All the World is Green explores impact of food production on environment

The documentary All the World is Green, which explores the impact of food production on the environment, was screened to an invited audience at the John Mackintosh Hall, followed by a reception where guests were served plant-based canapés. 

The event provided an opportunity to discuss the film and its message, with a number of issues raised by the documentary offering food for thought. 

The film was sponsored and co-produced by the Chellaram Group International Foundation, whose companies have been established in Gibraltar for 100 years. The foundation, under the stewardship of its founder, Lal Chellaram, supported the production of the documentary, which examines the relationship between food production and the environment. 

Before the screening, the foundation’s current chief executive and trustee delivered a short introductory address, providing context to the issues explored in the film. 

He explained that the documentary had been the idea of Lal Chellaram, who had also taken a keen interest in its production. 

He went on to outline some of the challenges facing the world's food system, highlighting the scale of land used for livestock production and the pressure this places on the planet's resources. 

He warned that the intensity of animal production was unsustainable and that the situation was likely to worsen as the global population continued to grow, with estimates suggesting it could approach 10 billion. 

He also highlighted the relationship between rising wealth and increased meat consumption, describing the current pattern as unsustainable. 

The implications of meat consumption for the health of the planet, human health and animal welfare were described as “dire”. 

The documentary brings together contributions from scientists, academics, activists, journalists and philosophers to examine how informed decisions about consumption could make a difference to both people and the environment. 

Filmed in Australia, China, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, the UK and the USA, it explores how demand for animal products has come to dominate the food system, placing increasing pressure on ecosystems while benefiting a relatively small number of corporations. 

Running for just over an hour, the film combines interviews with statistics displayed on screen to support its central arguments. 

It includes distressing images of animal cruelty within food production, alongside footage of the natural environment, including fisheries and landscapes affected by pollution and the mismanagement of animal waste. 

One of its central messages is that food production represents the biggest threat to the living world. 

The documentary highlights several interconnected issues, including the contribution of food production to the climate and nature crises and the significant environmental footprint of animal farming. 

It also examines the relationship between human health and the health of the planet, while raising questions about the treatment of animals and their capacity to feel, think and suffer. 

However, the film also points to the possibility of change, highlighting examples of this already taking place. 

One of the examples presented concerns the inefficiency of meat production. For every 100 kilos of protein fed to beef cattle in the form of grain and soya, only around three kilos are returned as edible beef protein. 

The documentary ultimately asks what individuals can do to make a difference. 

Its suggestions include incorporating more plant-based foods into diets, reducing consumption of processed foods, wasting less food, and sharing the documentary with others. 

All the World is Green is now available on major digital platforms. It presents a clear message about the connections between food production, the environment, animal welfare, and human health.