Right now, humanity is confronting one of the greatest challenges we’ve ever faced. Our climate is changing—rapidly. If we’re to prevent the worst effects of climate change, we’ll need to lower greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. And to meet that deadline, we’ll need to innovate like never before.
In Solving for Zero, explore the many different challenges we face, and how technology can help us do things differently, from how we make building materials to how we move around the world to how we grow food for an increasing population. This feature-length documentary, inspired by Bill Gates’ best-selling book, “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster,” is an informative and inspiring adventure into how everything we do needs to be done differently in order to adapt to rising sea levels, droughts, and other climate-related challenges.
You’ll meet the innovators and investors willing to take incredible risks to do incredible things, from harnessing the energy of a star while on Earth to building the largest sailing vessel in human history. And you’ll discover how, when you have enough smart people working on a problem, anything is possible. Even saving the planet.
Solving for Zero
Explore revolutionary technologies that could help save our planet from the worst effects of climate change. Solving for Zero is an exclusive documentary inspired by the Bill Gates best-selling book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster.
Rated 5 out of
5
by
LanaBJ from
Food for thought
Great insight and examples. The documentary is optimistic. Thanks.
Date published: 2023-11-24
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Mike 59 from
Timely Documentary - wonderful & inspiring !
This is a 1 episode informative documentary co-produced with "blue chalk media" (NY).
Although it is not a "course" in the traditional way that thegreatcourses have produced lectures, it is a timely and hugely valuable and enjoyable documentary film production that takes you through 5 groundbreaking innovative company's (small and big) that are trying to solve the "zero emissions" equation !
The film was inspired by Bill Gates book and fabulously produced across the world. The filming and narration is outstanding and very enjoyable. The characters presented are all highly talented and brilliant "actors" by themselves. Interviews and location shots are excellent and the narrator takes us on an inspiring journey that gives hope and adresses a problem that concerns the whole of humanity... The film is totally a-political and fact based.
For the "climate change" sceptics, it does not go into the debate about global warming, but rather points to individual & collective efforts to reduce C02 emissions in the cement industry (Producing 30% of global emissions), and how to reduce ocean acidity (pilot project Vestus) for example. The African corn agriculture drought chapter was also very beautifully made and the genetic maze solution innovative. Unfortunately science is still far from solving the problems it created with the Industrial Revolution in the 19the century though.
A masterpiece from wondrium / the great courses!
Highly inspirational (to learn more or get involved), a drop of HOPE and very motivational to work together in peace as humans to protect our beautiful planet that has become almost to small for 8 billion of us!
( I would like to see the other 9 episodes of this series and a "fact book" please... )
Date published: 2023-08-27
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Jfod2 from
Inspiring
Another great offering from Wondrium.
The people in this are literally saving the world; passionate, smart, driven and collegial. I think the world is in good hands.
Date published: 2023-01-15
Rated 1 out of
5
by
MickJF from
Disappointing
This not a course as we know it but a 1hr documentary on a few technologies. Interesting as it is, I expected more and wonder why the full series available from Wondrium is not offered here for that price. This was not made clear in the course presentation. Rip off?
Date published: 2023-01-14
Rated 5 out of
5
by
orion88 from
Great documentary!
Really like the documentary. It is nice to see optimistic attempts to address the problem this big with technologies.
Date published: 2022-10-01
Rated 4 out of
5
by
kacx from
Interesting Overview of Climate Change Technology
I found this a very interesting overview of new technologies to, hopefully, help solve climate change. It is a basic overview so that the non-scientists among us can follow the concepts. I did have questions that were not answered as this was an overview. For example, there is no discussion of what the downsides of any of these new technologies may be.
I notice some reviews mention Bill Gates himself. In case it is helpful, I did not read the book by Bill Gates. I also do not know if he personally or his Foundation has a stake in any of these technologies. He did appear in the video briefly, but the focus is on the 5 different technologies and some on the people working on, and affected by, those technologies.
A final note. When I finished the video, there was a note to watch the other 10 episodes. However, there were not 10 episodes - there was one (Wondrium lists documentaries as Episode 1 - at least if you download on your phone to watch later.). I had to do a Google search to learn that there is another series titled "Solving for Zero: The Search for Climate Innovation" that has 10 episodes and is related to this documentary. As that series is about 5 hours over 10 episodes, it is clear there is new material. However, I cannot tell if, or how much, of this documentary is repeated in those 10 episodes. I would have liked more clarity on all this.
Date published: 2022-08-21
Rated 5 out of
5
by
Andy1030 from
Sobering, Inspiring and Motivating
This course was particularly valuable for me. I highly endorse it to anyone interested in the issues associated with climate change. I concluded a long time ago that climate change was the primary issue for our generation. So the question for me was how do we solve this problem? I am an engineer, so I think along those lines. I always have. That is the focus of this course. It is a fresh and realistic look at the engineering and business problems as well as solutions that are being worked on. Even though it discusses the developing technologies, it does it at a level that we all, regardless of our background, can fully appreciate the material presented. I really hope that this course inspires others as it did myself. It is motivating...
Date published: 2022-06-24
Rated 5 out of
5
by
mostafa1979 from
Cannot wait to watch the next episodes!
What a stunning documentary! I had read parts of Bill Gates' book, yet this documentary made me want to read the whole book very soon (I just ordered it and look forward to receiving it). I also subscribed to the newsletters of all the projects introduced in the documentary and very much look forward to receiving updates on all those HOPEFUL projects. I also cannot wait to share these all with my contacts. Bravo to Wondrium for initiating this wonderful series.
Date published: 2022-05-14
Overview
About
Bill Gates is a technologist, business leader, and philanthropist. In 1975, he cofounded Microsoft with his childhood friend Paul Allen; today, he is cochair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In addition to authoring How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, he launched Breakthrough Energy, an effort to commercialize clean energy and other climate-related technologies.
Trailer
01: Solving for Zero
In this Wondrium-exclusive documentary inspired by Bill Gates’ best-selling book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, explore how changemakers are developing remarkable new tools and methods to help lower carbon emissions to net-zero by the year 2050.
69 min
