Sir David to present ‘unflinching’ documentary
SIR David Attenborough is to present an “urgent” new documentary about climate change, looking at the potential threats to our planet and the possible solutions.
In the one-off film for BBC One, which comes after one of the hottest years on record, the naturalist and broadcaster says “conditions have changed far faster” than he ever imagined when first talking about the impact of climate change 20 years ago.
Climate Change – The Facts will air in the spring and will include footage showing the devastating impact global warming has already had, as well as interviews with climatologists and meteorologists.
Scientists including Dr James Hansen, Dr Michael Mann and Professor Catherine Mitchell will explore the science behind the extreme weather conditions of recent years, which have seen severe storms and wildfires.
They will also discuss the accelerating rate at which the world’s ice is melting, causing the sea level to rise, and how deforestation is worsening the problem by adding to CO2 in the atmosphere.
The BBC said the film will “deliver an unflinching exploration of what dangerous levels of climate change could mean for human populations, what is likely to happen if global warming exceeds 1.5 degrees, and if major reductions in CO2 emissions are not made in the next decade”.
Sir David says in the film: “It may sound frightening but the evidence is that if we have not taken dramatic action within the next decade, we could face irreversible damage to the natural world and the collapse of our societies.”