Easy Like Water (2012) - full transcript

As flood waters threaten, a visionary architect is building solar floating schools -- and creating a blueprint for his country's survival. But can 'Bangladesh's Noah' keep his imperiled nation from drowning? By turns witty and heart-wrenching, 'Easy Like Water' takes you on an off-the-grid journey that offers a refreshing new perspective on the resilience of the Global South.

Mohammed Rezwan: ISLANDS
ARE GETTING SMALLER.

THE RIVERS ARE GETTING BIGGER.

Glenn Baker: IN BANGLADESH,
ASK ABOUT A PROBLEM,

AND THEY'RE LIKELY TO ANSWER,
"DON'T WORRY, PIECE O' CAKE."

"PANIR MOTO SHOHOJ."

"EASY LIKE WATER."

Baker: I CAME TO BANGLADESH

TO DOCUMENT ITS ADVANCING
STRUGGLE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE,

AND TO SEE HOW ONE
LOCAL INNOVATOR

AND HIS FLOATING SCHOOLS

EPITOMIZED THE COUNTRY'S
RESILIENT SPIRIT.



WHY DO I CARE ABOUT
THIS LITTLE COUNTRY

THAT, WELL,
MANY CAN'T FIND ON A MAP?

I GREW UP IN SOUTH ASIA.

IN INDIA, THEN PAKISTAN,

WHEN BANGLADESH
WAS EAST PAKISTAN.

SO I'VE ALWAYS FELT CONNECTED
TO THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD.

THE FIRST TIME I WENT TO
BANGLADESH WAS IN 1971,

JUST MONTHS BEFORE ITS
BRUTAL WAR OF INDEPENDENCE.

WE TOOK A FAMILY VACATION.

GROWING UP HERE,
I SAW THE HARDEST-WORKING PEOPLE

I'VE EVER KNOWN--

AND THE MOST HOPEFUL.

POOR AND HARD-PRESSED, SURE.

YET PRAGMATIC AND IRREPRESSIBLE.



IT HURT ME WHEN THEY
WERE CONSTANTLY PORTRAYED

IN WESTERN MEDIA AS "VICTIMS."

I ALWAYS FELT
BANGLADESH GOT A BUM RAP

WHEN HENRY KISSINGER
DISMISSED IT

AS "AN INTERNATIONAL
BASKET CASE,"

AND THAT LABEL STUCK.

IT JUST DIDN'T SQUARE WITH
THE PLACE I REMEMBERED.

I WANTED TO PAINT A
DIFFERENT PICTURE.

SO WHEN I HEARD ABOUT
MOHAMMED REZWAN,

A TECH-SAVVY SOCIAL
ENTREPRENEUR,

TAKING ON THE CHALLENGE
OF FLOODING HEAD-ON,

I HAD TO GO SEE FOR MYSELF.

ON THE EIGHT-HOUR DRIVE
TO REZWAN'S PROJECT SITE,

THE CAR IS BLOCKED
BY AN ELEPHANT.

I OFFER IT A 10 TAKA NOTE.

Man: GOOD LUCK, GLENN.

Baker: THE ELEPHANT WILL
HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.

THE ELEPHANT'S BEEN WELL
TRAINED TO NOT TAKE HANDOUTS

FROM STRANGERS OR
THE GOVERNMENT.

I'VE BEEN IN THE COUNTRY
LESS THAN 24 HOURS

AND DON'T REALIZE THE BILL
IS WORTH ABOUT 14 CENTS.

Man: THAT'S THE WRONG END.

Baker: FINALLY A
50 DOES THE TRICK.

Rezwan: YEAH,
THE SCHOOL HERE IS UNDER WATER.

Baker: REZWAN TOLD ME
FLOODING HAS ALWAYS BEEN

A PART OF LIFE HERE.

BUT NOW IT'S BECOME MORE
UNPREDICTABLE AND MORE EXTREME.

Baker: REZWAN GRADUATED FROM

THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS
ARCHITECTURE SCHOOL

IN THE COUNTRY.

MOST GRADUATES MAKE
A COMFORTABLE LIVING

DESIGNING MANSIONS FOR THE RICH.

