Climate Change Related VR videos and Background Information

There is a rapid growth of interactive virtual reality (VR) videos being created about climate change related issues around the world. These VR videos can serve as an empathy-building communications tool to increase awareness of climate change-related issues and the urgent need for action.   Given below is a summary of information including associated links:

A. Existing Climate Change related VR videos and background information:

Given below are some existing VR simulations relating to climate change:

  1. CNN’s 360 Video Initiative on Arctic Melt
  2. With.in – Extraordinary Stories in Virtual Reality
  3. Visit CSAN’s video gallery & click: Climate VR & Related button
  4. The Crystal Reef | 360-Degree VR Experience
  5. Greenland, where Climate Change meets the eye: A 360 VR experience
  6. Climate Change in Fiji in VR: ‘Our Home, Our People’
  7. Arctic 360° | Guardian VR
  8. Antarctica: 360° Virtual Reality Experience
  9. Antarctica in Decline (2017) – Documentary & Video game
  10. Navigate the glaciers, volcanoes and terrain of Iceland

B. Links to VR project websites and apps such as:

  1. United Nations Virtual Reality
  2. Understanding Climate Change through Virtual Reality
  3. VR for Impact
  4. iPhone App: Share the Science: Climate Change VR 4+
  5. Google Play App: Climate Access Look Ahead SF

C.  Some Ways of Viewing VR:

The options for viewing VR videos has increased substantially.  Some examples are shown below:

  1. Visit a VR Arcade such as the House of VR in Toronto.
  2. Visit a public library with VR equipment such as Toronto Public Library’s six Digital Innovation Hubs, which are located in these library branches: Agincourt, Albion, Downsview, Fort York, Scarborough Civic Centre and Toronto Reference Library.
  3. Visit a Microsoft Store Location such as the one at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto.
  4. Purchase a VR Viewer such as the $50 Gear VR and the $10 Google Cardboard and insert an appropriate smart phone in it such as the Samsung S7 phone.  You can also purchase VR headsets for iPhones.
  5. Rent VR headsets from companies such as LumiereVR, which can also help you host VR related events at a location of your choosing.

In addition, VR videos can be viewed in a basic way on most internet browsers via YouTube.   For example, visit Antarctica: 360° Virtual Reality Experience, and then use your mouse or trackpad to rotate the camera angle while the video is playing.

D. Some Ways of Editing VR:

  1. Free 360 Video Editing Software: DaVinci Resolve  Video about DaVinci Resolve: LINK.
  2. Video about Best 360 Video Editing Software for Mac and PC (Commercial software).
  3. Video about How to Edit 360 Video.

E.  Some initiatives to create more VR content about about climate change:

There are many initiatives underway to generate more 360-style VR video content about climate change issues.  Given below are a few of them:

  1. Uniting 4 Climate 360 Video Pitch Competition
  2. Lookout 360 – A 6-month Climate Change Immersive Story Accelerator