CNN: Striking photos show how our planet is changing – for better and for worse

June 18th, 2024,
Nell Lewis, CNN
See the original CNN article here

A photograph of a solitary man walking along terraces in China, rust-red rivers in Alaska and a gargantuan western red cedar are among the winning images of the Earth Photo 2024 competition.

The award – created in 2018 by Forestry England, the UK’s Royal Geographic Society and visual arts consultancy Parker Harris – aims to showcase the beauty of our planet, as well as the threats it is facing, from climate change to toxic pollution.

More than 1,900 images and videos were submitted to this year’s competition by photographers and filmmakers from all over the world. The winners were announced last night at a ceremony at London’s Royal Geographical Society, ahead of an exhibition at the same location showcasing the evocative imagery.

Photographers Jean-Marc Caimi and Valentina Piccinni took the top prize with their “Tropicalia” series, which documents how Sicilian farmers are adapting in response to climate change. “Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and an increased risk of extreme events have transformed what was once Europe’s breadbasket into a testing ground for adaptation and survival,” they said in a press release.

Their images show how farmers are having to diversify: some are giving up their fields to solar energy systems, while others are pivoting to grow exotic fruits such as avocadoes and mangoes that thrive in the now tropical environment.

“Each inspiring image highlights the important stories of resistance, innovation and resilience at the frontline of climate change,” Louise Fedotov-Clements, head of Earth Photo’s jury and director of Photoworks UK, told CNN. “The series as a whole serves as an example of the future that awaits the whole continent.”

Whilst on a trip to Shetland, the biggest thing I wanted to do was photograph the Gannets as they feed underwater. The photography takes place at sea around some of the Shetland’s remotest headlands. Dead bait is used using fish the Gannets would normally eat locally sourced around Shetland. To be able to capture what goes on under the water was an unbelievable experience.

Other winning imagery depicts possible climate solutions, including Jennifer Adler’s “Corals of the Future” series that focuses on ocean science and the efforts to restore marine ecosystems in the world’s largest underwater coral nursery. A short film, “Ser Guardianes Madre Arbol” (“Becoming Guardians of Mother Tree”), by Marc Lathuillière, celebrates an indigenous community in northern Colombia that is fighting for the protection of rainforest and their ancestral lands.

The works highlight “the beauty, fragility, crisis and change happening in our natural environment,” said Mike Seddon, chief executive of Forestry England, in a press release. “Bringing us closer to landscapes, wildlife and communities from across the planet in this way sparks new conversations and reflections. And it prompts us to focus on the creative solutions needed for these environments to flourish beyond our lifetimes.”

Fedotov-Clements added that photography and film “represent a formidable means for raising awareness that can encourage us to adapt, innovate and invent sustainable solutions.”

“From the impact of climate change to the inspiring stories of resilience, this year’s powerful edition is sure to inspire stimulating dialogues about our environment,” she said.