TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO SAVE PLANET
ATTENBOROUGH’S WARNING Sir David tells UN climate change summit ‘civilisation is on the brink of collapse’
SIR David Attenborough has warned that our planet is on the brink of destruction.
He told a UN climate change summit civilisation faced collapse and much of the natural world risked becoming extinct because of global warming.
He said: “Time is running out.”
AS Sir David Attenborough delivered his grave warning about the threat our actions pose to the natural world, these stunning images show the wildlife we risk losing.
Sir David made a plea for their survival, and ours, calling on delegates at the UN climate change summit to cut the greenhouse gas emissions which are causing global warming.
He said: “Right now, we are facing a man-made disaster of global scale. Our greatest threat in thousands of years – climate change.
“If we don’t take action, the collapse of our civilisations and the extinction of much of the natural world is on the horizon. The people have spoken. Leaders of the world, you must lead, the continuation of our civilisations and the natural world upon which we depend are in your hands.”
Speaking on behalf of the UN’s People’s Seat, set up to give the public a voice at the talks, he said: “They’re supporting you in making tough decisions but they are also willing to make sacrifices in their daily lives.”
Naturalist and broadcaster Sir David, 92, called on the public to make use of the UN’s new ActNow chatbot to learn about the personal action they can take against climate change.
In an interview from the talks in Katowice, Poland, which aim to draw up the
rules for making the Paris Agreement on climate change operational, Sir David spoke about the damage humans have inflicted on the planet.
He said: “We have overrun it in a way that is unprecedented. No other creature in the world has had the effect on the planet that the human species has, and so we ought to be aware of what we’ve done and recognise the responsibility that we now have in our hands.”
As he delivered his apocalyptic warning, these images, shortlisted for the Wildlife Photogra- pher of the Year LUMIX People’s Choice Award, showed some of the wonders of the natural world we are putting at risk.
More than 26,000 species are now being threatened, according to the annual stocktake by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.
US President Donald Trump has said America will leave the Paris Agreement, and Sir David begged the US to remain. He said: “Please join the rest of the world.”
But actor and former Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger, has campaigned against climate change, said: “If you look a little bit beyond Washington you will see that it is the states and the cities, it’s local governments, that can draw 70% of our emissions. And you will see all the extraordinary work that is going on.”
The Paris Agreement aims to keep global warming well below two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned the world was “in deep trouble”. He said: “For many people, regions and even countries, this is already a matter of life and death.”
DAVID Attenborough is right and man-made climate change is humanity’s greatest threat in thousands of years.
To acknowledge that is not to diminish challenges including wars, poverty, inequality, ignorance, fascism or terrorism.
But it recognises that without action this is the one thing that will truly doom us all.