Earth from Above

Madagascar has experienced extreme deforestation. Botanists are attempting to protect the native baobab trees and other island fauna, as vegetation is crucial to sustaining life. Host Yann Arthus-Bertrand meets those who have committed their lives to protecting the world's forests.

Many of the world's waterways are dried up or polluted. In Argentina, a dam at Iguazu Falls affects the local population and environment. Yann Arthus-Bertrand also visits China and its disproportionate Three Gorges dam, as well as the Botswana Okavango, the Aral Sea and New York.

Visit South Africa, an exemplary country for the protection of biodiversity, where cohabitation with the wild introduces a new humanistic philosophy. Yann Arthus-Bertrand meets individuals who have taken on the protection of wild animals such as the elephant, the seal and the white rhino.

Meet farmers who are fighting against the excesses of modern and intensive agriculture, including pesticides and genetically modified organisms. To foster sustainable development, consumers can influence agricultural practices by changing their eating habits.

As man's impact on Earth reaches an all-time high, meet innovators who are attempting to reverse the damage and write a new contract with nature. In scenes across the globe from America to China, this exploration of man's influence on the Earth also includes discussion on how to lighten it.

Covering 72 percent of the planet, the sea is an extensive, but not inexhaustible, resource. This episode sheds light on how to protect it and explores humankind's interdependence with the sea.

Discover why fresh water is the most precious resource on Earth, vital to life and prosperity, but is also one of the most threatened, with spectacular scenery of canyons, glaciers and waterfalls, as well as man-made structures.

From microscopic bacteria to the largest animals, this installment explores the incredible biodiversity of the Earth, highlighting the interdependence of the planet's inhabitants.

This special episode explores a variety of threats to the planet, including melting glaciers, rising sea levels and carbon emissions.