david attenborough: a life on our planet transcript
And we were responsible. Even orangutans play a role in this by spreading seeds as they search for ripe fruit. There is a double incentive to cut down forests. And suddenly, we realized, you know, we're there together, and we're alone. It was a very different world back then. It took a visionary scientist, Bernhard Grzimek, to explain that this wasnt true. He is best known for writing and presenting, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, the nine natural history documentary series that form the Life collection, which form a comprehensive survey of animal and plant life on Earth. No ecosystem, no matter how big, is secure. Pripyat is situated in Ukraine, and was built by the Soviet Union in the 1970s. Humpbacks living in the same area learn their songs from each other. Go behind the scenes of Netflix TV shows and movies, see what's coming soon and watch bonus videos on, Trailer: David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet. SIMON: You advocate what you call no-fish zones. Every other species on Earth reaches a maximum population after a time. To move from being apart from nature to becoming a part of nature once again. Fishers survived on food vouchers but kept the faith, and today, marine life in that area has increased by more than 400%. [Attenborough on video] Climbing over the tightly-packed bodies is the only way across the crowd. This city in Ukraine was once home to almost 50,000 people. Half of the fertile land on earth is now farmland. The more diverse it is, the better it does that job. Did you know that 1.8 trillion plastic fragments are currently drifting like a garbage site in the northern Pacific? The ocean bears the brunt of this because it absorbs the excess heat of global warming. It was a feature of all five mass extinctions. [imperceptible] Theyve always been a place beyond imagination with scenery unlike anything else on earth and unique species adapted to a life in the extreme. We pull out 80 million tonnes of seafood every year, only to replace it with plastic. We were apart from the rest of life on earth, living a different kind of life. It's estimated that three-quarters of our food crops could fail. The true tragedy of our time is still unfolding across the globe, barely noticeable from day to day. Protected fish populations soon became so healthy, they spilt over into the areas open to fishing. Whales were being slaughtered by fleets of industrial whaling ships in the 1970s. And as the natural environment fails, pandemics are likely to increase. This truth defined the life we led in our pre-history, the time before farming and civilization. Go behind the scenes of Netflix TV shows and movies, see what's coming soon and watch bonus videos on, Trailer: David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet. In the northern regions, the temperatures would lift in March, triggering spring, and stay high until they dipped in October and brought about autumn. Preparation. In 1937, at age 11, he would cycle from his home in Leicester into the countryside to study fossils in the rocks. Interspersed with footage of his career and of a wide variety of ecosystems, he narrates key moments in his career and indicators of how the planet has changed over his lifetime. The killing of whales turned from a harvest to a crime. I look at these images now and I realize that, although as a young man I felt I was out there in the wild experiencing the untouched natural world it was an illusion. We also have to rewild mangroves, salt marshes, and kelp forests to restore biodiversity. Its an achingly intricate labor. We must immediately halt deforestation everywhere and grow crops like oil palm and soya only on land that was deforested long ago. David Attenborough: ( 00:48) For much of humanity's ancient history, that number bounced wildly between 180 and 300, and so too did global temperatures. Tonight, weve got a rather different program for you. By the time Frozen Planet aired in 2011, the reasons for these changes was well established. Its finite. I mean, we have completely well, destroyed that world. With all these things, there is one overriding principle. [1] Initially scheduled for cinematic release on 16 April 2020, the film was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Skeletons of dead creatures. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet - Transcript October 14, 2020 David Attenborough has seen more of the natural world than any other. [birds chirping] Just imagine if we achieve this on a global scale. david frost jimi hendrix; Membership. A broadcaster recounts his life, and the evolutionary history of life on Earth, to grieve the loss of wild places and offer a vision for the future. But to continue, we require more than intelligence. Emmy-winning narrator David Attenborough ("Our Planet," "Planet Earth II") looks back and shares a way forward. If you have not used our catalog since prior to June 6, 2016 contact Circulation at the number below to get your PIN reset. 2.4M views 2 years ago In this unique feature documentary, titled David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet, the celebrated naturalist reflects upon both the defining moments of his. In his 93 years, Attenborough has visited every continent on the globe, exploring the wild places of the planet and documenting the living world in all its variety and wonder. The Second World War was over, technology was making our lives easier. Our planet becomes four degrees Celsius warmer. After the death of their father, two half-brothers find themselves on opposite sides of an escalating conflict with tragic consequences. How did that change our view of the world? This is not about saving our planet its about saving ourselves. We filmed 650 species, and we traveled one and a half million miles. [whales singing] [whales continue singing]. And ways to harvest our forests sustainably. This city in Ukraine was once home to almost 50,000 people. 