Clipperton, an Island Wasted by Pollution

The isle of Clipperton is the smallest of all the French territories, and the most isolated in the world. In March, a team of twenty artists, scientists and journalists left on a month-long journey from Las Cabos in Mexico to Clipperton. They discovered an ecosystem damaged by fishing and pollution.

Published

12 months ago

Categories

World, Science, Climate & Environment

Places

Mexico

Transcript

SCRIPT <br></br><br></br>What does an international team of twenty artists, scientists and journalists have in common? A trip to a desert island: the French Isle of Clipperton. <br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 1: member of the expedition team (English, 6 sec) <br></br>"-How do you feel just now? <br></br>- Anxious...excited... happy!" <br></br><br></br>Their destination is four miles wide, a dot in the Pacific, and a week's sail away from civilisation. <br></br>Their quest is to find out whether forgotten islands like Clipperton live up to our idea of paradise on earth. <br></br>But when they get there, reality's ugly face is everywhere: reefs obliterated by illegal fishing, and beaches covered with litter. <br></br><br></br>David thought he knew what to expect but he is appaled by what he saw on Clipperton, and shocked that human waste can spread to untouched lands in the middle of the Ocean. <br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 2: David Biller, journalist (English, 6 sec) <br></br>"It's not a good thing, when a place that has no human presence at all, has enormous human impact." <br></br><br></br>Clipperton is eight hundred miles away from the nearest coast in Mexico. Yet plastic is still scattered all over the island. <br></br>And there's even rotting American ammunition, a left over from the Second World war! <br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 3: David Biller, journalist (English, 21 sec) <br></br>"Clipperton has those little plastic bits all along. The wave brings it in and leaves it there. But then there's also just big trash. Really big trash. Like one of those chairs, a plastic chair, you can find that there you can find big barrels. I think there was a truck there, that was just decomposing." <br></br><br></br>Once back on firm dry land, the team decide to raise public awareness. Their collective effort leads to documentaries, exhibitions and performances highlighting the issue. <br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 4: John Bonfiglio, writer and expedition leader (English, 17 sec) <br></br>"It's not just what was discovered there, but how we can communicate that in a positive way. I often say that I think that we are engaged in a battle of ideas. And I think with the community that we've put together in terms of artists, scientist, reporters, photographers, that I think that we can take a stand on this battle of ideas and change. Change perceptions and above all business practices." <br></br><br></br>But their campaign is also a nudge to encourage public bodies to be more proactive in protecting their territories. <br></br><br></br><br></br>SOUNDBITE 5: John Bonfiglio, writer and expedition leader (English, 8 sec) <br></br>"I'm not advocating a human presence on the island but I am advocating human custodianship, man's custodian of space that he or she has alreday damaged." <br></br><br></br>The devastation found on Clipperton was an eye-opener that kicked off a campaign to save the world's wonders.The team is on a mission: a similar trip to South Georgia is planned for next year, to save yet another island rumoured to be slowly decaying. <br></br><br></br>SHOTLIST <br></br><br></br>Shot on 1st March at Cabo Pulmo, Mexico (Source: AFPTV, ACCESS ALL) <br></br><br></br>-Team's departure from Cabo Pulmo, Mexico <br></br>-SOUNDBITE 1 <br></br>-Two shots on board Lucia Celeste, one of the three on the expedition <br></br>-Three shots of the team members arriving at the island (NO RESALE. Images given by the team members) <br></br>-Shot with seabirds on Clipperton <br></br>-Two members of the expedition around large litter <br></br>-Still of a bird perched on a battery and plastic bottles <br></br>-Two shots of David Biller in his office <br></br>-SOUNDBITE 2 <br></br>-Two shots of David Biller <br></br>-Two wide shots of Clipperton from afar (NO RESALE. Shots from the expedition's press pack.) <br></br>-SOUNDBITE 3 <br></br>-Still of decomposing engine <br></br>-Wide shot of the island <br></br>-Two shots of a choreographer performing <br></br>-Two shots of the press conference on 28th mrach (Mexico City) <br></br>-SOUNDBITE 4 <br></br>-Various shots of the press conference <br></br>-SOUNDBITE 5 <br></br>-Various shots of the