IT WAS BECOMING CLEAR
THAT REZWAN HAD CHOSEN

A VERY DIFFERENT PATH.

[HORNS HONKING]

HE BROUGHT US TO ONE OF HIS
FAVORITE SPOTS IN DHAKA,

THE CAPITAL CITY.

Rezwan: BUT I REALIZED THAT MY
BUILDINGS WILL GO UNDER WATER

IN THE FUTURE.

[MAN SINGING, DRUMS PLAYING]

Baker: AT FIRST,
IT WAS A LONELY ENTERPRISE.

IT TOOK FOUR YEARS BEFORE
HE WAS ABLE TO BUILD

THE FIRST BOAT SCHOOL.

Baker: SEARCHING
FOR CHEAP MATERIALS,

REZWAN LOOKED TO THE
PORT CITY OF CHITTAGONG,

WHERE OLD SHIPS GO TO DIE.

HE BOUGHT A HANDFUL OF
SURPLUS LIFEBOAT HULLS

AND BROUGHT THEM HOME.

FROM THE WRECKAGE,
HE FOUND NEW LIFE FOR OLD LIFEBOATS.

THE COMMUNITY WAS SKEPTICAL.

BUT AS IT AWAKENED
TO THE POTENTIAL,

VOLUNTEERS CAME FORWARD.

Baker: THE VILLAGES THAT
HUG THESE RIVERSIDES

ARE COMPLETELY OFF THE GRID.

EACH BOAT MAKES
TWO OR THREE STOPS

TO PICK UP KIDS
NEAR THEIR HOMES,

THEN DOCKS FOR THE
REST OF THE SCHOOL DAY.

[CHILDREN TALKING]

[CHILDREN REPEATING
AFTER TEACHER]

Baker: ON TOP OF ACCESSIBILITY,

I DISCOVER THE BOAT SCHOOLS
OFFER SOMETHING ELSE

THE GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS DON'T--

COMPUTERS AND
INTERNET CONNECTIONS.

Baker: AFTER EDUCATION,
ONE OF THE BIGGEST NEEDS HERE

IS BASIC MEDICAL CARE.

Baker: THIS IS THE FIRST DOCTOR
THIS WOMAN HAS EVER SEEN.

Dr. Saleemul Huq:
HAVING FLOATING SCHOOLS,

AS WELL AS FLOATING CLINICS,
MAKES A LOT OF SENSE,

AND IT DEMONSTRATES FOR
THE WORLD THAT BANGLADESHIS

HAVE A CULTURE OF
LIVING WITH NATURE,

AND BEING ABLE TO ADAPT TO
WHATEVER NATURE THROWS AT THEM.

Baker: CLIMATE EXPERT SALEEM
HUQ IS PASSIONATELY CONCERNED

BY HOW GLOBAL WARMING
IS HITTING HIS COUNTRY.

BEFORE MY TRIP,

I CAME ACROSS HIS OPTIMISTIC
VIEWS ON BANGLADESH

AND KNEW I HAD TO MEET HIM.

AFTER TEACHING IN
LONDON FOR TEN YEARS,

HE'S COME HOME TO CREATE
THE FIRST RESEARCH CENTER

FOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION
IN A "LIVING LABORATORY."

Huq: BANGLADESH HAS A
COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE

WHEN IT COMES TO ADAPTING
TO CLIMATE CHANGE.

FLOODS, CYCLONES,
HURRICANES COME TOGETHER QUITE FREQUENTLY.

IT'S SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTRY

HAS A LOT OF
EXPERIENCE IN FACING

AND HAS A LOT OF
COPING CAPACITY.

Baker: DR. HUQ TAKES VISITING
SCIENTISTS INTO THE FIELD

TO SEE HOW THE LAND IS CHANGING,
AND HOW PEOPLE ARE RESPONDING.

Huq: WHAT I'M HOPING TO DO IS
TO LEVERAGE THE CURRENT VIEW

OF BANGLADESH AS THE
ICONIC VULNERABLE COUNTRY,

TO TRANSFORM THAT INTO THE
ICONIC ADAPTIVE COUNTRY.

Baker: DR. HUQ'S UPBEAT
TAKE ON THE COUNTRY

PROMPTED ME TO DIG DEEPER.

