Earth Champion David Attenborough Granted Lifetime Achievement Award

New York (United Nations) – The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) granted the prestigious Champions of the Earth Lifetime Achievement Award to David Attenborough in honor of his dedication to research, documentation, and advocacy in protecting and restoring nature.

“Sir David Attenborough has devoted his life to documenting the love story between humans and nature, and broadcasting it to the world,” said UNEP chief Inger Andersen on Thursday.

“If we stand a chance of averting climate and biodiversity breakdowns and cleaning up polluted ecosystems, it’s because millions of us fell in love with the planet that he showed us on television,” she added.

Ms. Andersen attested that “Sir David’s work will continue to inspire people of all ages to care for nature and to become the restoration generation.”

From a broadcaster to natural historian, and author to environmental advocate, for more than seven decades Sir David has kept his finger on the pulse, the UN agency pointed out. He is most famous for his work with the BBC’s Natural History Unit, including documentaries such as Life on Earth, the Living Planet, Our Planet and Our Blue Planet.

In addition, his advocacy to preserve and restore biodiversity, transition to renewable energy, mitigate climate change and promote plant-rich diets, contribute to the realization of many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to the UN.

Upon receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award, Mr. Attenborough reminded that “50 years ago, whales were on the very edge of extinction worldwide.”

“Then people got together and now there are more whales in the sea than any living human being has ever seen. If we act together, we can solve these problems.”

Mr. Attenborough continued by saying that “the world has to get together”.