‘Last chance’: Sir David Attenborough issues grim warning to save the planet

Alison Kershaw
Apr 19, 2020, updated Apr 19, 2020

Sir David Attenborough reacts before accepting the annual Chatham House award in London, on November 20. Photo: Reuters

Sir David Attenborough has urged people to “stop waste of any kind”, saying the world is precious and should be “celebrated and cherished”.

The broadcaster and naturalist warns humans have a “last chance” to change their behaviour and save the planet, as he urged politicians to address “the biggest problem humanity has ever faced”.

In an interview on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Attenborough, 93, said it will be the younger generation who will have to make changes because “they will be able to see the consequences of what they do”.

He added: “My lot are dying off and we are the ones that caused the problem.”

"The more dense the population you keep, the quicker the disease will spread"

Sir David Attenborough talks to #Marr about the Covid-19 outbreak

This interview was filmed before social distancing was introducedhttps://t.co/pCFUJyehYV pic.twitter.com/AXE1SLVUEd

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) April 19, 2020

He suggested people should see the world and their time in it as precious, saying “that’s the fundamental attitude”.

He warned: “The world is not a bowl of fruit in which we can just take what we wish. We are part of it and if we destroy it we destroy ourselves.”

Asked what people can do to help protect the planet, Attenborough said: “Stop waste. Stop waste of any kind. Stop wasting power, stop wasting food, stop wasting plastic. Don’t waste, this is a precious world. Celebrate and cherish.”

https://twitter.com/DavidALifeFilm/status/1217371525562667009

He went on to say that his message to world leaders would be: “This is the last chance.

“There are short-term problems and long-term problems.

“A politician is tempted to deal with short-term problems all the time and neglect long-term problems.

“This is not only a long-term problem it is the biggest problem humanity has faced. Ever.

“Please examine it and please respond.”

Attenborough has worked with Netflix to produce an upcoming documentary called A Life On Our Planet which looks at the challenges facing earth and what can be done to address them.

-AAP