Sir David Attenborough, a biologist, natural historian, and broadcaster, has been named a “Champions of the Earth” Lifetime Achievement Award recipient by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The award, which is the UN’s highest environmental distinction, is granted to people, groups, and institutions who have made a significant contribution to environmental activism. Attenborough, whose most recent projects include the BBC’s Green Planet, A Perfect Planet, and the forthcoming Prehistoric Planet on Apple TV, was honored for his “dedication to study, documentation, and advocacy for the conservation and restoration of nature.”
In the 1950s, Attenborough began his career as a natural historian and broadcaster. In recent years, he has become much more vocal in advocating for immediate action on the environment and the climate catastrophe, describing it as “our biggest peril in thousands of years” in an address to the United Nations.
According to Inger Andersen, UNEP Executive Director, Attenborough has committed his life to chronicling and disseminating the love story between humanity and environment.
“If we have a chance of avoiding climate and biodiversity breakdowns, as well as cleaning up contaminated ecosystems, it’s because millions of us fell in love with the globe he showed us on television.”
“Sir David’s efforts will continue to encourage people of all ages to care for the environment and become the restorative generation.”
Accepting the honor, Attenborough cautioned that the world must work together to address the global catastrophe.
“The entire globe must come together. These issues cannot be handled by a single nation, no matter how large that nation is “he stated, according to a statement obtained by the BBC. “We know what the issues are and how to fix them. All we need is concerted action.”
“Whales were on the verge of extinction across the planet fifty years ago. Then people banded together, and the sea today has more whales than any live human person has ever seen.”
“We can overcome these problems if we work together.”