The Breakdown with Waterbear Network

5-part explainer series breaking down the climate crisis: how we got here, where we are headed, and what humanity can do to make a difference.

About the project

How did we get here? Where are we headed?
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Presented by Jack Harries, The Breakdown is a WaterBear Network commission exploring the most urgent crisis of our time. From climate misinformation and fossil fuel company cover-ups, to climate justice and solutions, The Breakdown unpacks climate change in a disarmingly relatable way. In the series we hear from climate thought-leaders and experts including Christiana Figueres, David Wallace-Wells, Fatima Ibrahim and Mary Heglar.

Waterbear Network are an innovative platform that allows you to watch content about the future of our planet and take direct action.

Client

Services

Series Development

Film Production

Script Writing

Graphic + Motion Design

Social + Digital Impact Campaign

Event Screening

The Project in Numbers

episodes

75,000

likes on the Instagram social + digital impact campaign

318,000

views on YouTube

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The Breakdown Trailer

Challenge

At Earthrise we get asked the same questions again and again by our audience: How did we get here? And more importantly, how can we as individuals take action?

Complicated by complex graphs and data, scientists have failed to tell the story of climate properly. The Breakdown aimed to unpack climate change in an accessible, engaging and empowering way.

Solution

Challenged to make the entire production remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, we experimented with a dynamic graphic design language and relatable tone of voice to deliver 5 episodes breaking down some of climate’s most complex questions.

In the series we hear from climate thought-leaders and experts including Costa Rican diplomat Christiana Figueres, author of An Uninhabitable Earth David Wallace-Wells, Green New Deal Rising’s Fatima Ibrahim and climate journalist Mary Heglar.

We worked closely with a team of incredible freelancers and the creative brains at Studio11 to bring this series to life.

Episode 1: How We Got Here

Climate Catastrophe - How did we get here?!

In Episode 1, we kick off the series with a big picture look at the history of our planet. We start by looking back at the last 10,000 years of climate stability and explore how the discovery of ancient fossil fuels changed the course of humanity as we know it.

Episode 2: 50 Years Of Lies and Misinformation

Fossil Fuel Companies Have Been Lying To You

Fossil fuel companies have been lying to us. They’ve known about climate change for decades, and have buried the science in an effort to continue business as usual.

Episode 3: Nine Years Left To Avoid Climate Breakdown

Why we have less than 9 years left to avoid climate breakdown!

We take a look back at all the COPs of the past, the crucial turning points of the Paris climate agreement, and the 2018 IPCC report in order to understand why COP 26 this year in Glasgow is so important in our attempts to limit temperature rise.

Episode 4: An Unequal World

Climate Justice Is Social Justice

Episode four of The Breakdown looks at the intersection between racism and climate change, highlighting how climate change is first and foremost a social justice issue. Looking forward the episode explores the role of the Green New Deal as part of a just and fair transition.

Episode 5: What You Can Do

What YOU can do about climate change

In the final episode of The Breakdown, we explore climate solutions, looking at the difference between individual and systemic change and ultimately why we must all join the climate movement!

Impact

The Breakdown became one of WaterBear Network’s most watched shows.

The show was also viewed over 300,000 times on YouTube by the Earthrise audience. The supporting social impact campaign was liked by 75,000 people and included explainer content, cut-downs of the full show, quotes and behind-the-scenes content. To celebrate the shows launch, Earthrise hosted a screening at Screen on the Green for friends and collaborators with a panel from the series contributor Fatima Ibrahim hosted by Alice Aedy.

We think one of our YouTube comments says it best: “The design of this series is stunning, and it delivers the often frightening topic of climate change in an easily digestible and inviting way that leaves me feeling empowered and inspired to learn and do more.”