75% of all species were wiped out. But that rainforest is one of the key elements in the whole of the weather patterns of the world. That without such an immense space, the herds would diminish and the entire ecosystem would come crashing down. It was designed for employees working at Chernobyl, a nearby nuclear plant. But that distant world is changing. According to David Attenborough, we have 'overrun the Earth.' They had never seen the center of New Guinea before. Coral reefs don't like acid, and 90% of our reefs could die off in a few years. Tune in for a live pre-show 30 minutes before Chris set, followed by an aftershow. The herrings have disappeared from the North Sea. In the 1950s, Borneo was three-quarters covered with rainforest. Prehistoric Planet will be back for a second season. Our impact now truly profound. In this future, we discover ways to benefit from our land that help, rather than hinder, wilderness. ATTENBOROUGH: Yes. Immense grasslands. As much now as I did when I was a boy. Japans standard of living climbed rapidly in the latter half of the 20th century. A knight framed for a crime he didn't commit turns to a shape-shifting teen to prove his innocence. But within only a few years, the nets across the globe were coming in empty. We all need to change our mindset, and we need to implement a new order right now. A habitat that is dead in comparison. On current projections, there will be 11 billion people on Earth by 2100. Recordings like these revealed that the songs of the humpbacks are long and complex. In addition to this, we have an increased life expectancy. The living world cant operate without a healthy ocean and neither can we. Based on a children's book by Paul McCartney. They capture 3 trillion kilowatt-hours of solar energy every day. It was only in the 50s that large fleets first ventured out into international waters to reap the open ocean harvest across the globe. Oil and gas companies represent the largest businesses globally, heavy industry uses fossil fuels, and there's a hefty stock market investment in these companies. By 1975, the average was two. The pace of progress was unlike anything to be found in the fossil record. The very thing that weve removed. But for us, an idea could do that. Thats almost 20 times the energy we need just from sunlight. A broadcaster recounts his life, and the evolutionary history of life on Earth, to grieve the loss of wild places and offer a vision for the future. Since the Second World War, what's known as the "Great Acceleration" has brought us many progressive things, as our GDPs indicate. Increasingly, theyre doing so sustainably. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. However, as it does this, carbon dioxide changes into carbonic acid. Its decision to do so has resulted in the human species pushing our planet towards a tipping point. Algal forests would not attach to ice, damaging the ocean food chain. Thank you so much for being with us. Nature, once again, had to start again. One of the significant findings was that we pay attention to the environment when it affects us. We cant cut down rainforests forever, and anything that we cant do forever is by definition unsustainable. In the 30 years since the evacuation of Chernobyl, the wild has reclaimed the space. The truth is, with or without us, the natural world will rebuild. So when he asks that people heed his "witness statement" about the peril humans . [whales singing] Their mournful songs were the key to transforming peoples opinions about them. In this . But, the moral of the story is indeed a positive one. From Pripyat, a deserted area after the nuclear disaster, Attenborough gives an overview of his life. Politicians and corporates have to overcome vested interests and work towards the greater good. [Attenborough] They lived in small numbers and didnt take too much. The natural world is fading. Jonnie Hughes served as director and producer, as he has on Attenborough's documentaries since 2000. You say in this book, with us or without us ATTENBOROUGH: Oh, well, yes. The history of all human civilization followed. As the Arctic warms, the tundra in Alaska, northern Canada, and Russia, would collapse as the permafrost would not stay sufficiently frozen to hold the soil together. By and large, its a story of slow, steady change. And in that one shot, there was the whole of humanity with nothing else except the person that was in the spacecraft taking that picture. As Attenborough reflects on his life, he begins each chapter with three facts. Global food production enters a crisis as soils become exhausted by overuse. Many new plant-based foods are on the market, and in the future, biotechnology may be able to use microorganisms to provide us with proteins. If theres any justice in the world, Marcel Ophls monumental labor will be studied and debated for years. Scientists call it the Holocene. To start to thrive. Insects, our small hunters, and pollinators have reduced by one quarter. 1954 WORLD POPULATION: 2.7 BILLION CARBON IN ATMOSPHERE: 310 PARTS PER MILLION REMAINING WILDERNESS: 64%. And sadly, we don't only deplete our fish. Our home was not limitless. Great numbers of species disappear and are suddenly replaced by a few. That is quite true. