As an ambassador for the conservation and environmental organisation WWF-UK (wwf.org.uk) Stephen Poliakoff directed a three minute film, Virunga, to rally opposition to western interference.
The film opens as we journey over snow-capped mountains and volcanoes before landing in lush tropical rainforest - home to an astonishing array of wildlife including gorillas and forest elephants. The threats faced by this world heritage site from oil exploration is narrated by actress and conservation campaigner Anna Friel. The sheer beauty of the landscapes of the remote area bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Uganda in their cinematic glory puts into perspective how a global thirst for oil is putting Virunga's future at risk.
WWF-UK believes that oil exploration could bring a new and unacceptable level of risk for Virunga's environment and communities. There is evidence that the park could develop economically without resorting to oil extraction.
This campaign, as of 2016, has proved successful: Soco Halts Oil Exploration in Africa's Virunga National Park