Human Behaviour as Driver of Environmental Degradation and Climate Change in Joya's the Last Fishing Boat and Ojiofor's the Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

The term ‘Anthropocene’ calls our attention to rethink the role of human-caused climate change which is altering the earth’s environmental conditions. This article is concerned with highlighting the impact of human behaviour as driver of environmental degradation and climate change as portrayed in Ojiofor’s ‘The Boy who Harnessed the Wind’ and Joya’s ‘The Last Fishing Boat.’ The research is qualitative in nature. An Ecocritical approach is applied to the analysis of the texts alongside close reading. The focus is on various thematic concerns of Ecocriticism, particularly on how these two film scripts depict human behaviour as driver of environmental degradation and climate change. This research is concerned with how film scripts reveal how Malawians are depicted using various endowments of the environment signifying how humans rely on the environment for essential resources. At the same, the article is also interested on how the two films’ portrayal of how humans are at the mercy of nature, suffering the consequences of their actions which serves as a rich and multifaceted metaphor that invites reflection on environmental responsibility, human hubris, and the intricate relationship between humanity and the natural world. The article argues that the two film scripts’ portrayal of human action as the leading cause of environmental degradation thereby contributing to climate change, emphasises that while individuals enjoy the endowments of nature, ironically, they are the main culprits of destructors of the environment. In this case, the two film scripts contribute to sustainability narratives by showcasing characters and communities in Malawi engaging in practices that destroy the environment which if addressed may help in mitigation of environmental harm.