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The Carbon Rush cover image

The Carbon Rush 2012

Recommended with reservations

Distributed by The Video Project, PO Box 411376, San Francisco, CA 94141-1376; 800-475-2638
Produced by Byron A. Martin and Amy Miller
Directed by Amy Miller
DVD, color, 52 min., 84 min.



College - General Adult
Human Rights, Ecology

Date Entered: 12/17/2013

Reviewed by Kristan Majors Chilcoat, Woodruff Library, Emory University

Carbon Rush is a political expose, just as advertised. The filmmakers capture corruption, human rights abuses, and the outrage of local activists in Scotland, India, Honduras, Brazil, and Panama as they show another side of emissions trading and the European Union carbon market.

Unfortunately, the film leaves more unanswered questions than answers, and as an educator, I need more from an environmental documentary. For classroom use, this film cannot stand alone and requires supplementary information to help explain the gaps and complexities left out. While the filmmakers state some companies refused interviews, the producers should have gone beyond these few organizations recognizing climate change, the Kyoto Protocol, and emissions trading are global issues involving hundreds of parties and potential interviewees.

The film may have some value for viewers interested in studying human rights issues for indigenous communities in developing countries. Each of the film sections can be viewed independently, which allows you to bypass the distracting graphics and music in the introduction. The carbon offsetting projects covered in the 52-minute classroom version include the Brazilian eucalyptus tree farms, garbage incinerators in Delhi, palm oil plantations in Honduras, and hydroelectric dams in Panama. A warning to viewers this film includes footage and material that should be limited to adult audiences only with viewer discretion advised, especially for the Honduras section.

In summary, I have reservations recommending this film for the classroom. In short, there are better documentaries available covering the issues from many perspectives. Suggested documentaries include:

  • The award-wining news report, Carbon Hunters, and the complimentary Frontline web site about the carbon market and carbon offsetting projects.
  • The award-winning Garbage Dreams documentary for those seeking a local perspective of a community facing the heart-wrenching changes forced upon them by globalization. EMRO review.

Awards

  • 2012 Award of Merit, The Indie Festival