Vice President Kamala Harris Joins discovery+ and NowThis Earth Day Climate Special, “Action Planet: Meeting the Climate Challenge” [VIDEO]

On Earth Day 2021, discovery+, the definitive non-fiction subscription streaming service, and NowThis, the #1 most-watched mobile news brand globally [Tubular Labs, June 2020], will release Action Planet: Meeting The Climate Challenge, a one-hour special focused on informing audiences about the broader challenges of the climate crisis and examining its multidimensional impact. The magazine-style special will feature a one-on-one interview with Vice President Kamala Harris and NowThis host and correspondent Zinhle Essamuah. Also interviewed are Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, Secretary of State Antony Blinken, White House National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy, Dr. Anthony Fauci, and a host of scientific experts, business leaders, government leaders, and individuals impacted by the climate crisis.

The special will premiere on Earth Day, Thursday, April 22, across Discovery’s streaming service discovery+, and will then broadcast in primetime that evening on OWN at 9pm EST, Discovery at 10pm EST, and at 11pm EST on Science Channel. It will also premiere on NowThis’ TikTok, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook channels at 8PM ET.

“This special continues Discovery’s commitment to protecting our planet and shedding light on the incredible efforts to help combat the ongoing climate crisis,” said Scott Lewers, Executive Vice President of Multiplatform Programming, Factual & Head of Content, Science. “With the powerful reach of discovery+, our partners at NowThis as well as Discovery, Science Channel, and OWN, we have the ability to share this timely message with viewers on multiple platforms across the country and around the world. We’re thrilled by the deep access of this special to the leading scientists, decision-makers, and top government officials who are shaping environmental policy.”

“NowThis is thrilled to deepen its partnership with Discovery and bring this important and timely climate special to two large and distinct audiences across the country,” said NowThis President Athan Stephanopoulos. “With Earth Day providing renewed attention to the urgency of the issue, NowThis has brought together an unprecedented group of scientists, academics, climate leaders, business executives and members of the Biden-Harris Administration – along with everyday Americans who have been personally impacted by the climate crisis – to illuminate how climate change impacts various parts our lives and the importance of immediate action.”

The special, executive produced by Siobhan Walshe, will focus on the climate crisis’ impact on public health, environmental justice, jobs and infrastructure, and national security, concluding with an interview with Vice President Harris.

Public Health

· Dr. Deborah J. White, Vice-Chair for The Department of Emergency Medicine at Montefiore Medical Center

· Dr. Michael L. Doherty, Internal Medicine Resident Physician at Coney Island Hospital

· Dr. Aaron Bernstein, Interim Director of The Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

· Erin Mordeci, Assistant Professor of Biology at Stanford University

· Johan Rockström, Executive Director of Stockholm Resilience Center

· Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Advisor

Environmental Justice

· Former Vice President Al Gore

· Secretary Deb Haaland

· Mustafa Santiago Ali, VP of Environmental Justice, Climate, and Community Revitalization at National Wildlife Federation

· Gloria Walton, President, and CEO of The Solutions Project

· Justin Pearson, Memphis Community Against the Pipeline

National Security

· Pat Forbes, Executive Director of Louisiana State Office of Community Development

· Barry Keim, Louisiana State Climatologist

· Sweta Chakraborty, Climate Risk & Behavioral Scientist

· Chris, Howard and Juliette Brunet, Residents of the Isle de Jean Charles

Jobs and Infrastructure

· Secretary Jennifer Granholm

· Gina McCarthy, White House National Climate Advisor

· Lynne Huskinson, Former Coal Miner

· Terry Weickum, Mayor of Rawlins, WY

· Louise Carter-King, Mayor of Gillette, WY

· Kristen Siemen, Vice President of Sustainable Workplaces and Chief Sustainability Officer (GM)

· Rob Godby, Associate Dean of the Haub School of Environment and Natural Resources at University of Wyoming

Young audiences are deeply engaged with coverage of the climate crisis and the issues impacting our planet. NowThis audiences are five times more likely to engage with sustainability-focused coverage than any other topic, and in 2020, NowThis audiences racked up more than 600 million video views on coverage of the issue.

The climate special is a companion to the discovery+ series ACTION PLANET, a new series produced by NowThis Earth, the recently launched NowThis vertical that focuses on planetary emergencies. Debuting on discovery+ on April 22nd – Earth Day – the mid-form series will highlight the work of high-profile changemakers including Common, Jane Fonda, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Adrian Grenier, and Greta Thunberg. In addition, NowThis Earth’s extended programming for Earth Day will include coverage of issues ranging from tighter border policies leaving migrants vulnerable to the effects of climate change to equity in the outdoors. NowThis Earth will also release a special episode of its popular series One Small Step, providing its audience with the tools and steps to be better stewards of the planet.

In addition to streaming ACTION PLANET on discovery+, viewers can join the conversation on social media by using #ActionPlanet and following @discovery on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and @discoveryplus on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for more updates.

As a leader in natural history programming, Discovery will use its linear and streaming platforms to bring attention to our beautiful world with a month-long celebration of the Earth and all of the wildlife that calls it home. Alongside Action Planet: Meeting the Climate Challenge and Action Planet, discovery+ will launch EXPEDITION DEEP OCEAN, FIRST TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD, THE SWIM, and CHASING OCEAN GIANTS. Discovery Channel will air marathons of the Emmy-nominated series SERENGETI and A PERFECT PLANET while Animal Planet will highlight the natural world with airings of NORTH AMERICA.