A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future (edició 2020)

Saw the movie - had to get the book!

A clear and concise call to conserve our planet and all the species inhabiting it by a highly observant man who has been closely observing it and educating the world about nature for close to a century. Give a copy to every person you know who can read or read it to someone who doesn't know how to yet. ( )

I listened to this book while driving and felt more than a tinge of guilt for the carbon I was adding to the atmosphere as Attenborough proceeded to talk about the increasing carbon in the atmosphere and the loss of wild habitat in our world. While my one car trip is a minuscule part of the problem, there’s a hell of a lot of us on the planet these days and those minuscule bits have added up to more and more. That’s the triumvirate of issues that start off each section of Attenborough’s part 1: the increase in population, the increase in atmospheric carbon, and the decrease in wild habitat.

But that, the problem statement if you will, is only half of the book. The authors have a plan for correcting these things, and while very difficult to achieve, it’s not impossible. What it will take is courage and honesty. We have to admit that what we have done in the last century is a problem, that it is humans who are responsible and not just a cycle of nature. Unlike doom warnings from the 70s, however, especially those that pointed out the unchecked population growth that in Attenborough’s lifetime have quadrupled the number of people on the planet, the authors note that it is possible for us to reach “peak human,” and even suggest ways to help that come about earlier that aren’t draconian solutions such as that tried by the Chinese in the latter part of the 20th century. Similarly, the admonition that we transition away from fossil fuels looks increasingly possible now as renewable energy technologies are scaling, including other methods of storing energy that aren’t batteries per se. The hardest part, however, will be the one that sits closest to Attenborough’s heart: the reversal of the destruction of wild habitat and a rewilding of the land.

I knew most of the information in this book before hearing it, but it’s nice to have it collected and organized in this way. This is a very timely, informative volume that every human on the planet should be aware of. Highly recommended. ( )

The great naturalist and film maker takes us back to his childhood so we understand how he came to be the person he is. He has traveled throughout the world for over 70 years, he's 94 now. Having seen and learned through all of those years about our natual world, he also sees and understands it's decline.

In the first half of the book he tells his personal story, then he writes about what lies ahead if the natural world continues to be disregarded, and the last section is about what has to be done NOW to preserve earth for future habitation. Yes, its arresting but he leaves us with some hope. Written as narrative, it isn't difficult to understand and we do all need to understand what has gone before us and what will come after if there isn't action now.

This is the best and most important book I've read this year. ( )

This book is a call to arms to the human race - start rectifying our wrongs, or face extinction.

The first section of the book explores David Attenborough’s career throughout the years and some of the amazing adventures he has been a part of. The second section gives us an insight to what humanity faces if we continue on our current trajectory and the third section explores what we can do to prevent our downfall. The book also includes some lovely photographs and illustrations scattered throughout.

David Attenborough has become a household name for his work with animals and their habitats, so when I saw he had written this book I knew I would have to read it. The book was a fascinating insight into his thoughts and feelings about how we are treating Earth, and the solutions that could be put in place to prevent the end of humanity. It is only if we all do our part that we will be able to protect our planet and all who live here.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ( )