David Attenborough

A Life on Our Planet

1. IDEA 1

   A naturalist witnessed great loss

   Attenborough, who has made wildlife films for decades, describes this book as his witness statement. He recounts how wild places and animals have declined dramatically during his lifetime. He presents his own long career as evidence.

2. IDEA 2

   Wild nature has shrunk

   Attenborough uses figures showing how the share of the earth that is wild has fallen since the 1930s. In his account, forests, grasslands and other wild places have been cleared or changed on a huge scale for farms and towns.

3. IDEA 3

   Earth has limits

   Attenborough describes planetary boundaries, limits that humans must not cross to keep Earth stable. In his account, staying inside these limits keeps climate, oceans and soil stable enough for human life. Going beyond them risks sudden changes.

All 8 ideas from A Life on Our Planet →