A University of Plymouth researcher is among the expert commentators in a new international documentary exploring the impact of overpopulation on marine, animal and human life.
8 Billion Angels uses breath-taking photography and emotion to show how mankind’s incredible success – measured in numbers and wealth – could ultimately undo us all.
In doing so, it aims to trade political correctness for an honest assessment that makes overpopulation understandable and personal by focusing as much on human emotions as scientific facts.
With commentary from a selection of world-leading experts, including Professor of Marine Biology Jason Hall-Spencer, the film tells the stories of individuals around the world impacted by overpopulation.
It highlights the struggle to find clean water in the densest cities of India; how overdevelopment has impacted the oyster industry in Maine; and how our mass agricultural machine has fuelled an ever-expanding population at the expense of the natural resources upon which it depends.
Finally, the film delivers a message of beauty and hope about solving a complex problem of global proportions.
Professor Hall-Spencer was invited to participate in the film thanks to his position as one of the world’s leading experts on ocean acidification and its impact of marine ecosystems and species.
His previous research has shown that rising CO2 levels in the oceans could have consequences for millions and that ocean acidification is having a major impact on marine life.
He is also a member of several global marine organisations, including being one of the core group of 16 scientists that advise the International Programme on the State of the Ocean (IPSO).