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet . [over megaphone] Please stop killing the whales. You could fly for hours over the untouched wilderness. A broadcaster recounts his life, and the evolutionary history of life on Earth, to grieve the loss of wild places and offer a vision for the future. A mass extinction has happened five times in lifes four-billion-year history. If you have a global view, which - and science can give us - science would say that there are more species in danger of total disappearance than there have been in human history. Iceland, Albania, and Paraguay generate their electricity without fossil fuels. Attenborough's BBC production, The Blue Planet, changed this when its sophisticated camera equipment filmed a bait ball frenzy, a fantastic underwater hunt the likes of which no one had seen before. In this summary, we'll briefly explore what Attenborough calls "the tragedy of our time," and how, with immediate and decisive action, disaster can be averted. No plowing and no fertilizers are used. Fortunately, Tanzania and Kenya took far-sighted action to safeguard the sacred paths of the Serengeti migration. Thats the sort of commitment you need if you want to even begin making a portrait of the living world. However, if we had "no fishing" zones in one-third of the sea, our fish stocks could recover over the long term. There was an edge to our existence. But you now want to explain to us what peril we are in. [Attenborough] Ive been lucky enough to spend my life exploring the wild places of our planet. Summer sea ice in the Arctic has reduced by 40% in 40 years. Attenborough is now 94, and throughout his long life, has watched the natural world wither before his eyes. Download Worksheet Language level But during his lifetime, Attenborough has also seen first-hand the monumental scale of humanity's impact on nature. This begs the question, 'What will the next 100 years look like if we dont change?'. Environmental economists are trying to address this. Fossil fuels increase the greenhouse effect, releasing gases such as carbon dioxide. Ive traveled to every part of the globe. Small creatures called polyps, create reefs by building walls of calcium carbonate to protect their tiny forms, while the fantastic colors of a coral reef come from the algae in their tissues. It's not too late. And in less than 48 hours, the city was evacuated. David Attenborough is a famous British naturalist. watch for yourself. But Ive had unbelievable luck and good fortune. These rivers are also dumping grounds for chemicals and pesticides, destroying birds and freshwater fish. I spent the latter half of the 1970s traveling the world, making a series I had long dreamed of called Life on Earth, the story of the evolution of life and its diversity. 1937 WORLD POPULATION: 2.3 BILLION CARBON IN ATMOSPHERE: 280 PARTS PER MILLION REMAINING WILDERNESS: 66%. You can be in one spot on the Serengeti, and the place is totally empty of animals, and then, the next morning [bellowing] one million wildebeest. urgency ? Attenborough's wildlife journey started at a young age. [Attenborough] Animals that had been viewed as little more than a source of oil and meat became personalities. Working with their traditional technology, they were living sustainably, a lifestyle that could continue effectively forever. A prequel to "Nanti Kita Cerita Tentang Hari Ini," this film follows the love story of young Narendra and Ajeng who come from different backgrounds. The Amazon rainforest could suffer from "forest dieback" and be starved of moisture, becoming an open savannah and destroying its biodiversity. Farmers in developed countries could be incentivized to build biodiversity on their farms. Haunted by an unsolved murder, brilliant but disgraced London police detective John Luther breaks out of prison to hunt down a sadistic serial killer. They have a symbiotic relationship; the algae absorb sunlight, which provides the polyps with the energy they need to snap up their passing prey, and expand their coral colony. And because we would be then dedicated to raising plants, we could increase the yield of this land substantially. How many people can the Earth carry? Synopsis. And to begin with, it was quite easy. Executive-produced by his sons, Rodrigo and Gonzalo. The last one is thought to have been a meteorite that struck Earth, destroying anything bigger than a dog. We had worked out how to produce food to order. Without large fish and other marine predators, the oceanic nutrient cycle stutters. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet. We are ultimately bound by and reliant upon the finite natural world about us. ATTENBOROUGH: I don't think it is a responsible thing to do is to simply say that what we see the future, it's very dangerous, and to hell with it. One of the greatest films ever made, The Sorrow and The Pity is a contribution to history, to social psychology, to anthropology, and to art. He researched how the Earth had experienced massive eruptions at specific points, destroying many species. And you could happily retire. In previous events, it had taken volcanic activity up to one million years to dredge up enough carbon from within the earth to trigger a catastrophe. The start of my career in my 20s coincided with the advent of global air travel. In 1998, a Blue Planet film crew stumbled on an event little known at the time. Um and, in a way, I wish I wasnt involved in this struggle. The best time of our lives. The white corals are ultimately smothered by seaweed. The most remote habitat of all exists at the extreme north and south of the planet. Its crazy that our banks and our pensions are investing in fossil fuel when these are the very things that are jeopardizing the future that we are saving for. Our intelligence changed the way in which we evolved. Starring: David Attenborough. Sir David. Its quite straightforward. His book, "A Life On Our Planet: My Witness Statement And Vision For The Future" - and the highly honored broadcaster, historian of nature and best-selling author joins us now. In the past, animals had to develop some physical ability to change their lives. In the extreme Alaskan wild, 16 survivalists compete for a chance to win a massive cash prize but these lone wolves must be part of a team to win. And then you clear that furthermore for cattle. After moving his family into his childhood home, a man's investigation into a local factory accident connected to his father unveils dark family secrets. By burning millions of years worth of living organisms all at once as coal and oil, we had managed to do so in less than 200. The ocean is a critical ally in our battle to reduce carbon in the atmosphere. Still, energy use, production, transport, farming, and telecommunication have also shown their sinister side. There were twice the number of people on the planet as there were when I was born.