I LEARNED ABOUT "THE BANGLADESHI
FAMILY PLANNING MIRACLE."

HOW, SINCE INDEPENDENCE,
THE BIRTHRATE HAS BEEN REDUCED

FROM ALMOST SEVEN CHILDREN PER
WOMAN TO JUST OVER TWO TODAY.

YET ONE THING YOU CAN'T
HELP NOTICE HERE IS PEOPLE--

EVERYWHERE.

WITH HALF THE POPULATION
OF THE UNITED STATES

SQUEEZED INTO AN AREA
THE SIZE OF WISCONSIN,

IT'S THE DENSEST
COUNTRY ON EARTH.

REZWAN TOLD ME A THIRD
OF GIRLS ARE MARRIED

BY THE TIME THEY'RE 15,

TWO-THIRDS BY AGE 18.

EDUCATING GIRLS IS A
KEY STEP IN DEVELOPMENT.

IT DELAYS MARRIAGE AND LEADS
TO MORE USE OF FAMILY PLANNING.

IT ALSO CREATES OPPORTUNITIES

THAT ALLOW WOMEN
MORE CHOICES IN LIFE.

Girl: TWINKLE, TWINKLE.

All: TWINKLE, TWINKLE.

Girl: LITTLE STAR.

All: LITTLE STAR.

Girl: HOW I WONDER...

All: HOW I WONDER...

Baker: RUMA AND RUPA
ARE BEST FRIENDS.

GIRLS HERE OFTEN DON'T GET
A CHANCE TO GO TO SCHOOL.

BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS,

THEIR MOTHERS WON'T SEND THEM
TO A FAR-OFF PUBLIC SCHOOL.

AT AGE TEN,
THEY'RE JUST IN THE THIRD GRADE.

Baker: RUPA HAS FOUR
YOUNGER BROTHERS.

RACEL IS EIGHT.

HE WAS BORN WITH HYDROCEPHALUS,
OR WATER ON THE BRAIN.

Baker: BECAUSE OF
THOSE MEDICAL COSTS,

RUPA'S FATHER WORKS
AS A DAY LABORER

IN A TOWN SEVEN HOURS AWAY.

HE GETS HOME JUST ONCE A MONTH.

THERE'S NOT MUCH LEFT
OVER TO INVEST IN RUPA.

Children: OUR CLASS...

Teacher: STARTS...
Children: STARTS...

Teacher: AT... Children: AT...

Teacher: 1 P.M. Children: 1 P.M.

Teacher: LAPTOP.
Children: COMPUTER!

Girl: KEYBOARD.

Children: INTERNET.

Baker: WHEN THE FAMILY
TOOK RACEL FOR TREATMENT,

THE HOSPITAL WAS
NEAR THE AIRPORT.

RUPA BEGAN TO IMAGINE
THE POSSIBILITIES.

Baker: REZWAN CALLED HIS PROJECT
"SHIDHULAI," OR "SELF-RELIANCE."

THREE YEARS AFTER HE LAUNCHED
THE FIRST BOAT SCHOOL,

HE BEGAN TO GET NOTICED.

IN 2005 HE WAS
INVITED TO COMPETE

AT THE WORLD BANK'S
DEVELOPMENT MARKETPLACE.

Baker: MORE
RECOGNITION FOLLOWED.

FIRST, AN ENVIRONMENT AWARD
FROM SILICON VALLEY GIANT INTEL.

TWO PRIZES FROM
THE UNITED NATIONS.

IT TOOK BOTH AL GORE
AND PRINCE CHARLES

TO GIVE HIM THE ASHDEN TRUST
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY AWARD.

WITH THOSE PRIZES IN HAND,
HIS PROJECT STARTED TO TAKE OFF.

BACK HOME,
THE LEADING ENGLISH DAILY

RAN A STORY PRAISING HIS WORK.

Baker: LIKE A LOT OF
POOR, YOUNG COUNTRIES,

BANGLADESH HAS ONLY LIMITED
EXPERIENCE WITH DEMOCRACY.

I FOUND OUT ON

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL'S
CORRUPTION INDEX,

IT RANKS 120th OUT
OF 182 COUNTRIES,

TIED WITH KAZAKHSTAN AND IRAN.

