Steel firms and World Bank-linked finance are backing eucalyptus plantations in Brazil to offset CO2. But on the ground, communities report land loss, damaged ecosystems, and broken promises. So how green is “green steel”?

In northeastern Brazil, a small rural community is fighting to protect the Cerrado savanna surrounding their homes from large-scale eucalyptus plantations. The monocultures are part of a large-scale “reforestation” scheme promoted as a climate solution by steel corporations and supported by financing linked to the World Bank. Marketed as a way to compensate for industrial emissions, the projects promise major investments in sustainable development, biodiversity protection and respect for local rights, all under international oversight. But is the reality on the ground living up to these promises? German documentary filmmaker Daniel Harrich travels to this remote region to investigate the gap between corporate climate claims and realities on the ground. Accompanied by independent researchers, he embarks on a risky investigation through the Cerrado savanna, uncovering dramatic evidence of what is hidden from global view.

DW Documentary