With the "Earth" movie, a breathtaking nature documentary was released last year. Taking the viewer on a journey from the North Pole to the South, revealing how plants and animals respond to the power of the sun and the changing seasons, \"Earth\" throws up implicit questions concerning the impacts of climate change. Fortunately, we could ask some of them to Sopokles Tasioulis, one of the producers of the documentery.
Club of Pioneers: Mr. Tasioulis, the “Earth” movie is a love declaration to our planet and its precious uniqueness! How concerned are you about the ecological impacts threatening our paradise on earth?Sophokles Tasioulis: Of course the future of our planet as we know it, is a concern which worries me.
Being a father this concern becomes even more pressuring on me. I strongly believe that we have reached an important crossroad in the tenure of mankind on planet earth.
We all need to combine the intelligence, the innovative powers and the faith in mankind in order to continue to be “guests” on this planet. We as a species will not have a long future going on in such an irresponsible way. The planet will survive us!Trailer of the "Earth" documentery

Club of Pioneers: Some scientists like the evolutionary biologist Josef Reichholf believe that warm periods could have a positive effect on life on our planet. How much do you worry about climate change? Sophokles Tasioulis: In the 4,5 billion year long history of earth, the planet has faced climatic change more than a few times. As a matter of fact some of the changes have shaped the planet in its present form. This has always been a natural cycle and no species living on the planet ever had the power to influence this by its own behaviour. This is the dramatic difference to the past. Mankind has begun to influence this delicate balance, the self regulatory ability of the planet will go irrevocably out of tune due to our actions on this planet. Of course there will be short termed winners due to this. Some of the hostile perma frost regions in the north of Russia or Canada and the US are being transformed due to climatic change into areas, which can be cultivated and exploited by mankind. It is much easier to hunt for natural resources there. Freight transport over sea can now use the “short-cut” across the arctic ocean which is more and more ice-free. However these are only short termed effects and in the long run we will all lose out due to the effects of global man-created climatic changes on the planet. Quite in contrast to the past, we are now influencing the global balance of the planet. We may create irrevocable climatic changes that will further speed up the global warming and turn this place into a rather hostile unfriendly planet for us. Club of Pioneers: In which regions of your movie do you see the biggest demand for environmental protection? Why?Sophokles Tasioulis: As I mentioned before on the question of what is the biggest learning out of producing “Earth”, I have to say that it is not about local single solutions any more. The problem we face is global and a global approach is needed. The effects of what we do, are not limited by national borders or political systems. No one single nation alone can solve the problem. Germany for instance as a nation can pass and implement the strictest and most eco-friendly legislation on the planet and still it will not solve the problem. We need to act together as mankind to face this global challenge.Club of Pioneers: “Earth” also shows us the cruelty of the fauna. To what extend do you think our fear of the destruction of nature – whether it is man made or not – is a “typical human phenomenon”?Sophokles Tasioulis: We are the only conscious species on the planet, who is able to reflect on its existence and record its history. We have created culture as well as we have cultivated the planet according to our own needs. In the past we have been doing this with somewhat limited abilities but now we can actually change the entire shape of the planet. “Cruelty” is a human value or definition. Wildlife and the fauna know no ethics and survival is the only power that drives them. Nature is not something governed by cultural values and history. These are our values and ethics applied onto creatures which do not need them. Sophokles Tasioulis during the shooting of "Earth"
Club of Pioneers: What could be done to protect biodiversity and vegetation at our planet, in your eyes?Sophokles Tasioulis: This is a very big, important question we all have to ask ourselves.
I am not a politician or a scientist to be able to give a definitive answer. It is clear to me that we all need to do something and the best way I can answer this question is probably as a parent.
We all can do something, which is easy and does not petrify us as individuals just by the sheer scale of the enormous global problems we are now facing. Start by teaching your kid to respect and value the environment. The strength of mankind was the development of culture, ethics and values. This enabled us to act and co-exist in larger groups and tackle bigger “things” together as a tribe, as a city, as a nation, as a state, as a species. We can start by educating the future generations. This does not cost much and this has a long-term, sustainable effect on the planet.Club of Pioneers: Some people want to fight climate change through bans, such as speed limits and particle regulations, others believe in technological innovation. What is the right way for you?Sophokles Tasioulis: There are no single solutions any more. We need a combined effort and a combination of various measures. The important areas for me are technology, education, sensitization of everyone and as hard as it may sound limitation (which may not be speed limits by the way). We act like we have two planet earths at our disposal. Unfortunately we only have this one and we will not be able to change this one against another one any time soon.
"Earth" Producers Sophokles Tasioulis and Alix Tidmarsh with the BMW CleanEnergy Award
Club of Pioneers: You are experiencing a clean technology innovation right now by driving the Hydrogen 7! How did that happen?Sophokles Tasioulis: “Earth” has won the Cinema for Peace award this year. Cinema for Peace is also often referred to as the Green Oscars. BMW was one of the supporters of this event and obviously it made sense to use the popularity and the reach of “Earth” to show to a much broader public the innovative, environmental conscious developments of BMW’s clean energy efforts. Conducted by Jörg Frommann