At 92, David Attenborough believes he is running out of time, calls on younger generations to protect the natural world
David Attenborough, 92, believes that he only has a few more years left to live and said that he whats to do everything he can to protect the natural world from the threats imposed by climate change.
Given that climate change is one of the biggest problems the world is facing, and in light of the recent protests by young climate activists in London, Attenborough opened up about his hopes and fears in an interview with the former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres that was released on a podcast on Friday.
He said the outrage of the students striking from school over climate change inaction is “certainly justified”. "[Young people] understand the simple discoveries of science about our dependence upon the natural world," he said.
The broadcaster and naturalist believes the older generations had done terrible damage to the planet. "My generation is no great example for understanding. If we are not making progress with young people, we are done," The Guardian reported.
"I can't bear it! I'm just coming up to 93, and so I don't have many more years around here. I find it difficult to think beyond that as the signs aren't good. Young people may lack experience but they also have clear sight. They can see perhaps more clearly than the rest of us who have been around for some time," he said.
Attenborough's latest BBC documentary titled 'Climate Change — The Facts' was seen by more than three million people. The documentary explains how the consequences of not taking drastic action in the next decade could result in irreversible damage to the natural world.
"We have no option if we want to survive. We have a moral obligation on our shoulders and it would be to our deep eternal shame if we fail to acknowledge that," he added.
Attenborough also recently presented a Netflix documentary titled 'Our Planet' which showed the bleak outcome for the natural world if we continue to do what we do.
At its launch, he shared, "Right now we are facing our greatest threat in thousands of years. Climate change. At the current rate of warming, we risk a devastating future. Science is now clear that urgent action is needed. What happens now and in these next few years will profoundly affect the next few thousand years."
"Every one of us has the power to make changes now. We are running out of time but there is still hope. If we better understand the threat we face, the more likely it is we can avoid such a catastrophic future," he said.