Wednesdays, March 26 - April 16, 2025 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV / PBS app + Encore Sundays, March 30 - April 20 at 10 p.m. on KPBS 2
Narrated by Uma Thurman, THE FUTURE OF NATURE takes a rare look at the vital role of carbon in our planet, and the power of nature in helping to restore and stabilize our ecosystems.
By blending compelling science with cutting-edge graphics and cinematic shots of oceans, grasslands, forests and metropolises, the series brings the invisible element of carbon into view. These stories provide audiences with a unique visual representation of the planet’s ecosystems, uncovering the role that animals, plants and people have on carbon and solutions that could help stabilize environmental shifts.
Featuring contributors from all corners of the globe, THE FUTURE OF NATURE follows climatologists, ecologists, Indigenous leaders and economists. Their stories reveal how nature is helping to rebalance Earth’s delicate systems and heal itself.
EPISODE GUIDE:
Episode 1: “Oceans” premieres Wednesday, March 26 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV - Learn how carbon is drawn down into the oceans by the “biological carbon pump.” Explore how complex ocean life, including plankton, the fish we eat, whale excrement, and secrets from the deep depths, is fundamental to removing carbon from the atmosphere.
Episode 2: “Grasslands” premieres Wednesday, April 2 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV - Scientists further explore the fact that carbon drawdown is boosted by life and examine the grasslands where the largest number of animals exist. From the tropical savannahs of East Africa to the tundra of the Arctic, from the plains of Kazakhstan to the prairies of North America. Heroic champions of nature and the latest science reveal how important grasslands are to the future, and what can be done to restore them to health and abundance.
Episode 3: “Forests” premieres Wednesday, April 9 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV - Forests are the most effective carbon pumps on Earth, but they are incredibly complex ecosystems, and the carbon drawdown only increases when they’re functioning well and rich in species. Forests of the world are much reduced and for them to effectively help in the fight against environmental shifts protecting what’s left and repairing what’s been lost is key. There is good news: learn how chimps in the Congo basin are critical to healthy forests and Indigenous wisdom helps rebuild the Amazon.
Episode 4: “Humans” premieres Wednesday, April 16 at 10 p.m. on KPBS TV - Expanding on the scenario of a world where nature is thriving, ecosystems are functioning, and carbon is stable, is there room for 11 billion people? Scientists reveal how humans are the ultimate ecosystem engineers - a keystone species - more than capable of looking after the planet. See stories where people are changing things for the better, integrating our modern lives with nature, and showing a path to a better future. From the metropolises of China to the outskirts of Los Angeles, from the bogs of Ireland to the Favelas of Rio. Humans can make this world one where we can all thrive!
Watch on Your Schedule: THE FUTURE OF NATURE will stream Wednesday, March 26, 2025 and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS app, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO.
Credits: Brian Leith Productions for PBS in association with ARTE France. Executive produced by Giulio Boccaletti and Patrick Morris. Narrated by Uma Thurman. Series producer is Verity White. Nicola Brown produced and directed episode one. Robert Myler produced and directed episode two and Gavin Maxwell produced and directed episodes three and four. Music by Ben Foster. BBC Studios is handling international distribution.
