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GRETA THUNBERG: A YEAR TO CHANGE THE WORLD

Greta Thunberg beside the Bełchatów coal power station in Poland. The largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions in the European Union.
Courtesy of Jon Sayers copyright of BBC Studios
Greta Thunberg beside the Bełchatów coal power station in Poland. The largest single source of carbon dioxide emissions in the European Union.

Encore Sunday, Feb. 20, 2022 from Noon - 3 p.m. on KPBS TV

Greta Thunberg is on a mission to save the world. She is asking every one of us to act and to mobilize in order to slow down the growing climate change that is destroying our planet and threatens our way of life. The message is clear, and scientists agree—we need to keep global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees in order to give our species the best possible chance of avoiding a catastrophic future.

This revealing series follows Greta as she steps from behind the podium and onto the front lines. Over the course of the three episodes, Greta explores the science as she travels to extraordinary locations across the globe, meeting leading climate scientists, witnessing first hand the consequences of climate change and confronting the complexity of what is required to make change happen.

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GRETA THUNBERG: A YEAR TO CHANGE THE WORLD: Extended Preview

She travels from the burning tar sands of the Canadian oil industry to the coal mines of Europe and the melting glaciers of the U.S. — places where the impact of a changing climate is glaringly obvious, both for the planet and for the inevitable human costs — making clear the reasons why scientists call for action to be taken.

The series also hears from a range of academics, economists and experts, further exploring the climate change science Greta encounters on the ground. In the fall of 2019, then-16-year-old Greta took a year off from school to embark on an international mission to spread her message: that we must act to drastically reduce our carbon emissions — immediately.

Greta and Svante's Atlantic Crossing

The world was transfixed as this teenager spoke with directness and clarity to power, from diplomats at the United Nations to the world’s economic elite at Davos. However, just as her journey was gaining serious momentum, a new threat emerged, and everything became uncertain.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought the world to a terrifying standstill when the global economy, modern society and Greta’s journey all came to a halt. However, as days turned to months and people around the world were confined to their homes, an unintended consequence of the pandemic resulted in the ongoing global shutdown, revealing how much we can lessen our impact on the planet if we radically change our behavior.

Greta Thunberg with sign close up in Stockholm.
Courtesy of Banfa Jawla copyright of BBC Studios
Greta Thunberg with sign close up in Stockholm.

EPISODE GUIDE:

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Episode 1 Encore Sunday, Feb. 20 at Noon on KPBS TV - Follow Greta as she sees impacts of climate change at three locations: melting glaciers and dying trees in Canada, and fire devastation in California. When a UN conference moves to Madrid, she sails across the ocean during life-threatening storms.

Athabasca Glacier

Episode 2 Encore Sunday, Feb. 20 at 1 p.m. on KPBS TV - Follow Greta's journey from the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to Poland, where she speaks with miners who have lost their jobs. She also visits the UK, where she meets with one of her inspirations - Sir David Attenborough.

Reindeer Face Starvation

Episode 3 Encore Sunday, Feb. 20 at 2 p.m. on KPBS TV - Join Greta in Switzerland and Denmark to investigate potential solutions to limit climate change. She also explores how everyone can play a role, from what we eat to what we wear. Finally, she looks for lessons from the world's response to COVID-19.

COVID-19's Impact on Climate

Watch On Your Schedule:

This series is available on demand with KPBS Passport, a benefit for members supporting KPBS at $60 or more yearly, using your computer, smartphone, tablet, Roku, AppleTV, Amazon Fire or Chromecast. Learn how to activate your benefit now.

With the PBS Video App, you can watch your favorite and local station shows. Download it for free on your favorite device. The app allows you to catch up on recent episodes and discover award-winning shows.

Credits:

A BBC Studios Science Unit production in association with B-Reel Films and co-produced with the BBC for PBS. Rob Liddell and Helen Thomas are executive producers. Executive in charge for PBS is Bill Gardner.