Today, we take you back to the 1950s when broadcaster extraordinaire Sir David Attenborough went from zoologist to climate activist, winning the UN’s highest environmental award.
“We must feel that we are all citizens of this one planet because unless we do, we won’t solve the problems,” Mr. Attenborough said in an interview with the UN.
Over the course of his more than 70-year-long career at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), the legendary natural history broadcaster, age 98, managed to bring the farthest reaches of planet Earth into the homes and hearts of millions, from?Zoo Quest?in the 1950s to his?Planet Earth?trilogy in the 2020s.
“In my lifetime, I’ve witnessed a terrible decline…”
In an COP26 ?in 2021, Attenborough said:
“In my lifetime, I’ve witnessed a terrible decline. In yours, you could and should witness a wonderful recovery, ladies and gentlemen, delegates, excellencies. It’s why the world is looking to you and why you are here.”
Much of his work has focused on the wonders of the natural world and how to protect them. His in-depth stories reflect an ever-changing Earth, from restoring biodiversity and preserving natural landscapes to mitigating climate change and understanding the impact of human activities on the environment.
From zoologist to climate activist
In 2022, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP)?presented?Attenborough with the??in recognition of his advocacy within the global environmental movement.
“If we stand a chance of averting climate and biodiversity breakdowns and cleaning up polluted ecosystems, it’s because millions of us fell in love with the planet that he showed us on television,” UNEP Executive Director Ingrid Anderson said at the time.
"If we can act together, we can solve these problems"
Upon receiving the?, Attenborough recalled that 50 years ago, whales were on the very edge of extinction worldwide.
“Then people got together, and now there are more whales in the sea than any living human being has ever seen,” he said. “If we act together, we can solve these problems.”
Sibling rivalry?
Read more about Sir David and his older brother Richard’s affiliation with the UN on
