Film: 2040

About the film

2040 is a documentary created by Damon Gameau. The title points to the year when his daughter, Velvet, will turn 21. The film is a visual letter from a father to his child, imagining the world she could inherit if we put today’s most effective climate solutions into action.

In the future society that the film envisions, we have begun to tackle several major environmental challenges. Regenerative farming restores soil health, and large-scale seaweed cultivation helps capture carbon from the atmosphere. Self-driving vehicles reduce emissions from transportation, while local communities track and optimise their energy use. The documentary also highlights social strategies, such as expanding access to education for girls, and it shows how these efforts can strengthen sustainability on a global scale.

Rather than concentrating on what is broken in our current systems, 2040 focuses on the solutions that are possible to achieve, such as technologies and practices that exist today or have real potential to curb climate change within the next two decades. The film explores themes such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, marine permaculture, and social empowerment, especially efforts that support women and girls.

Pre-viewing activities

Task 1

Write a short text answering this question. Discuss your answers in class.

Task 2

Discuss in small groups:

• Make a list of today’s major environmental challenges.

• Identify any solutions to these challenges that you already know about.

Share your ideas with the class. Work together to create a class mind map.