Films celebrate vital environmental role of indigenous communities

‘Planet Protectors’ is a new six-part documentary series shining a light on the invaluable work of many communities on the climate crisis frontline, emphasising the importance of including these groups in funding, policy development and legislative dialogue. 

Health In Harmony, an international planetary health non-profit working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IPLCs) to help them fight deforestation and create environmental solutions, has unveiled a slew of new films highlighting the vital work such groups are engaged in. 

Split into six parts, the ‘Planet Protectors’ documentary series is made up of two-to-three minute videos focused on rainforest communities in Indonesian Borneo and Madagascar’s Manombo Special Reserve. The overall theme of the work is ‘Earth’s interdependence has never been clearer’.

In the films, viewers meet a range of people involved in conservation and education efforts, reforestation workers and even former loggers who have been convinced to down chainsaws and look for an alternative income, with details of how they achieved that move. Available to watch now on Health In Harmony‘s website, the series will also screen at COP27 on 14th and 15th November, with the conference opening in Sharm El Sheikh this weekend. 

‘Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities know the solutions to reverse the climate crisis and regenerate the Earth. It is time the global community compensates them for the work they’re doing every day,’ said Devon Schmidt, producer of the film and Marketing Associate Manager at Health In Harmony.

‘By providing a platform for the individuals who not only live in the rainforest, but work in conjunction with it for their livelihood, Health In Harmony is not only showcasing their contributions in protecting the whole planet from the effects of global heating, but making a case for investing in their proposed solutions to protect the rainforest,’ he continued.  

In October, Health In Harmony launched a brand new platform that links donors across the world with IPLCs, facilitating a new direct financing model to make it easier for anyone, anywhere, to fund climate and environmental initiatives on the ground. 

Image: Ryan ‘O’ Niel