IT'S A PLACE WHERE
FACTS CAN BE ELUSIVE

AND NEWS COVERAGE CAN SOMETIMES
REFLECT SPECIAL INTERESTS.

WHEN HIS PROJECT WON A MAJOR
AWARD FROM THE GATES FOUNDATION,

IT RAISED HIS PROFILE AGAIN.

Baker: SUDDENLY,
THE TONE OF SOME ARTICLES CHANGED.

ONE CLAIMED INVESTIGATORS COULD
NOW ONLY FIND THREE BOATS.

THEY MUST NOT HAVE
LOOKED VERY HARD.

WE SAW MORE THAN 20 ON
TWO DIFFERENT RIVERS.

Baker: NAVIGATING THE COMPLEX
POLITICS OF THE NON-PROFIT WORLD

COMES WITH THE JOB.

[CHILDREN RECITING LESSONS]

BUT I WAS COMING TO
REALIZE THAT AT HEART,

REZWAN IS A SOCIAL
DESIGN VISIONARY,

CREATING A BLUEPRINT
FOR SHARED SURVIVAL.

Baker: TO SERVE THE GROWING
DEMAND FOR LEARNING,

REZWAN HAS DESIGNED
DOUBLE-DECKER BOATS.

ON ONE LEVEL,
KIDS ATTEND CLASS IN THE ROUND.

UP ABOVE...

Baker: SPEAKING
OF ANIMAL FRIENDS,

WE SAW BIG BATS
COME OUT AT DUSK.

ONCE NIGHT FALLS,
IT GETS REALLY DARK HERE.

OUTSIDE THE CITIES,

FOUR OUT OF FIVE BANGLADESHIS
DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY,

LEADING, IN MANY WAYS,
A PRE-MODERN LIFE.

WITHOUT IT,
PEOPLE USUALLY STAY HOME AT NIGHT.

WE SAW HOW THE TRAINING BOATS,

EQUIPPED WITH BATTERY-POWERED
PROJECTORS, ARE CHANGING THAT.

Baker: AND SO REZWAN'S COME
UP WITH ANOTHER FIRST HERE--

FAMILY MOVIE NIGHT.

Baker: VILLAGERS PAY A SMALL
FEE TO TRADE IN THE LANTERNS

FOR ONES WITH A FULL CHARGE.

STUDYING BY THE LIGHT
OF A SOLAR LAMP,

GOLAPY KHATUN IS THE
FIRST GIRL IN HER FAMILY

WITH A SHOT AT HIGHER EDUCATION.

Baker: WITH A TOTAL
OF 18 SCHOOL BOATS,

REZWAN'S PROJECT CAN ONLY OFFER
CLASSES TO ELEMENTARY GRADES.

BUT REZWAN TOLD ME HE FOUND
SUCH A THIRST FOR KNOWLEDGE

AMONG OLDER STUDENTS,
HE CAME UP WITH ANOTHER INNOVATION--

FLOATING LIBRARIES.

Baker: SHE STILL HAS TO CONVINCE
HER FATHER IT'S A GOOD IDEA.

Baker: 17-YEAR-OLD
HASINUR RAHMAN

LIVES ON THE SAME RIVER.

Baker: ON THE BOAT RIDE HOME,

HASINUR SHOWS THAT,
LIKE MANY BANGLADESHIS,

HE'S ALL TOO AWARE OF THE HUMAN
HAND IN THE CHANGING CLIMATE.

Baker: REZWAN TOOK US ON A TOUR

TO SHOW US JUST HOW
PERVASIVE THE PROBLEMS ARE.

Baker: FUELED BY
MELTING GLACIERS

UPSTREAM IN THE HIMALAYAS,

THE JAMUNA RIVER RUNS DOWN
THE SPINE OF BANGLADESH.

IT DRAGS ALONG TONS OF SILT.

AS THE SEDIMENT BUILDS UP,
IT MAKES THE RIVER MORE SHALLOW.

AND THAT MAKES THE RIVER EXPAND.

IN SOME PLACES,
IT'S NOW TEN MILES WIDE.

Baker: THE GOVERNMENT IS
THROWING BAGS OF GRAVEL

AGAINST THE CRUMBLING SHORE.

