Planet of the Humans: Green Energy, ESG, and Climate Truth

Introduction

The Michael Moore-produced 2019 documentary Planet of the Humans, directed by Jeff Gibbs, raised important questions and concerns about one of the most pressing issues in the climate change debate: the extent to which renewable energy is genuinely safe for the environment. The documentary surprised many because Moore is known for his left-leaning politics, yet the film essentially accused prominent climate leaders and activists of misleading the public about renewable energy. Moore contends that what began as a legitimate movement toward sustainability was co-opted by corporations and big business seeking to profit from the emerging Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) industry. He argues that their motive is profit — not reducing the risk of climate change — which is why so many renewable energy endeavors today are actually harmful to the environment.

Moore's film does not dismiss climate change; it simply points out the flawed approach to addressing climate change that many in the ESG community are now taking. For that reason, Planet of the Humans adds to the broader discussion on climate change and raises important ideas that have been received both negatively and positively, but that are ultimately meant to help audiences understand the truth about the ESG movement and how big business is shaping the trajectory of renewable energy as a solution to climate change.

The Conversation Moore Wants to Have

Michael Moore has always been a controversial filmmaker. His first documentary, Roger & Me, took on the Flint, Michigan labor crisis and featured an attempt to confront General Motors' CEO on camera about why the company was laying off workers while executives profited. Later, Moore examined the politics of gun violence in Bowling for Columbine and explored how the events of 9/11 changed America. Moore has a long history of tackling taboo subjects and challenging sacred cows — and that is exactly what he does in Planet of the Humans. In left-leaning political circles, it has become taboo to question the integrity of the ESG movement, yet Moore presents serious concerns about the renewable energy projects currently underway around the world. He portrays them as more harmful than beneficial to the environment. The documentary demonstrates why this is an important conversation to have, and judging from public and press reactions, it has clearly succeeded in sparking debate.

Critical responses to the film have been sharply divided. One reviewer declared that "Michael Moore's Planet of the Humans documentary peddles dangerous climate denial" (Nuccitelli). Another acknowledged both its strengths and weaknesses, noting that "Jeff Gibbs' film, produced by Michael Moore, takes a pop at green, liberal A-listers such as Al Gore — but doesn't dare criticize Greta Thunberg" (Bradshaw). Scheck argued that the documentary did a good job of pointing out "the many damaging structural flaws and corporate ties of the environmental movement," while Gearino contended that "the documentary's 'facts' are deceptive and misleading, not to mention way out of date." Variety observed that the film ultimately focuses on how "a greenwashing surface too often hides old-school environmental destruction, polluting and profiteering from the usual billionaires."

One of the documentary's central points is that the benefits of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power "are often wildly exaggerated, particularly in proportion to the resources required for their construction and operation" (Variety). Gearino's main objection, however, is that the film oversimplifies important distinctions — for example, the difference between clean energy and green energy. Biomass, he acknowledges, is a form of green energy but is not necessarily clean energy. His concern is that the documentary lumps biomass together with wind and solar power as though all three were guilty of the same flaws. Gearino further argues that the film fails to adequately portray the benefits of wind and solar power, focusing instead almost exclusively on their environmental downsides — particularly the impact of manufacturing and constructing these technologies.

What the Documentary Shows

The documentary reveals several glaring contradictions within the green energy movement to combat climate change. Moore and Gibbs argue that these contradictions must be examined critically, while Gearino and others view them as hurdles to overcome rather than inherent problems in the movement. For instance, Moore and Gibbs point out that electric vehicles (EVs) like the Chevy Volt are not powered by renewable energy but rather draw from the fossil fuel grid. Gearino would counter that this does not undermine the green energy movement as a whole; it simply identifies the next necessary step — transitioning the United States away from the fossil fuel grid entirely.

To accomplish that transition, however, more renewable energy sources are needed, and this is where the documentary's central controversy emerges. One of the key questions Gibbs poses — while watching a mountain being demolished to make room for wind turbines — is this: "Can machines made by industrial civilization save us from industrialization?" His point is that the renewable energy resources championed by the ESG movement are destroying the environment in their own ways. Underlying this argument is the belief that there are no purely technological fixes to the problem of climate change. The most genuine solution, Gibbs suggests, is to move away from technology-dependent lifestyles and return to a way of life more in harmony with nature. Attempting to engineer energy solutions for modern industrial society will simply mean continuing to harm the environment — only now under the cover of an ESG label, where the destruction goes unnoticed, much as it did in the early days of fossil fuel.

Gibbs also demonstrates that biomass is the largest contributor to renewable energy worldwide, yet is deeply harmful to the environment. Biomass plants burn a wide range of materials that have nothing to do with organic biomass — including PCP-treated wood, rubber tires, and old railroad ties. The pollution from these plants reportedly turns the snow black at a neighboring school. This kind of on-the-ground evidence forms the backbone of Gibbs' case against the current state of renewable energy.

Conclusion

Does that mean all is lost? Not necessarily. People can change, even when it seems impossible, and it begins with making a conscious, individual decision about how one wants to live. A genuine grassroots movement is possible — one focused on getting people off the grid, living for true sustainability, and believing in the movement rather than buying into the hype manufactured by the capitalistic exploiters of finance and big business. If those actors are permitted to continue their deceptions unchallenged, the movement will fail to achieve its goals. But if people call them out and hold them accountable, climate change can still be resisted and the environment can still be helped.

Ultimately, it will come down to standing up for the truth and each person doing his or her small part to reduce fossil fuel dependence and live more sustainably. Is it practical for modern society as a whole? No — and there is a memorable scene in I Heart Huckabees that captures this tension perfectly, depicting an environmentally conscious firefighter riding a bicycle to a fire rather than taking a fossil-fuel-powered truck. Yet there is real integrity and goodness in that firefighter's willingness to live differently for something he believes in. That spirit, however impractical it may appear, is what any genuine environmental movement must ultimately be built upon.

Works Cited

Bradshaw, Peter. "Planet of the Humans review – contrarian eco-doc from the Michael Moore stable." The Guardian, 2020. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/apr/22/planet-of-the-humans-review-environment-michael-moore-jeff-gibbs

Gearino, Dan. "Inside Clean Energy: 6 Things Michael Moore's 'Planet of the Humans' Gets Wrong." Inside Climate News, 2020.

Gibbs, Jeff. "Planet of the Humans." YouTube, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zk11vI-7czE

Nuccitelli, Dana. "Michael Moore's 'Planet of the Humans' documentary peddles dangerous climate denial." Yale Climate Connections, 2020.

Scheck, Frank. "'Planet of the Humans': Film Review." The Hollywood Reporter, 2020. https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/planet-of-the-humans-1291348/

Variety. "'Planet of the Humans': Film Review." Variety, 2020.