In the name of money

Episode 1 of the serie In the Name of Nature

Does Nature have a price?

In the Name of Money takes us deep into the Costa Rican rainforest, alongside women and men striving to make biodiversity conservation financially sustainable. Ecotourism, payments for ecosystem services, the monetary valuation of biodiversity… Are these strategies effective and desirable, or should we be wary of them, as French philosopher Virginie Maris suggests? And what do Indigenous peoples think about it?

"In the Name of Money" is the first episode of the documentary series "In the Name of Nature", which explores the many reasons for protecting the natural world by meeting leading thinkers and people working on the ground across our beautiful planet. The series follows a round-the-world journey undertaken by the director and her husband in 2016–2017.

Trailer

See the movie in the webshop

Technical specifications

  • Duration : 32 minutes
  • Narration language : French
  • Language of the speakers : English, French, Spanish
  • Subtitles : French, English, Dutch
  • Resolution : Full HD (1920x1080p)
  • File type : MP4 (with embedded subtitles)

Featured speakers

Priscilla Alpizar Alpizar

Biologist
Expert about bats
(Costa Rica)

Reinoud Van Vreedendaal & Whitney Paola Carillo Molina

Hotel keeper and sociologist
Proyecto Conservacion Tortugas

(Costa Rica)

Marie De Bouver

Cofounder of the non-profit organisation Mariposas en el estomago (Costa Rica)

Jack Ewing

Hotel keeper and environmentalist

Hacienda Baru (Costa Rica)

Oscar Sanchez Chavez

National Forests Financing Funds (FONAFIFO, Costa Rica)

Virginie Maris

Environmental philosopher
Montpellier's University (France)

Agustin Guerra Tugri

Environmental educator
Marino Ballena National Park (Costa Rica)

Testimonials

In the face of the multiple environmental crises we are experiencing, the argument for protecting nature is increasingly shaped by the desire to avoid the costs of its degradation. This episode examines the concept of ecosystem services, exploring its limits and the dangers it may entail. Should we embrace this approach?
Raphael AnzalonePhD student in Soil Science, Federal University of Paraná
Throughout the documentary, the filmmaker’s thoughtful voice leads us through a series of philosophical reflections on the sometimes constrained relationship between nature conservation and economic interests. With clarity and accessibility, the film explores both the pitfalls and limitations of approaches that attempt to “put a price” on nature, while never adopting a judgmental perspective.
Morgane GoyensBelgian scientific illustrator