G7 summit: Sir David Attenborough presses leaders to show the 'global will' to tackle climate change
The 95-year-old environmentalist has addressed the world's leading democracies at their gathering in Carbis Bay, Cornwall.
Tuesday 15 June 2021 15:36, UK
Sir David Attenborough has told the Group of Seven leaders we already have the skills to tackle climate change, but what we need is the "global will to do so".
The 95-year-old environmentalist told the heads of the world's leading democracies that tackling climate change was now as much a political challenge as it was a scientific one.
"We know in detail what is happening to our planet, and we know many of the things we need to do during this decade," he said in a pre-recorded video address.
"Tackling climate change is now as much a political and communications challenge as it is a scientific or technological
one. We have the skills to address it in time, all we need is the global will to do so."
On the leaders' final day of discussions, Sir David called on them to take urgent action to avoid human-caused environmental catastrophe.
The broadcaster and naturalist said the scientific response to the COVID-19 pandemic had demonstrated "just how much we can achieve together when the goal is clear and urgent".
It comes after various climate groups staged protests across Cornwall to lobby G7 leaders on environmental issues this weekend.
In their conclusions from this weekend's summit, G7 leaders are expected to include a pledge to almost halve their emissions by 2030 relative to 2010.
This will also include promises to end almost all direct government support for fossil fuels and the phasing out of petrol and diesel cars.
And the G7 is also expected to commit to increasing their contributions to international climate finance, to help developing countries deal with the impact of climate change and to support sustainable growth.
But environmentalists have warned that previous climate finance targets have already been missed, and that aspirations to conserve 30% of our land and sea lack any form of plan as to how the areas will actually be protected.
Ahead of his address to world leaders, Sir David had said: "The natural world today is greatly diminished. That is undeniable.
"Our climate is warming fast. That is beyond doubt. Our societies and nations are unequal and that is sadly is plain to see.
"But the question science forces us to address specifically in 2021 is whether as a result of these intertwined facts we are on the verge of destabilising the entire planet?
"If that is so, then the decisions we make this decade - in particular the decisions made by the most economically advanced nations - are the most important in human history."
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has used the summit to launch a £500m fund to support countries, including Ghana, Indonesia and Pacific island states, to tackle unsustainable fishing, protect and restore coastal ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs, and reduce marine pollution.
"Protecting our planet is the most important thing we as leaders can do for our people," he said.
"There is a direct relationship between reducing emissions, restoring nature, creating jobs and ensuring long-term economic growth.
"As democratic nations we have a responsibility to help developing countries reap the benefits of clean growth through a fair and transparent system.
"The G7 has an unprecedented opportunity to drive a global Green Industrial Revolution, with the potential to transform the way we live."
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For their final day of discussions on Sunday, G7 leaders will once again be joined by guest nations Australia, South Korea, South Africa and India.
On Saturday night, the leaders enjoyed a beach BBQ in Carbis Bay and witnessed a flypast by the Red Arrows.
Critics questioned the display by nine aerobatic jet aircraft amid the summit's focus on climate change.
Every day at 6.30pm, Sky News broadcasts the first daily prime time news show dedicated to climate change.
Hosted by Anna Jones, The Daily Climate Show follows Sky News correspondents as they investigate how global warming is changing our landscape and how we all live our lives.
The show also highlights solutions to the crisis and how small changes can make a big difference.