Nature & Wildlife // Deserts And Life
Original Broadcaster
S4C
Original Producer
Green Bay Media
Rights
Worldwide
Deserts are the most haunting of all the Earth’s landscapes. Sometimes we think of them as vast empty spaces that dwarf and test our human spirit. But that view is wrong in so many ways.
Deserts are full of colour and contrast. There are mountains and lagoons among the dunes and plains. They often teem with life and are rich in resources. Their peoples have remarkable qualities of ingenuity and endurance, wisdom and humour – their festivals and gatherings full of colour and energy. And deserts are full of surprises. The Australia desert houses massive reserves of cobalt, manganese and gold – and is home to thousands of temporary workers in makeshift towns. The Moon-like Atacama in Chile, with its clear skies, is crucial for astronomy. And the Thar Desert in India is even the site of massive farms.There are timeless pleasures and fascinations in films shot in our deserts. But there are also special reasons for making this series now. Deserts are on the move with the shifting winds and changing climate. Many of them are spreading, particularly the Gobi in China which is expanding at a staggering 3,600 square kilometres a year. Others are bursting into green life watered by new moisture.
And the urgent needs of the World’s fast-growing population lead us into the desert to harness its resources and energy. Massive pipelines carrying water pumped from deep underground snake through the sands to thirsty cities. Solar panels are being built on a scale that will light up continents. And the desert itself is being irrigated to provide food for the hungry.
The audience will be amazed by the range and diversity of our deserts. From the Sahara to Antarctica, Chile to Mongolia, Judea to Rajasthan, this will be a feast of landscapes and cultures. And it will surprise as much as it will delight.
The Future of the Desert is crucial to the future of a large part of our species. Will its resources enrich our cities and societies or will the fingers of sand spread into our urban world? The race is on.
