Sir David Attenborough addresses Davos 2019 at the World Economic Forum (WEF). Photo: REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann Sir David Attenborough has delivered a powerful four-word message to global leaders assembled at Davos as he unveiled his new Netflix documentary Our Planet. Former US vice-president and climate campaigner Al Gore asked the hugely respected British naturalist and broadcaster at the World Economic Forum (WEF) summit what he would say to any head of state not doing enough to tackle climate change. “Think of the children,” replied Attenborough immediately. “Think of your children, and your children’s children. “What we are doing to our planet at the moment, could you look them in the eye and say – ‘I knew what could be done to stop degradation of the environment and the planet, but it was too difficult and rather boring, and I failed to do it. And you are now going to take the consequences. '” READ MORE: Alarming forecast for the global economy as Davos begins The event at the Davos conference in Switzerland also featured a preview video of a new eight-part documentary narrated by Attenborough, which is set to reach a global audience when it airs later this year on Netflix. Sir David Attenborough and Prince William at the Davos conference. Photo: REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann TPX. Attenborough used the appearance to make an impassioned plea to both global business and political leaders and the public about the need for urgent action to save the natural world. Asked by Al Gore, who was moderating the event, how serious climate change was and why people had failed to act, Attenborough answered: “I can’t imagine anything more serious. The trouble is that change is accelerating. “Things are getting worse faster than they were. But the maddening thing is that we now know how to deal with it – we’ve just got to do something. “We prefer comfort than challenge, in truth. A lot of us do the same in our private lives. “It’s much easier to say it doesn’t really matter, and it’s not really happening anyway. But to look at the consequences of what is happening is the adult thing to do, and the thing we have to do now,” Attenborough told guests. The broadcaster, who made his first nature film in the 1950s, also highlighted the way technology had changed from the era when his team used clockwork cameras. Story continues “Now with what we can deploy there’s nothing on this planet we can’t film,” he added. When the former US vice president thanked him for helping humanity see how it could act rather than “moving from denial to despair”, Attenborough replied with a smile: “Well you started it. “Let us pay respect and thanks to you, because you sounded the alarm a long time ago.” It came after Attenborough was interviewed by the British royal family’s Prince William earlier in the day at another Davos event. This is what I thought was a key moment from Prince William’s interview with Sir David Attenborough at #wef19 in Davos: “We are destroying the natural world. And with it, ourselves.” Watch below… pic.twitter.com/bAteV8N2ZP — Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) January 22, 2019 One of the most powerful moments came when the royal asked the broadcaster for any advice to his generation. “We have to recognise that every breath we take, every mouthful of food that we take, comes from the natural world. If we damage the natural world, we damage ourselves. “We are one coherent eco-system. It’s not just a question of beauty or interest or wonder; the essential ingredient of human life is a healthy planet. We are in danger of wrecking that.” He also used a speech yesterday to assembled world leaders, who have been criticised for reportedly arriving at the summit on private jets in record numbers, to warn: “The garden of Eden is no more.” READ MORE: Where is Davos? Guide to the ski resort hosting the global elite<doc-sep>Sir David Attenborough has called for a global plan to tackle environmental problems, with our actions now affecting the next few thousand years. The veteran broadcaster, 92, used an award acceptance speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Monday to urge business leaders and governments to come up with "practical solutions". AAP "If people can truly understand what is at stake, I believe that they will give permission to business and governments to get on with the practical solutions. And as a species, we are expert problem solvers. "But we haven't yet applied ourselves to this problem with the focus that it requires. The Blue Planet and Dynasties narrator said: "We can create a world with clean air and water, unlimited energy and fish stocks that will sustain us well into the future. But to do that, we need a plan." Sir David, who was given a Crystal Award for his leadership in environmental stewardship, outlined how UN decisions on climate change, sustainable development and a new deal for nature would shape the future. "What we do now and in the next few years will profoundly affect the next few thousand years," he added. Sir David will take to the WEF stage again on Tuesday to be interviewed by the Duke of Cambridge. William will discuss the urgent challenges facing the next generation of environmental leaders with Sir David, who he has described as having "the single most important impact in my conservation thinking".<doc-sep>This morning, while his wife Kate Middleton was working away on her mission to help children in the U.K., Prince William was calling attention to a passion point of his own. William and beloved British broadcaster David Attenborough took to the stage at the World Economic Forum in Davos—one of the world's most high profile international gatherings—to discuss the past and future of environmentalism. You can watch the entire 30-minute conversation below: This content is imported from Third party. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The pair discussed Attenborough's ecological advocacy, a cause he's managed to champion through a series of hit television programs, among other initiatives. They also talked about the formidable challenges in store for future generations of green activists. Prince William has long been an admirer of Attenborough's work. He's credited the broadcaster as "the single most important impact in my conservation thinking." And in 2016 BBC program tied to Attenborough's 90th birthday, William called him a "national treasure... I used to love, and I still do, but when I was a young boy, used to love turning on the television and watching David's programs and really feeling like I was back out in Africa or I was learning about something magical and almost out of this planet." Prince William and David Attenborough onstage at Davos. FABRICE COFFRINI Getty Images At 92, Attenborough isn't slowing down. Just yesterday, while accepting a Crystal Award at Davos for his environmental leadership, Attenborough called once again for action in the face of a changing climate. "We can create a world with clean air and water, unlimited energy and fish stocks that will sustain us well into the future. But to do that, we need a plan." This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>
Britain’s Prince William has turned interviewer at the World Economic Forum in Davos, quizzing TV naturalist David Attenborough on what he called world leaders’ “faltering” steps to tackle environmental challenges. “Normally I have to endure people asking me questions, so it’s quite nice to be able to turn the tables for once,” William, who is second in line to the throne, joked to the 92-year-old TV broadcaster on Tuesday. Attenborough, whose natural history programs include Blue Planet II and Dynasties, said it was difficult to overstate how urgent the climate crisis had become. “We are now so numerous, so powerful, so all-pervasive … that we can actually exterminate whole ecosystems without even noticing it,” said Attenborough, who was born weeks apart from William’s grandmother, Queen Elizabeth. He hailed the 2015 Paris climate agreement as a point where world leaders had recognised the dangers of rising temperatures but noted this had not been universal. “There have been people who have withdrawn from that,” he said. Speaking last month on the sidelines of UN climate talks in Poland, Attenborough told Reuters that US President Donald Trump was “out on a limb” in his attitude to climate change. “We are destroying the natural world — and with it, ourselves.” – Sir David Attenborough speaking to The Duke of Cambridge at #WEF18 pic.twitter.com/RTBz2bt57P — Kensington Palace (@KensingtonRoyal) January 22, 2019 His advice for the leaders gathered at Davos this week was to care for the natural world and not to waste its resources, from energy to food. “We can wreck it with ease. We can wreck it without even noticing we’re doing it. And if we wreck the natural world, in the end, we wreck ourselves.” During the forum’s Crystal Awards on Monday, where he was honoured for his environmental stewardship, Attenborough warned that “the Garden of Eden is no more”. On stage with William, there were light-hearted moments. The former air ambulance pilot met Attenborough’s praise of a helicopter pilot who helped achieve a camera shot for his new Netflix documentary series Our Planet, by remarking, “All helicopter pilots are very skilful, David.” -AAP