Sir David Attenborough says coronavirus means the battle against climate change has been put ‘rather in the distant future’
- Coronavirus is sweeping across the world with over 5 million recorded cases
- Sir David Attenborough admits the climate change issue must wait for now
- The natural historian also praised Greta Thunberg for being an inspiration
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Sir David Attenborough confesses the debate on climate change is a matter for the distant future due to coronavirus.
The renowned natural historian, 94, believes the global pandemic has rightly struck the safeguarding of the planet off the front pages off the front pages.
With November’s COP26 international climate talks in Glasgow also pushed back due to the virus, Sir David admits he is focusing on COVID-19 for the time being – but says the climate change debate must still remain in people’s minds.
Sir David Attenborough (pictured) admits the fight against climate change will have to make way amid the coronavirus pandemic
The debate on climate change and global warming (pictured) has taken a backseat due to the coronavirus pandemic with November’s COP26 climate talks postponed due to COVID-19
He told the So Hot Right Now podcast: ‘The trouble is that right now the climate issue is also seen as being rather in the distant future because we’ve got the virus to think about.
‘And so what are the papers full of? The virus. Quite right, that’s what I want to know about, too.
‘But we have to make sure that this issue, which was coming to the boil with the next COP meeting in Glasgow, has suddenly been swept off the front pages. And we’ve got to get it back there.’
The number of worldwide coronavirus cases has already surpassed the 5 million mark, with nearly 350,000 deaths.
With countries working together to try and combat the global pandemic, Sir David believes that the world could benefit from the changes the virus will bring in the long-term.
The British natural historian also believes the way countries are co-operating together against the virus could act as a precedent for future crises, including climate change
He adds: ‘What the result of coronavirus is going to be I don’t know.
‘But I’m beginning to get a feeling that for the first time the nations of the world are beginning to see that survival depends on co-operation.
‘If that happens, that’s going to be a first in human history.’
When climate change does come back to the forefronts on people’s minds, Sir David will be turning to fellow climate activists to promote the importance of protecting the planet against global warming.
One of those vital figures is Greta Thunberg, 17, with the British broadcaster praising the Swedish teenager for breathing fresh air into youth interest in climate change.
Sir David was also full of praise for Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg, 17, (pictured) over the way she has galvanised the youth in the battle against climate change
On Thunberg’s influence, Sir David said: ‘I think she’s very remarkable. And what is more she is, with all that power, she is nonetheless extremely modest.
‘She is extremely well informed. But she’s also very modest. And she keeps saying: “Look, the only guide has to be the science, we must follow what the science says”.
And while Thunberg has been subject to critics, Sir David responded: ‘That’s the way life is, that’s the way society is.
‘And in fact if you aren’t particularly well informed about the natural world because somebody has stopped you because they are talking about an issue you don’t know about, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that there will be some people as a consequence of that who will act in an outraged way.’