David Attenborough warns of ‘crisis moment’
Experts reveal 2019 was the second hottest on record for the planet’s surface
David Attenborough has warned that “the moment of crisis has come” in efforts to tackle climate change, as it was revealed that 2019 was the second hottest on record for the planet’s surface.
The broadcaster told the BBC that “we have been putting things off for year after year”, adding: “As I speak, south east Australia is on fire. Why? Because the temperatures of the Earth are increasing.”
He also argued that it was “palpable nonsense” for some politicians and commentators to suggest that the Australian fires were nothing to do with the world becoming warmer.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Speaking of efforts to address this, he said: “We have to realise that this is not playing games. This is not just having a nice little debate, arguments and then coming away with a compromise.
“This is an urgent problem that has to be solved and, what’s more, we know how to do it - that’s the paradoxical thing, that we’re refusing to take steps that we know have to be taken.”
Attenborough’s comments came in a BBC News interview to launch a year of special coverage on the subject of climate change, Our Planet Matters.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
His warning comes as scientists say the past five years and the past decade were also the hottest in 150 years. Speaking to The Guardian, they describe the news as “dire”.
“The last decade was easily the warmest decade in the record and is the first decade more than 1C above late 19th-century temperatures,” said Gavin Schmidt, of Nasa’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “What is important is the totality of evidence from multiple independent data sets that the Earth is warming, that human activity is driving it and the impacts are clearly being felt.”
The effect of this will continue, says World Meteorological Organisation secretary general Petteri Taalas.
“Unfortunately, we expect to see much extreme weather throughout 2020 and the coming decades, fuelled by record levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” he said.
Last month, the United Nations warned of a global crisis as scientists said tipping points are “dangerously close”.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures Playful goslings, an exploding snowman, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
What is rock flour and how can it help to fight climate change?
The Explainer Glacier dust to the rescue
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: April 19, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
What is rock flour and how can it help to fight climate change?
The Explainer Glacier dust to the rescue
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Arid Gulf states hit with year's worth of rain
Speed Read The historic flooding in Dubai is tied to climate change
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The growing thirst for camel milk
Under the radar Climate change and health-conscious consumers are pushing demand for nutrient-rich product – and the growth of industrialised farming
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why curbing methane emissions is tricky in fight against climate change
The Explainer Tackling the second most significant contributor to global warming could have an immediate impact
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
How the EU undermines its climate goals with animal farming subsidies
Under the radar Bloc's agricultural policy incentivises carbon-intensive animal farming over growing crops, despite aims to be carbon-neutral
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Why are people and elephants fighting in Sri Lanka?
Under The Radar Farmers encroaching into elephant habitats has led to deaths on both sides
By Chas Newkey-Burden, The Week UK Published
-
How climate change is contributing to global unrest
In Depth Some experts argue that global warming can be tied to rising levels of violence around the world
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Why last-chance tourism is the latest controversial travel trend
The Explainer Race to visit places threatened by climate change 'before it's too late'
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published