You probably remember watching these videos – and then grabbed your friends, grandma, and random acquaintance and made them also watch. These are the videos that inspired us the most this year – films of incredible people and communities standing up for the climate.
1. The People’s Climate March
It’s hard to capture just how powerful, diverse, and momentous the People’s Climate March was — but this wrap-up video still gives me goosebumps every time I watch it.
Also to watch:
Into the Streets by Meerkat Media Collective
And want to see the strength of the indigenous communities at the march? Watch Idle No More at the Peoples Climate March in New York.
2. Disruption
We can’t forget the incredible full length film Disruption that clearly laid out why the People’s Climate March was so necessary. With over 1200 screenings in 50 countries, Disruption was a clear and powerful film that helped inform and engage many new climate activists.
Watch the trailer below. You can still view the full film online at watchdisruption.com
3. Canoes Vs Coal
Pacific Islanders having a showdown with the world’s largest coal port in Australia – this was undoubtedly one of the most powerful actions this year. This video makes us all want to stand with the Pacific Climate Warriors.
4. Marshallese poet Kathy Jetnil-Kijiner at the UN Climate Summit
“Dear Matafele Peinem” made us all cry – everyone from the toughest world leader to the youngest climate activist. The poem she wrote for her young son, and then read at the UN in September, hit at the intense reality of climate impacts happening right NOW in the Pacific. This is one of the most powerful examples of a mother fighting tool and nail to build a better world for her son.
You can also watch the footage of her delivering this on the floor of the UN
5. Reject and Protect
On April 22nd, 2014, the Cowboy Indian Alliance rode into Washington, DC, set up eight tipis on the National Mall, blessed the encampment, and settled in for a week of resistance and protest against the Keystone XL pipeline.
6. Healing Walk 2014
Over the last 5 years, hundreds of people from around the world have gathered with First Nations leadership to walk, pray and heal in the traditional territories most devastated by the Alberta Oilsands production.
Also to watch: “From Kitimat to Kanehsatake, We Will Defend Our Sacred Water”
7. Divestment Flashmob in Sweden
One of the most beautiful divestment actions. A cold Saturday evening, the Saturday before Advent, environmentalists gathered at Sergels Torg in Stockholm, Sweden. The dancers carried white umbrellas – whilst dancing they fluttered round & round, up & down, back & forward like a clear waterfall in the dark.From all sides the crowd closed in upon the dancers with black umbrellas, closed in around them like a dark sea. Until there was no white light left to be seen… Until the white umbrellas dove out from below and aimed their spotlights toward our demand: DIVESTERA
There was a lot of creativity from Europe’s divestment movement this year – check out Oxford University Fossil Free carbon bubble video.
And this great video from Fossil Free Netherlands
Other Awesome Videos from 2014:
- We can’t talk about climate change videos in 2014 without bringing up the TV series Years of Living Dangerously.
- People’s Climate March in Lima, Peru during the UN Climate Talks
- Climate Walk in the Philippines
- Global Power Shift report back – Phase 2. And check out other Global Power Shift videos here.
- Human Chain in Europe against Coal
- 350 Africa’s We Lead You concert in Johannesburg
- Keystone XL Occupation & Arrests West Coast 3 Mar 2014
- All these from the Kinder Morgan action on Burnaby Mountain
- Not really a grassroots action, but we really loved the comedian Jon Oliver’s segment on a mathematically representative climate change debate
- On another funny note – Australian Youth Climate Coalition’s video “Sh*t the Coal Lobby Says”