The new four-part series premieres Wednesday, March 26, at 10:00 p.m. ET on American public broadcaster PBS. Executive produced by Giulio Boccaletti and Patrick Morris, and narrated by Uma Thurman, the nature series by Brian Leith Productions takes a rare look at the vital role of carbon in our planet, and the power of nature in helping to restore and stabilize our ecosystems.

The Future of Nature blends together compelling science with cutting-edge graphics and cinematic shots of oceans, grasslands, forests and metropolises, in an effort to bring the invisible element of carbon into view. Providing the audience with a unique visual representation of the planet’s ecosystems, uncovering the role that animals, plants and people have on carbon and solutions that could help stabilize environmental shifts.

Featuring contributors from all corners of the globe, including CMCC’s Scientific Director Giulio Boccaletti as executive producer, the series follows climatologists, ecologists, Indigenous leaders and economists. Their stories reveal how nature is helping to rebalance Earth’s delicate systems and heal itself.

“This is an unprecedented series, offering a fresh look at the role all ecosystems play in regulating Earth’s carbon budget and the concentration of CO₂ in the atmosphere,” says Boccaletti. “One of CMCC’s strategic programs focuses on the integration of the biogeochemical and industrial carbon cycles. This series is particularly important as it offers a vision for a world in which we rely on our ecosystems to draw down carbon from the atmosphere and rebalance the climate system.”

CMCC features in the series, including at the premier, and CMCC researcher Monia Santini, director of the Institute for Climate Resilience, was also involved as a scientific advisor.

Episode descriptions

Episode 1: “Oceans”(Wednesday, March 26, 2025)
Learn how carbon is drawn down into the oceans by the “biological carbon pump.” Explore how complex ocean life, including plankton, the fish we eat, whale excrement, and secrets from the deep depths, is fundamental to removing carbon from the atmosphere.

Episode 2: “Grasslands” (Wednesday, April 2, 2025)
Scientists further explore the fact that carbon drawdown is boosted by life and examine the grasslands where the largest number of animals exist. From the tropical savannahs of East Africa to the tundra of the Arctic, from the plains of Kazakhstan to the prairies of North America. Heroic champions of nature and the latest science reveal how important grasslands are to the future, and what can be done to restore them to health and abundance.

Episode 3: “Forests”(Wednesday, April 9, 2025)
Forests are the most effective carbon pumps on Earth, but they are incredibly complex ecosystems, and the carbon drawdown only increases when they’re functioning well and rich in species. Forests of the world are much reduced and for them to effectively help in the fight against environmental shifts protecting what’s left and repairing what’s been lost is key. There is good news: learn how chimps in the Congo basin are critical to healthy forests and Indigenous wisdom helps rebuild the Amazon.

Episode 4: “Humans”(Wednesday, April 16, 2025)
Expanding on the scenario of a world where nature is thriving, ecosystems are functioning, and carbon is stable, is there room for 11 billion people? Scientists reveal how humans are the ultimate ecosystem engineers – a keystone species – more than capable of looking after the planet. See stories where people are changing things for the better, integrating our modern lives with nature, and showing a path to a better future. From the metropolises of China to the outskirts of Los Angeles, from the bogs of Ireland to the Favelas of Rio. Humans can make this world one where we can all thrive!

THE FUTURE OF NATURE will stream Wednesday, March 26, 2025 and be available on all station-branded PBS platforms, including PBS.org and the PBS app, available on iOS, Android, Roku streaming devices, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Smart TV, Chromecast and VIZIO.

THE FUTURE OF NATURE is a production by Brian Leith Productions for PBS in association with ARTE France. Executive produced by Giulio Boccaletti and Patrick Morris. Narrated by Uma Thurman. Series producer is Verity White. Nicola Brown produced and directed episode one. Robert Myler produced and directed episode two and Gavin Maxwell produced and directed episodes three and four. Music by Ben Foster. International distribution of the series will be handled by BBC Studios.