Baker: ON REZWAN'S ADVICE,
THAT'S WHERE WE HEADED NEXT.

WE TOOK THE OVERNIGHT FERRY
PAST GHOSTLY BRICK FACTORIES

THAT GENERATE THE
BUILDING BLOCKS

OF THE SPRAWLING
MEGACITY OF DHAKA.

WHEN WE SET UP OUR CAMERA,

WE WERE SURROUNDED BY A HOST
OF PEOPLE EAGER TO TALK.

Baker: TOFAZZAL HOSSAIN
USED TO GROW RICE HERE.

BUT THE POWER OF
THE MEGHNA RIVER

HAS ERODED THOUSANDS
OF ACRES OF FARMLAND.

Baker: REZWAN DIRECTED US TO THE
SOUTHERNMOST PART OF THE COUNTRY

TO SEE THE FULL EXTENT
OF CLIMATE DEVASTATION.

THIS IS AN AREA
TEETERING ON THE BRINK,

WHERE HIS FLOATING SCHOOLS WOULD
PROVIDE A TREMENDOUS SERVICE.

Baker: RESIDENTS HAVE COVERED
LEVEES MADE OF MUD WITH THATCH

IN A DESPERATE EFFORT TO
KEEP THEM FROM WASHING AWAY.

Baker: THIS PART ALREADY HAS.

IF AN UPDATED MAP OF
SOUTHERN BANGLADESH EXISTED,

IT WOULD LOOK LIKE A GRID,

THE LINES ON GRAPH
PAPER BEING THE LAND.

EVERYTHING ELSE
IS NOW UNDERWATER.

IT HAS NEVER RECOVERED
FROM TWO MASSIVE CYCLONES

IN 2007 AND 2009.

WE TOOK A BOAT TO AN EMBANKMENT
WHERE THE MUD WAS SO SLIPPERY,

A LOCAL MAN HELPED
KEEP ME FROM FALLING.

Baker: THOUSANDS NOW
LIVE ON DIRT EMBANKMENTS

SURROUNDED BY WATER AND MUD.

Baker: ENCROACHING SALTWATER
IS KILLING THE TREES,

RENDERING A SURREAL LANDSCAPE.

Baker: IN THIS AREA,
CALLED THE SUNDARBANS,

I DISCOVERED HOW CLIMATE
CHANGE IS ALTERING LIVES

IN UNEXPECTED WAYS.

THE NEARBY MANGROVE
FOREST IS HOME

TO ABOUT 400 ROYAL
BENGAL TIGERS,

ONE OF THE MOST ENDANGERED
SPECIES ON EARTH.

Huq: THERE IS VERY STRONG
EVIDENCE THAT SEA LEVEL RISE

AND SALINITY INTRUSION IS
CHANGING THE ECOSYSTEM.

THE TIGER'S HABITAT
IS SHRINKING,

AND THEREFORE THEY'RE NOW
LOOKING AT ENCROACHING

INTO HUMAN HABITATS.

Baker: LIKE EVERYWHERE
IN THIS COUNTRY,

THE SURROUNDING AREA
IS DENSELY POPULATED.

HERE I SAW BOTH VALIANT
EFFORTS TO ADAPT

AND THE LIMITS OF ADAPTATION.

Baker: NOW THE WATERS
ARE OVERFISHED,

FORCING FISHERMEN TO VENTURE
DEEPER INTO THE MANGROVE SWAMP,

WHERE THE TIGERS' TURF
IS GOING UNDERWATER, TOO.

SOME TIGERS CROSS THE
RIVER TO LOOK FOR FOOD.

INEVITABLY,
THEY ENCOUNTER PEOPLE.

IN THIS AREA,
TIGERS NOW KILL ABOUT 80 PEOPLE A YEAR.

A LOT MORE ARE
INJURED IN ATTACKS.

Baker: RASHIDA'S OLDEST
SON, RASINUR,

WAS IN FOURTH GRADE THEN.

NOW HE HAS TO FILL HIS
FATHER'S SHOES--AND HIS NET.

Baker: I START TO WONDER WHETHER
MUD, BAMBOO,

EVEN FLOATING SCHOOLS,
ARE GOING TO BE ENOUGH

TO HOLD THIS VULNERABLE
COUNTRY TOGETHER.

