RECENT PROJECTS

SPACESHIP EARTH

Broadcasting Dates
BS1 Part 1 : November 29th (Fri) 21:00 -
Part 2 : December 6th (Fri) 21:00 -
Part 3 : January 17th (Fri) 21:00 -, 2014
Part 4 : January 24th (Fri) 21:00 -, 2014

Co-Production Partners

  • Year of Production : 2013
  • Co-Produced by NHK/NEP/Primitive Entertainment

The Future of Spaceship Earth

© NHK/NEP/Primitive Entertainment

The concept of Spaceship Earth came to be some 50 years ago after an influential American figure likened our planet to be a spaceship carrying all of mankind on board. The view expressing concerns over the limited amount of our natural resources sheds new light as Japan and the international community are slapped with the reality following Japan's March 11th earthquake and tsunami disaster of 2011, that fossil fuel will eventually be completely depleted. Tension also mounts as our reliance on oil and other resources is also accelerating trends of global warming.

The series views Earth as a spaceship with "cabins", where humans dwell, "fuel tanks" where fossil fuels are stored, and a "support system" for waters, air and life of all forms. We are alarmed to learn that prevailing systems that have maintained our planet over some 4.6 billion years –including the food chain – are on the verge of being disrupted 250 years following the Industrial Revolution. Mankind now consumes 50 times as much as energy as population grows and urbanization proceeds. Cabins are bloating unnaturally and appear set to destroy the fuel tanks and the support system that they deeply rely on. For how long could mankind continue its voyage through outer space?

Our cameras followed the status quo of cities around the world to pinpoint the crises that currently unfold. We look at the past, the present and the possible future of Spaceship Earth, while being guided by academics in the field.

Part 1: No Stopping the Expansion of "Cabins"

The seven billion-strong global population is accelerating urbanization trends.
The "cabins" continue to balloon, while consuming massive energy…

According to leading Japanese astrophysicist Takafumi Matsui, passenger cabins first came to be on Spaceship Earth with the advent of agriculture by mankind some 10,000 years ago. The cabins began to expand explosively as a result of the Industrial Revolution. Helped by fossil fuels, such as coal and petroleum, production grew in leaps and bounds, in tandem with the development of transportation systems. Mankind had succeeded in doing away with restrictions of Mother Nature to opt for living true to all its material desires. The cabins on Spaceship Earth have thus continued to expand for 250 years.

Brazil has enjoyed rapid economic growth during the past decade. The emerging BRIC nation is also seeing people from rural areas migrating to cities. Some 40 million people, accounting for one-fifth of the country's entire population, now live in the cities. As these people increasingly begin to lead affluent lives, they tend to purchase electric household appliances and electronics. The growing demand for power has led to the construction of numerous dams. Consequently, rainforest five times the size of Tokyo has disappeared.

In one of his books, Pulitzer Prize winning anthropologist Jared Diamond elaborates on examples of past civilizations that have collapsed at the height of their power. He raises the alarm that societies today could follow their footsteps. Part One of our series, The Future of Spaceship Earth, looks at how "cabins" formed inside the Spaceship, how it began to expand and the likely fate that awaits them.

No Stopping the Expansion of Cabins

Part 2: "Fuel Tanks" Will Run Dry

It took 300 million years for fossil fuel to form. But our supply is estimated to deplete in merely 250 years.

Since "cabins" took form in Spaceship Earth, civilizations have been consuming at an alarming speed fossil fuels of various forms, be it coal, petroleum or natural gas. But supplies are limited. Part 2 of our series invites world-renowned US energy expert Daniel Yergin, who will give us pointers on the future course of energy.

Fossil fuel will be completely depleted one day. Meanwhile, doubts are being cast on nuclear energy as a safe source of power. The fierce search for new sources of energy is ongoing on a global scale. Canada has found one of its answers in oil sand, while Brazil has its eye on deep sea oil drilling. But the trend is also beginning to result in grave environmental damage.

We look at the future energy strategy of a leading international consortium. It earlier announced a blueprint on likely sources of energy 50 years down the road. The consortium appears to be bracing for a shortfall of fossil fuel supply by supplementing demand with renewable energies, including solar panel and bio-fuel. We look at the future of Spaceship Earth's fuel tanks.

Will Fuel Tanks Run Dry?

Part 3: Glitches Found in Spaceship Earth's Support System

Too late to turn back the clock? Acceleration of global warming

250 years have passed since "cabins" in Spaceship Earth began to expand. Coupled with a growing concentration in urban areas, the global population has increased seven-fold, while consumption of fossil fuel surged by fifty times. Massive carbon dioxide emissions are damaging the spaceship's support system to ultimately threaten the existence of waters, air and living creatures.

Climate change is occurring at double the speed compared to other areas in Greenland in the Arctic Circle. Researchers have turned their eyes upon black holes that have surfaced on the ice sheet. Rising temperatures have activated bacteria in the ice and formed darkening, which absorbs solar radiation melting the snow and accelerates melting. In Alaska, ground that is frozen all year round has begun to thaw, resulting in an explosion of methane gas. The greenhouse gas has 20 times more warming power than carbon dioxide. The gas is said to be the cause of mass extinction of all forms of life 250 million years ago.

Scientists are now studying ways to avert global warming through geo-engineering. They include efforts to shut out sunlight by creating clouds from seawater dispersed in mid-air, and ways to absorb emissions of carbon dioxide. The undertaking may not be as absurd as it may sound. In fact, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, has also launched discussions on including geo-engineering in its challenge of tackling global warming. Part 3 looks at the global environment, which is reaching its limits.

Glitches Found in Spaceship Earth's Support System

Part 4: Mapping our Future

What can we do for the future of mankind?

The "cabins" of Spaceship Earth continues to grossly bloat. Global intellectuals are calling on the need to change today's social structure so that giant cities with high concentrations of population are replaced by decentralized and sustainable cities. They say communities in the future should be both compact and sustainable in terms of energy and food sources, and co-exist side-by-side with one another. Experts say by realizing sustainable societies, consumption of fossil fuel, used to transport foods and supplies, may fall by tens of percent.

Having said that, even if de-centralized societies do take form, as long as we consume more energy, the burden on our environment will not be reduced.
How is it possible to create sustainable societies that would not begin to bloat?

The program visits cities in Britain, Germany and the United States to search for role models. The last of our four-part series takes a close look at what we must do for the sake of our planet, and the future of mankind.

Mapping our Future