David is worried about the planet's future but there is hope
Sir David Attenborough reflects on his incredible broadcasting career and warns that vital change is needed in his new Netflix documentary, A Life On Our Planet.
Here Sir David Attenborough tells us more as his new one-off arrives on Netflix on Sunday 4th October.
Why did you feel compelled to make this film now? And what are you hoping that its impact will be?
David Attenborough: "I think that we are at a crucial moment. I mean, I think without being too portentous on this, I think that humanity is at a crossroads and I think the natural world is really under serious, serious threat.
"And the consequences can be apocalyptic. I've had an extraordinarily fortunate life. I've worked for 60 years, making Natural History films, and it so happens that during that 60 years there's been greater changes in the relationship between mammals and the natural world than for a thousand years probably.
"Not by virtue, or foresight or anything, but I've been a witness to extraordinarily important changes in our relationship between the natural world and humanity, and that the world is actually facing serious problems."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64R2MYUt394
The film ends on quite a positive note, saying that we can change things, there is still time. I was wondering if you had some thoughts about how people can help save the planet without spending a fortune...
DA: "The most important thing the we can do at this particular stage in the game is to put in the right politicians into positions of power, who will say something about saving the planet.
"We also need to be quite vocal as part of their electorate and demand that they actually do something and to convince them that we are prepared to take an increase in taxes necessary to make sure that something is going to happen.
"We don't mind if they say, as part of the consequences of this, we will have difficulties in expenditure or whatever. That we actually think it is serious."
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Any small things? You talked about consuming a more plant-based diet. Are there not things that people can do within their own lives?
DA: "Oh yes, that's a rather different question. Certainly, of course there is. The fewer demands we make on the planet's resources, the better. And we do that in terms of food. And we do that in terms of energy. And we do that in terms of being respectful to the environment."
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet comes to Netflix on 4th October.
