Environmental Crimes and Extraction: Profit Over Peace
Photo Credits: Victor Moriyama
As our climate and land deteriorate at alarming rates, our society must learn how environmental crime is perpetrated worldwide, who it harms, who is accountable, and what can be done to limit its perpetration.
In this series of Eutopya, we explore environmental crime, that is any criminal offence that hurts the environment. We aim to use this space to explore natural resource extraction, social unrest, indigenous rights, deforestation, the role of governments and corporations, and so much more. We speak to human rights and environmental defenders, civil society actors, journalists, artists and indigenous leaders.
We look at the nexus of environmental and social issues, as we believe that environmental degradation cannot be solved without understanding and addressing the social issues at its root and vice versa.
Eutopya fosters open and honest debate, critical thinking and analysis by engaging those on the front lines of environmental justice struggles. Through our series, we hope to better understand environmental crimes and the social issues they are rooted in. For us, this means empowering people with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and when possible, take action on the environmental issues that matter to them.
Our stories are rooted in different places and uncover nuanced and detailed local dynamics that are a part of a wider global story. We start this series by examining the Amazon closely, with perspectives from multiple environmental activists, journalists, and artists. Stay tuned for more!
Right: Wood Harvesting in Rondônia
Photo Credits: Fabio Nascimento
Episode 1: Interview with the Producers and Participants of Documentary Film “The Territory”
In this episode, we speak with a few of the producers and actors in the new National Geographic Film “The Territory” about land-grabbing in the Amazon rainforest. We speak with Neidinha Bandeira, a Brazilian environmental and human rights activist, Gabriel Uchida, producer and filmmaker, and Txai Surai, an indigenous youth activist. Our conversation touches on deforestation, land-grabbing, the role of consumers and corporations, indigenous activism, and Bolsonaro’s policies. Check out the trailer below.