Hope!, the documentary series by RTVE, as its creator Javier Peña explains, is a journey through the other half of the story we’re never told. The half of the story that holds the solutions. The half where sustainable solutions are not only possible, but profitable—and improve people’s quality of life.

I have friends who are absolutely discouraged, disheartened by the hopelessness of a world with invasive tourism that devours spaces, destroys biodiversity, displaces people, and turns cities into unlivable places. I have friends who no longer read the news or watch TV programs—I include myself among them—devastated by stories that are short-sighted, stagnant, and stuck in what’s easy and familiar. I have friends who don’t believe climate change is real. I have friends who, when I try to explain (probably not very eloquently) that agriculture is the number one cause of climate change, think I’ve gone mad. How do I explain that approximately 38% of global cropland is used to feed livestock? That this includes both grazing land and the fields used to grow animal feed? That when you combine both, livestock accounts for around 77% of the world’s agricultural land? And this is one of our biggest problems.

The answer for my disenchanted friends—and for myself—is in this documentary. “Instead of being discontent with what we see, we should be excited about what is possible,” says American environmentalist Paul Hawken, founder of Project Drawdown, a group of scientists working together to compile a list of solutions to reverse the climate crisis within a generation.

“Instead of being discontent with what we see, we should be excited about what is possible.”
— Paul Hawken, environmentalist and founder of Project Drawdown

What’s amazing about Javier Peña is that he has dedicated himself to researching and digging deep into solutions to social and environmental problems. And what he’s uncovered is incredible. I relate to Javier Peña (although I’m miles away from what he’s achieved with Hope!) because one day, tired of not understanding what was happening in our world, I started watching documentaries, then I took a basic course on ESG, then another course at Columbia University about sustainable development challenges—and I’m not planning to stop.

The perspective that Javier Peña and Paul Hawken promote in Hope! can be summed up in one of their key ideas. When people propose solutions to big, meaningful problems, the response is often: “Yes, but…”—followed by something negative. Their proposal is to replace “Yes, but” with “What if…”.

Examples of climate change solutions that fascinated me in Hope!:

Hope! doesn’t present impossible solutions—on the contrary, it offers viable, scalable, efficient, and profitable ones.

The Cabo Pulmo fishing community: A model of conservation and resistance

Cabo Pulmo, called “the aquarium of the world” by Jacques Cousteau, opens the first episode of Hope! with a song of hope. The fishermen themselves demanded that the government declare the area a Natural Marine Park.

The case of Cabo Pulmo, presented in Hope! as an example of community action against climate change, is a marine conservation project led by fishers who transformed their economic model to protect the most important coral reef in the Gulf of California.

What did the project involve?

• Economic transformation:
  In the 1990s, fishers abandoned destructive fishing (which had depleted the reef) and adopted sustainable ecotourism, offering activities like diving and wildlife watching.

• Legal protection:
  In 1995, the area was declared a National Marine Park, banning industrial fishing and all extractive activities.

• Ecological restoration:
  Fish biomass increased by more than 400% in two decades, attracting migratory species like whale sharks, humpback whales, and sea turtles.

• Resistance to mega-projects:
  The community has stopped tourism projects like Cabo Cortés (2008–2012), which sought to build 30,000 hotel rooms and a marina. Today they continue fighting against projects like La Abundancia and Baja Bay Club, which threaten wetlands and aquifers.

Impact and legacy

• Global model:
  Cited in international forums (UN, COP) as an example of community-led ecological restoration.

• Strategic alliances:
  Collaborates with organizations like Greenpeace, LegacyWorks Group, and Amigos de Cabo Pulmo to replicate the model in other areas of Baja California.

• Current threats:
  Tourism developers continue trying to fragment environmental impact studies to hide damage, while the community demands environmental justice and water protection.

This episode of Hope! highlights how social cohesion and informed activism can reverse ecological damage and create regenerative economies.

Regenerative agriculture: Planting flowers and avoiding pesticides

One of the solutions I found most compelling is regenerative agriculture, an innovative approach that is revolutionizing how some farmers grow food. One episode shows how farmers are transforming their fields using simple yet powerful techniques: planting wildflowers between crops and eliminating chemical pesticides. This strategy has a twofold impact:

• It fosters biodiversity, attracting pollinators and natural pest predators, reducing the need for harmful chemicals.

• It improves soil health, increasing its capacity to store carbon and withstand extreme weather events.

For brands committed to sustainability, these practices are an inspiring model to communicate their dedication to the circular economy and environmental regeneration.

Composting according to Hope!: A solution to cool the planet

Hope! highlights composting as a concrete, accessible solution to fight climate change. Though simple, this practice has the potential to transform both the planet and communities. Here’s how composting can “cool” the climate and why it’s a key tool in the fight against global warming.

Why is composting a climate solution?

• When organic waste (food scraps, leaves, clippings) ends up in landfills, it decomposes without oxygen and produces methane—a greenhouse gas 82 times more potent than CO₂ over 20 years.

• Composting this waste prevents methane formation and instead creates a natural fertilizer that improves soil health and water retention, making ecosystems more resilient to droughts and floods.

• Composting also reduces reliance on synthetic fertilizers, whose production and use emit nitrous oxide, another highly potent greenhouse gas.

Impact on emissions reduction

• Composting is estimated to reduce landfill methane emissions by up to 78%.

• Implementing zero-waste and composting strategies could cut global greenhouse gas emissions from the waste sector by around 84%.

• In cities and communities that have adopted large-scale composting, like in California, tens of thousands of tons of CO₂ equivalent are avoided each year.

Additional benefits of composting

• Improves soil fertility and structure, boosting agricultural yields and carbon storage.

• Reduces erosion, prevents floods and landslides, and improves crop resilience against climate change.

• Fosters the circular economy and local self-sufficiency, creating green jobs and strengthening community ties.

And like these, there are many more solutions that Javier Peña is showcasing alongside an incredible network of experts: economists, biologists, environmentalists, and scientists from many disciplines. For me, Hope! is exactly what it claims to be.