This year, UNEP is the leag agency for the United Nations system. The film focuses on river basins on four continents and creates a symbolic river, with sequences filmed in the Tibetan plateau, the Colombian highlands, and on the Nile, Euphrates and Rhine Rivers. It was broadcast on 8th March and 9th March on TVE's Earth Report slot on BBC World Television, reaching 135 million homes in 111 countries. It will also be distributed and re-broadcast through the TVE network of video resource centres worldwide. This film focuses on the management of the world's endangered wetland areas - our marshes, bogs, mangroves, lakes,etc.
Wetlands can be key components of river basin management.
The film demonstrates that while we continue to drain and build on wetlands, countries are beginning to appreciate the economic value of maintaining these waterlogged areas of exceptional diversity, and which perform vital services free of charge to humanity. The audio track for the documentaries will be posted on the UNEP and TVE web sites. They will also be distributed to a global radio station subscriber network through the London Radio Service located at APTN's London headquarters. The release highlights the problems of widespread disease caused by inadequate sewer systems in fast growing cities and has a focus on Cairo. It is accompanied by 15 minutes of 'B' roll footage.