Doit-on protéger la biodiversité? La réponse d'un explorateur | Animaux | Rad

Rad

1 Mar 202106:23

Summary

TLDRJean Lemire, a biologist turned environmental filmmaker, shares his profound experiences as the leader of the oceanographic vessel Sedna IV. He recounts the devastating impact of palm oil production on Indonesia's wildlife, particularly orangutans, and the rapid loss of biodiversity. Lemire emphasizes the consumer's role in this destruction through the widespread use of palm oil in supermarket products. He also discusses the effects of human activities on the St. Lawrence River's beluga population and the decline of Quebec's caribou due to habitat loss. He stresses the importance of biodiversity for human survival and calls for a reevaluation of our exploitation of natural resources, highlighting the urgency of the situation with the potential extinction of a million species.

Takeaways

🌳 Palm oil production in Indonesia is linked to deforestation, which has devastating effects on wildlife, including orangutans.
🔥 Burning forests for palm plantations results in the death of 99.9% of the life within those areas.
🌍 The speaker, Jean Lemire, a biologist turned environmental filmmaker, has witnessed the impact of human activity on the planet firsthand.
🛒 Approximately 55% of processed products in supermarkets contain palm oil, making consumers complicit in environmental destruction.
🦋 Biodiversity is in crisis, with species disappearing at an unprecedented rate, which is a significant concern for ecosystems.
🌊 Pollution in the St. Lawrence River, Canada, has affected marine life, including the beluga whale population.
🦌 Habitat loss is a primary factor in the decline of caribou populations in southern Quebec.
🌱 The degradation of habitats for expansion and increased production negatively impacts biodiversity.
🌐 Without biodiversity, human survival is at risk, as it is integral to the planet's vital elements.
📉 In 2019, scientists estimated that a million species are at risk of extinction, including a significant number of insects that form the base of the food chain.
👨‍🎓 The youth, who are actively demanding change, are seen as a driving force for behavioral changes and environmental responsibility.

Q & A

What is the most striking memory from Jean Lemire's career?
-The most striking memory from Jean Lemire's career is the relationship between palm oil and wildlife, particularly orangutans, in Indonesia.
Why are ancient forests in Indonesia being burned?
-Ancient forests in Indonesia are being burned because it is faster than cutting down the wood to establish large palm plantations.
What is the impact of burning forests on the wildlife?
-When vast areas of forests are burned, 99.9% of the life within them dies, causing a significant loss to biodiversity.
How does the Sedna IV relate to the public's awareness of environmental issues?
-The crew of the Sedna IV has become like the eyes and ears of the public, raising awareness about environmental issues through their work.
What is Jean Lemire's background and role in environmental conservation?
-Jean Lemire is a biologist who turned to making films and writing books about the environment. He is also the chief of mission for the oceanographic sailing vessel Sedna IV.
What is the current state of biodiversity according to the script?
-The current state of biodiversity is described as a crisis without precedent, with species disappearing at an alarming rate.
How does the consumption of palm oil by consumers contribute to environmental degradation?
-Consumers contribute to environmental degradation by purchasing products containing palm oil, which is linked to deforestation and habitat loss.
What is the impact of pollution in the Saint Lawrence River on local wildlife?
-Pollution in the Saint Lawrence River has affected local wildlife, such as the beluga whales, which have been severely impacted by the accumulation of pollutants.
Why are caribou populations declining in southern Quebec?
-The decline in caribou populations in southern Quebec is likely due to habitat loss, which is directly affecting their survival.
What is the importance of biodiversity for human survival?
-Biodiversity is crucial for human survival as it connects all vital elements on the planet, and humans are part of these elements.
What was the outcome of the 2019 scientific inventory of fauna and flora on Earth?
-The 2019 scientific inventory revealed that about a million species are at risk of extinction, including approximately 500,000 plants, animals, and insects, which form the base of the food chain.
How does the script suggest that change in behavior towards the environment will occur?
-The script suggests that change in behavior towards the environment will come from the youth, who are already putting pressure on governments to address environmental issues.

Outlines

00:00

🌳 Palm Oil and Biodiversity Crisis

Jean Lemire, a former biologist turned environmental filmmaker, discusses the devastating impact of palm oil production on wildlife, particularly orangutans in Indonesia. He describes the burning of ancient forests for faster land clearance for palm plantations, leading to the death of 99.9% of the wildlife. Lemire emphasizes the need for consumers to rethink their relationship with nature and resource exploitation, highlighting that 55% of supermarket products contain palm oil. He also touches on the broader biodiversity crisis, with species disappearing at an alarming rate, affecting the very foundation of life on Earth.

05:04

🌱 The Youth and the Future of Planet Earth

The speaker expresses concern for the planet's future, suggesting that while Earth will endure, the current crisis could severely impact human quality of life and survival. They point to the youth, who are taking to the streets to demand change, as a driving force behind the potential shift in behavior and policy. The speaker notes a sense of change in the air, possibly due to the younger generation's activism, which could lead to a transformation of the economy and our relationship with nature. The paragraph concludes with a reflection on the legacy left for future generations, emphasizing the importance of a healthy planet and sustainable practices.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Palm oil

Palm oil is a type of edible vegetable oil derived from the palm fruit, oil palm trees. It is one of the most produced and used vegetable oils in the world due to its high yield and versatility in various food products and cosmetics. In the video, the speaker highlights the negative environmental impact of palm oil production, particularly in Indonesia, where deforestation for palm plantations leads to habitat loss for species like orangutans.