Baker: DHAKA.
THIS IS WHERE THEY COME.

LIKE A MAGNET IN THE
CENTER OF THE COUNTRY,

IT PULLS IN PEOPLE WHO
HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO.

THE LOCAL PAPER AFFECTIONATELY
CALLS IT "A CHOKING HELL."

WE SPEND HOURS
LOCKED IN TRAFFIC.

WHEN THE CAR STOPS,
VISITORS ARRIVE.

THIS BRINGS BACK MEMORIES
OF THE OLD BANGLADESH.

THIS HASN'T CHANGED.

I CATCH MYSELF WONDERING

IF THINGS REALLY ARE
GETTING BETTER HERE.

Atiq Rahman: IT IS A
CLIMATIC DESTABILIZATION

OF CATASTROPHIC AND
IRREVERSIBLE NATURE.

Baker: IN DHAKA,
I TRACK DOWN DR. ATIQ RAHMAN,

WHO WAS A KEY MEMBER OF THE U.N.
CLIMATE PANEL

THAT SHARED THE
NOBEL PEACE PRIZE.

Rahman: WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT MILLIONS OF PEOPLES

WHOSE LIVELIHOOD, WHOSE
HABITATION, WHOSE IDENTITY,

WHOSE EXISTENCE IN
THEIR OWN ECOSYSTEM

WILL BE SEVERELY CHALLENGED.

Baker: TOGETHER WITH HIS
COLLEAGUE SALEEM HUQ,

THEY'VE BECOME SORT OF
A GOOD COP/BAD COP TEAM

FOR GLOBAL CLIMATE JUSTICE.

Rahman: IT'S AN
ISSUE OF CONSUMPTION

WITHOUT RESPECT FOR
THE LIMITS OF NATURE.

Baker: SO MANY HAVE BEEN WASHED
OFF THE SOUTHERN ISLAND OF BHOLA

AND COME HERE,
THEY'VE NAMED THIS SLUM BHOLAVILLE,

WHERE THEY LIVE ABOVE WATER.

Baker: NOW ABOUT
HALF A MILLION PEOPLE

ARE MOVING TO DHAKA EVERY YEAR.

AND THEIR RANKS KEEP SWELLING.

Rahman: HOW MANY PEOPLE
DOES GERMANY HAVE TO TAKE?

HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL THE U.S.
HAVE TO TAKE?

[PEOPLE CHANTING]

Crowd: TAKE ACTION, TAKE ACTION,
AND GET SOME SATISFACTION.

OOH, IT'S HOT IN HERE.

THERE'S TOO MUCH CARBON
IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

CLIMATE JUSTICE NOW!

[CHEERING AND APPLAUSE]

Baker: WE WENT TO COPENHAGEN TO
SEE BANGLADESH'S CLIMATE STORY

PLAY OUT ON A GLOBAL STAGE.

WHILE DR. HUQ CAME TO HELP
CRAFT AN INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENT

TO LIMIT CARBON EMISSIONS,

DR. RAHMAN LED A
BANGLADESHI DELEGATION

TRYING TO DRUM UP
SUPPORT FOR ADAPTATION.

Rahman: WE HAVE TO ADAPT,
AND ADAPT BIG TIME.

THERE IS NO QUESTION OF CHOICE.

Baker: THE QUESTION BECAME,

HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD RICH,
POLLUTING COUNTRIES PROVIDE

TO HELP POOR COUNTRIES ADAPT?

Yvo De Boer: THE
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES SAYING

THEY WANT A NEW
FINANCIAL MECHANISM...

Rahman: IT'S ALL ABOUT
"WE HAVE NO MONEY."

THAT IS TRUE,
NOBODY HAS EXCESS MONEY.

BUT WHEN THE RICH SUFFER,

WHICH WAS THE FINANCIAL
CRISIS IN THE U.S.,

TRILLIONS OF DOLLARS
APPEARED FROM SOMEWHERE.

WHEN THE POOR SUFFER,
THERE'S NO MONEY APPEARING.

THERE IS A SERIOUS ECONOMIC

AND ECOLOGICAL
JUSTICE ISSUE IN THIS.

