Odisha’s pioneering mangrove restoration initiatives have received international spotlight through a new global documentary series featuring UNDP Goodwill Ambassador and acclaimed Game of Thrones actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. The second season of Bloomberg Originals’ An Optimist’s Guide to the Planet, which premiered on October 23, dedicates a powerful segment to Odisha’s community-led climate resilience efforts under the Enhancing Climate Resilience of India’s Coastal Communities (ECRICC) project.

The episode titled Protect takes viewers to Bagapatia village in Kendrapada district, located around 12 kilometres from the coast, where 719 families were relocated after losing their homes to super cyclones, intense sea level rise, and severe coastal erosion. Through compelling storytelling and real-life experiences, the documentary highlights how local communities — especially women — have taken ownership of rebuilding both ecology and livelihood by restoring mangrove forests along the vulnerable coastal belt.

Mangroves act as a natural shield against cyclones, tidal surges, and land degradation, and Odisha has emerged as a model for grassroots climate action by making ecological protection a people-led movement. The restoration efforts featured in the documentary are part of a wider partnership supported by the Green Climate Fund, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Odisha’s Department of Forest, Environment and Climate Change, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The film underscores how community participation, sustainable ecosystem management, and adaptive climate strategies are helping one of India’s most disaster-prone coastal regions build long-term resilience. By showcasing Odisha’s efforts on a global platform, the series reinforces the message that local action can spark global inspiration, empowering vulnerable communities to transform climate challenges into sustainable futures.