💡Deforestation

Deforestation refers to the large-scale clearing of forests by humans for various reasons, such as agriculture, logging, or to make space for infrastructure. The script mentions deforestation as a destructive practice that is faster than selective logging and results in the burning of ancient forests, causing a significant loss of biodiversity and the death of 99.9% of the life within those ecosystems.

💡Biodiversity crisis

The biodiversity crisis refers to the rapid decline in the variety of life on Earth, including the extinction of species and the degradation of ecosystems. The video emphasizes that we are currently in an unprecedented biodiversity crisis, with species disappearing at an alarming rate, which is a natural part of evolution but is now happening at an unsustainable speed.

💡Orangutans

Orangutans are a species of great apes native to the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra. They are highlighted in the script as an example of wildlife severely affected by deforestation due to palm oil production. The speaker recounts the painful memory of the impact of deforestation on orangutan populations, illustrating the broader theme of human activity's devastating effects on wildlife.

💡Consumer responsibility

Consumer responsibility is the concept that individuals have a role in shaping the market and influencing sustainable practices through their purchasing decisions. The script points out that about 55% of processed products in supermarkets contain palm oil, implying that consumers are complicit in the environmental destruction caused by its production.

💡Sedna IV

Sedna IV is mentioned as an oceanographic sailing vessel that has circumnavigated the globe. The speaker, Jean Lemire, is the mission leader of Sedna IV, and through his travels, he has witnessed firsthand the environmental changes and degradation happening across the planet, emphasizing the role of exploration and observation in understanding global ecological issues.

💡Pollutants

Pollutants are substances that contaminate the environment, often with harmful effects on living organisms. The script refers to the accumulation of pollutants in the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, affecting resident species like the beluga whales, illustrating how human activities can lead to environmental stress and harm to vulnerable species.

💡Caribou

Caribou, also known as reindeer, are Arctic and Subarctic-dwelling deer species. In the video, the decline in caribou populations in southern Quebec is attributed to habitat loss, serving as an example of how human expansion and development can negatively impact wildlife and biodiversity.

💡Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life in all its forms, levels, and combinations, including the complex ecological networks that sustain life on Earth. The video underscores the importance of biodiversity as a fundamental element that connects all vital aspects of the planet, and the speaker stresses that without biodiversity, human survival is at risk.

💡Insect extinction

Insect extinction is a significant but often overlooked aspect of the biodiversity crisis. The speaker mentions that about 500,000 species of insects are at risk of extinction, which is crucial because insects form the base of the food chain for thousands of other species. This highlights the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the potential cascading effects of insect loss.

💡Youth activism

Youth activism refers to the involvement of young people in advocating for social, political, or environmental change. The script concludes with the speaker's optimism about the potential for change driven by youth activism, noting the pressure they are putting on governments and the sense of a genuine shift in attitudes towards environmental issues.

Highlights

The relationship between palm oil and wildlife, such as orangutans in Indonesia, is one of the most striking memories of the speaker's career.

Ancestral forests are burned down at a faster rate than cutting wood to make way for large palm plantations.

When a company decides to burn vast areas of forests, 99.9% of the life within dies.

The speaker likens the destruction to a mirror reflecting the sometimes ugly side of human nature.

The crew of the Sedna IV has become the eyes and ears of the public over the years.

Jean Lemire, a biologist turned filmmaker and author, has documented environmental issues extensively.

As the chief of the oceanographic sailing vessel Sedna IV, Lemire has had the privilege of witnessing global environmental changes firsthand.

In just fifty minutes, the speaker collected an alarming amount of waste, highlighting the severity of the biodiversity crisis.

The current rate of species disappearance is unprecedented and unsustainable.

Consumers are inadvertently contributing to planetary destruction through the purchase of products containing palm oil.

The speaker calls for a reevaluation of our exploitation of natural resources and our relationship with nature.

Pollutants accumulated in the St. Lawrence River have significantly affected resident species like the beluga whales.

Increased commerce and maritime traffic exacerbate the stress on fragile animal populations.

Habitat loss is a direct cause of the decline in caribou populations in southern Quebec.

Degradation of habitats for expansion and increased production negatively impacts biodiversity.

Biodiversity is essential for human survival, as it connects all vital elements on the planet.

The speaker emphasizes that humans are part of these vital elements and cannot dissociate from the ecosystems that manage the planet.

In 2019, scientists conducted a comprehensive inventory of the planet's fauna and flora, revealing that a million species are at risk of extinction.

Insects, which make up the base of the food chain for thousands of species, are also at risk, with approximately 500,000 species in danger.

The planet will survive, but the crisis could affect not only our quality of life but also our survival.

The speaker believes that behavioral changes will come from the youth, who are already putting pressure on governments.

Despite not leaving a healthy planet for the youth, the speaker hopes that the importance of transforming our economy and relationship with nature has been conveyed.