Man: TIME IS UP.

WE NEED A REAL DEAL.

Huq: I WENT THERE
WITH HIGH HOPES,

AND I CAME OUT
TOTALLY SHATTERED.

WE HAD A GATHERING OF
THE WORLD'S LEADERS.

THEY COULD HAVE MADE A
DECISION IF THEY WANTED.

THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO THINK
OUTSIDE THE CONFINES OF

"WHAT'S BEST FOR MY COUNTRY?"

Rahman: IT WILL NOT
BE ONLY BANGLADESH

THAT WILL GO UNDERWATER.

NEW YORK WILL GO UNDERWATER.

LONDON WILL GO UNDERWATER.

TOKYO WILL GO UNDERWATER.

Huq: CLIMATE CHANGE IS NOT
ABOUT WHAT ONE COUNTRY GAINS

FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY.

IT'S ABOUT WHAT THE
LEADERS OF THIS GENERATION

ARE GOING TO LEAVE BEHIND

FOR THEIR CHILDREN AND
THEIR GRANDCHILDREN.

Baker: FLOATING SCHOOLS,

CLINICS,

CINEMAS,

LIBRARIES.

THE NEXT STEP IN REZWAN'S PLAN
IS TO HELP HIS COMMUNITY SURVIVE

WHEN EXTREME FLOODING HITS.

Baker: HE'S DEVELOPING A SENSOR

TO BE PLACED AT KEY
POINTS ALONG THE RIVER

THAT WILL SEND SIGNALS
TO THE SHELTERS

WHEN THE WATER REACHES
A CRITICAL LEVEL.

THEY IN TURN WILL SEND TEXT
WARNINGS TO VILLAGES DOWNSTREAM.

Baker: THE WORLD BANK
HAS AGAIN INVITED REZWAN

TO COMPETE FOR FUNDING.

Announcement: WELCOME TO WASHINGTON
DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.

Woman: OHH, WHO IS THIS?

Rezwan: HOW ARE YOU?
YOU ARE HERE?

Woman: GOOD! YEAH.

OH, COOL. YEAH.

I HEARD FROM SOME BANGLADESHIS,

THEY WANT TO DO,
THEY WANT TO DO MAYA NUT IN BANGLADESH.

Baker: BEFORE HE CAN
SET UP HIS BOOTH,

REZWAN RUNS INTO A
FELLOW COMPETITOR

WHO HE KNOWS FROM
OTHER COMPETITIONS.

Rezwan: SO YOU ARE
HERE FOR THE MAYA NUT?

Woman: YEAH! YOU WANT TO SEE?

Rezwan: OKAY, LET ME...

Woman: WHERE ARE YOU?
YOU JUST GOT HERE?

Rezwan: YEAH, JUST GOT HERE.
LET ME, YOU KNOW...

Woman: COOL.
I'M GLAD TO SEE YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS.

Baker: BUT QUICKLY
THE CONVERSATION

GETS DOWN TO BUSINESS.

Woman: WE GOT SOME GRANTS.

Rezwan: OKAY.

Woman: WE'VE GOTTEN A
LOT OF PRIVATE DONATIONS.

BUT MAYBE WE'LL ALL WIN
TODAY, TOMORROW.

ALRIGHT, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

Rezwan: OKAY, NICE MEETING YOU.

Woman: WE'LL SEE YOU AROUND.

Rezwan: OKAY.

Woman: HOW MUCH WOULD THIS COST?

Baker: AL JAZEERA
HAS GOTTEN WIND

THAT REZWAN IS IN WASHINGTON,

AND INVITES HIM, AND
ME, TO APPEAR ON AIR.

Riz Khan: TODAY'S SHOW WE ASK,

HOW DOES A DEVELOPING
COUNTRY LIKE BANGLADESH

ADAPT TO THE THREAT
OF CLIMATE CHANGE?

JOINING ME IS A MAN
WHO'S NOT ONLY ADAPTING

TO THE GROWING THREAT
OF CLIMATE CHANGE,

BUT CREATING OPPORTUNITIES
FOR MANY BANGLADESHIS,

ESPECIALLY WOMEN.

ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC THINGS
WILL REALLY KEEP MOVING

WITH THIS PROJECT,
YOU CAN REALLY GROW IT ON A HUGE SCALE?

Rezwan: YEAH, IT IS POSSIBLE.

BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE ANY
OTHER OPTION IN BANGLADESH.

IF SOUTHERN PARTS OF
BANGLADESH GOES UNDERWATER,

THEN PEOPLE HAVE
ONLY ONE OPTION--

THEY HAVE TO LEARN
HOW TO LIVE ON WATER.

[APPLAUSE]

Man: THE NEXT WINNER...

PROJECT NUMBER 1641.

"SAMOANS TURN TO
TRADITIONAL HOUSING

AS A SANCTUARY
FROM CLIMATE RISK."

[APPLAUSE]

THE NEXT WINNER,
PROJECT NUMBER 4561.

[CHEERING]

Man: AN AWARD TO
CULTIVATE MAYA NUT TREES.

Man: AND NOW TO ANNOUNCE
THE FINAL WINNER.

PROJECT NUMBER 1358,

"ADAPTING NATIVE ANDEAN
CROPS FOR FOOD SECURITY

IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE."

[APPLAUSE]

[LAUGHS]

Huq: BANGLADESH
OVER ITS EXISTENCE

HAS TEETERED ON THE BRINK
OF FALLING OFF A CLIFF,

BUT NEVER SEEMS TO FALL OFF.

SO I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING
INHERENT IN THE PEOPLE

THAT PROVIDES A
RESILIENCE AND A CHARACTER

THAT THEY SOMEHOW
CAN FACE ADVERSITY.

NOT THAT THEY AREN'T
AFFECTED BY IT,

THEY ARE QUITE BADLY
AFFECTED, BUT NEVERTHELESS,

THEY ARE ABLE TO
PICK THEMSELVES UP,

DUST THEMSELVES
OFF, AND CARRY ON.

Baker: AFTER THE LONG TRIP
HOME, REZWAN GETS BACK TO WORK.

HE'S GOT NEW IDEAS AND STAFF
EAGER TO BRING THEM TO LIFE.

Baker: RUPA AND RUMA
ARE IN FOURTH GRADE NOW.

GOLAPY'S FATHER HAS DECIDED
IT WOULD BE A GOOD THING

TO HAVE A POLICE
OFFICER IN THE FAMILY.

HASINUR IS PLANNING
A COMPUTING EMPIRE,

AND MAY JUST TURN
INTO "REZWAN 2.0."

Baker: AS I'M LEAVING,
IT OCCURS TO ME

THAT BANGLADESH POSSESSES
EXACTLY THE TOUGHNESS

AND RESILIENCE REQUIRED

FOR THE PLANET TO SURVIVE
THE CHANGES AHEAD.

SLAMMED BY THE INDUSTRIAL
WORLD'S CARBON POLLUTION,

BATTERED BY WEATHER EXTREMES,

YET HERE IT IS,
A CAULDRON OF IDEAS AND ENERGY.

EVEN THE TONE OF MEDIA
STORIES IS STARTING TO CHANGE.

FARMERS ARE GROWING NEW
STRAINS OF SALT-RESISTANT RICE.

ONE POSED THE QUESTION,
"BANGLADESH--ECO SYMBOL?"

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL EVEN
WENT SO FAR AS TO WRITE,

"BANGLADESH,
'BASKET CASE' NO MORE."

Huq: BANGLADESH IS VERY
MUCH AT THE FOREFRONT

OF DEALING WITH THE PROBLEMS.

SO EVEN DEVELOPED
COUNTRIES LIKE THE U.S.

CAN COME TO BANGLADESH

TO LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH
DISASTERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

Baker: THE ANSWERS TO THIS
CENTURY'S BIGGEST PROBLEMS

MAY WELL COME FROM
THE GLOBAL SOUTH.

AND AS FOR REZWAN?

THE RENOWNED
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION

RECENTLY FEATURED HIS
BOAT SCHOOLS IN AN EXHIBIT

ON SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE
IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD.

AS THE NEW YORK TIMES PUT
IT, "RESCUED BY DESIGN."

ON HIS PROJECT BOATS,
HOPE CONTINUES TO FLOAT.