Common Sense Media Review
By Jennifer Green
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Docu explores historical inaction, climate change effects.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 10+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The White House Effect
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT documents the George H. W. Bush government's failure to act meaningfully on climate change in the late 1980s and early 1990s, despite dire warnings from the scientific community. Archive footage highlights the voices of scientists calling out for action, starting in the Carter administration and continuing through today, and recalls in-fighting in the Bush administration that led to unfulfilled promises. The inaction came to a head at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.
Is It Any Good?
This documentary manages to instill a sense of urgency by fixing the climate crisis in a recent historical period where humanity should have, but failed, to make meaningful changes. The White House Effect details how scientists have been warning about changing carbon dioxide levels and global warming of the environment since the 1970s. Presidents—particularly George H. W. Bush, who campaigned on an environmental platform— promised to act but were derailed, in Bush's case by climate deniers and conservative media outlets. It's devastating to see the quickened pace of climate change at the same time as we hear Bush's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) chief suggest that they once had the chance to ensure that saving the climate wouldn't be seen as a partisan issue.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about what they learned about the history of the United States addressing climate change in The White House Effect. What was new to you?
How has human behavior contributed to global warming? What can you do as an individual to contribute less to this devastating trend?
In what ways has global climate change impacted your or your family's life?
Even though this film looks at the past, it also serves as a warning for the present and future. How so?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming : October 31, 2025
- Cast : George Bush , Ronald Reagan , Al Gore
- Directors : Bonni Cohen , Pedro Kos , Jon Shenk
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Latino Movie Director(s) , South American Movie Director(s)
- Studio : Netflix
- Genre : Documentary
- Topics : Activism , History , STEM
- Run time : 96 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- Last updated : November 12, 2025
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