Developing World Injustice, Environmental Sustainability

Many well-meaning commentators have asserted that global poverty is too large a problem to be solvable, without destroying our way of life, which in turn tends to reinforce Western impotence and an unwillingness to tackle extreme poverty across the world. Academics and journalists like Thomas Pogge and Naomi Klein, have effectively demonstrated the inherent fault-lines within such a thesis. Recent eco-apocalyptic science fiction stories, such as Robinson's The Ministry of the Future , have striven to capture tensions across developing countries like India, from a climate crisis perspective. While the historical cult novel and franchise film adaptation of Frank Herbert's Dune allegorically focuses on spice, serving in turn as a proxy for the fossil fuel industry through its futuristic world-building. Recalling debates around austerity/frugality and sustainable (de)growth, all of which have become of particular concern of late with regards to dealing with global poverty and injustice in the developing world especially. The chapter sets up representations of Africa through The Constant Gardener , alongside examining a small independent feature The Boy Who Harvested the Wind. These contrasting films signal a growing interest and engagement with environmental justice issues.