David Attenborough admits he ‘doesn’t have long to live’ as he shares fears for the future

28 April 2019, 11:37

The Our Planet host says he ‘can’t bear’ to imagine the world his great-grandchildren will live in and blames his own generation for climate change

David Attenborough has opened up about his fears for the future, admitting that, at 93, he doesn’t “have many more years around here”.

The Our Planet host explained that he “can’t bear” to think about the world in which his great-grandchildren will live because “we have done terrible things” to the earth.

Opening up about his climate change concerns, he told former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres: “I don’t spend time thinking about that because I can’t bear it.

“I’m just coming up to 93, and so I don’t have many more years around here. I find it difficult to think beyond that because the signs aren’t good.”

The natural historian, whose latest Netflix series tells the story of our fragile planet and how we can protect its future, blamed his own peers for much of the damage that has been done.

He added: “My generation is no great example for understanding – we have done terrible things.”

However, the legendary broadcaster did shine a light on the recent student strikes over climate change and said their protests were “certainly justified”.

Sir David said: “[They] understand the simple discoveries of science about our dependence upon the natural world.

“Young people may lack experience but they also have clear sight. They can see perhaps more clearly than the rest of us who have been around for some time.

He described the recent movement as “encouraging”, adding: “That is the one big reason I have for feeling we are making progress. If we were not making progress with young people, we are done.”