As a result of our destructive human activity, issues such as deforestation, wildfires, species extinction, melting ice caps, and dying coral reefs are threatening the existence of our planet as we know it (Winkelman, 2020). Climate change is a global issue that is extremely prevalent in today’s society and it is suggested by many professionals that drastic measures must be taken in order to avoid the possible devastating effects (Hardy, 2006). Educating society about the dangers of climate change is essential, yet researchers have argued that it is hard to encourage change when people can’t physically see the true consequences of their actions (Fauville and Queiroz, et al, 2020). The new virtual reality (VR) documentary experience ‘A True Life On Our Planet’ aims to solve exactly this issue, by physically and emotionally immersing the user in the environments that they would not otherwise have access to.
Join Sir David Attenborough as you become fully immersed in the exploration of three different magical places on earth, in an engaging and educational experience that aims to raise awareness of the seriousness of climate change. ‘A True Life On Our Planet’ uses a VR headset to instantly transport the user to the rainforest, the ice caps, or the bottom of the ocean where they will receive a full documentary narration by David Attenborough (in partnership with Netflix). After selecting one of the three narratives, the user is presented with a 360° display of a flourishing healthy environment. However, as the user slowly ‘walks’ through the chosen environment, they start to move forward in time and the devastating effects of global warming start to become more and more visible. Eventually, the user is faced with the true future consequences of climate change including the extreme loss of habitats, plants, and animals. The juxtaposition of these presentations is designed to shock the user and encourage them to take action before it’s too late.