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Beautifully shot and interweaving interviews with scenes from soy fields in Paraguay, Raising Resistance explores Latin American farmers’ struggle against the expanding production of genetically modified soy in South America. Biotechnology, mechanisation, and herbicides have radically changed the lives of small farmers in Latin America. For farmers in Paraguay this means displacement from their land, loss of basic food supplies, and a veritable fight for survival.
Famous American economist and Director of The Earth Institute in New York, Jeffrey Sachs, has a vision. He intends to avoid world temperature rising by more than 2°c before 2050. The challenge is crucial because beyond these extra 2°c, the Earth is bound to experience dramatic situations, or worse big catastrophes. It is essential to divide by two the greenhouse gas emissions, which mainly come from the production and use of fossil fuels in transport, building, and industry.
In this French film, uncover the world of the remaining forest elephants that live in the lush jungles of Gabon. Victims of poachers for their highly prized ivory, these reclusive creatures are enchanting. But can they be saved from those who prey on them?
In this film, first-time father and prize-winning journalist Benoît Bringer investigates whether we should still eat meat. As the population grows and the pressure to provide cheap food increases, there has been a drive towards relentless productivity and industrialized farming. Animal cruelty, major health issues and environmental damage are inevitable consequences. We can all see the problem. But are there alternatives?
We investigate the commercialization of the natural world. Protecting our planet has become big business with companies promoting new environmental markets. This involves species banking, where investors buy up vast swathes of land, full of endangered species, to enable them to sell 'nature credits'. Companies whose actions destroy the environment are now obliged to buy these credits and new financial centres have sprung up, specializing in this trade.
Thirty years ago the “toki” became extinct in the wild in Japan. This is the story of the attempt by a group of dedicated scientists and ordinary citizens to re-establish captive bred Japanese crested ibis, a rare and iconic bird, into the rice farming communities of Sado Island on the East Coast of Japan. As they struggled to breed the last remaining birds in captivity, the islanders have to change their farming methods before the toki could be returned to the wild.
