on fishing around coral reefs for their livelihoods. The film also claims that the destruction of these reefs is due to massive carbon emissions from the ocean. In the National Moasting and Ocean Service's journal Centennials, it is noted that rising ocean temperatures have been cited as the primary cause of mass coral bleaching. It is stated that mortality from coral bleaching can occur as a result of prolonged exposure to heat, leading to loss of reef habitats and structures. (Spillman) Another main point of the film is the massive deforestation happening in Indonesia. The film details how massive ancient rainforests act as a kind of carbon sponge, but when they are cleared to make way for palm oil plantations, they release huge concentrations of carbon into the atmosphere. In a recent study on palm oil production, it was reported that "the amount of carbon released when a single hectare of forest is cleared to grow oil palm trees is roughly equivalent to the amount of carbon produced by 530 people traveling from Geneva to New York in economy class” (Phys). The aim of the film is to raise awareness of the current state of our earth by depicting what has already begun (i.e. melting polar ice, deforestation in Indonesia). The message the director was trying to convey is that climate change is happening on a large scale and humanity must confront this event head on..