A Life on Our Planet: My Witness Statement and a Vision for the Future is a 2020 book written by documentary filmmaker David Attenborough and director-producer Jonnie Hughes. The book describes Attenborough’s work as a presenter and natural historian, as well as the decrease in wildlife populations and the increase in carbon emissions over time. Attenborough explains the dangers of climate change and the loss of plant and animal species, and he suggests steps that can be taken to avoid serious environmental harm. The book is linked to the film David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet and was praised by critics for its content.

Background

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet is a 2020 film created by David Attenborough, a documentary filmmaker and expert on nature. Jonnie Hughes was the director and producer of the film, a role he has held for Attenborough’s documentaries since 2000. The film was originally planned to be released in theaters on April 16, 2020, but it was delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It first showed in theaters on September 28, 2020, and later appeared on the online streaming service Netflix on October 4, 2020.

A Life on Our Planet is a book that goes with the film. It was published on October 6, 2020, and written by David Attenborough and Jonnie Hughes. The World Wide Fund for Nature’s science team helped Hughes with the book’s content.

Synopsis

The book begins in Pripyat, a place that became empty after the Chernobyl disaster. The first part, called My Witness Statement, shares important events from Attenborough's life and shows how wildlife has decreased while carbon emissions have increased. Each chapter starts with three numbers that describe the time period it covers: the world's population, the amount of carbon dioxide in the air, and the amount of untouched natural land left. The second part, What Lies Ahead, explains how global warming and the loss of many animal species could get worse if humans do not change their habits. The third part, A Vision for the Future: How to Rewild the World, describes ways to avoid serious problems and live in a more sustainable way.

As a young person, Attenborough liked learning about fossils. His work on documentaries began in the 1950s when he joined the BBC, a company that provides TV and radio services to the public in Britain. He traveled to places like the African Serengeti, where animals need large areas of land to find food. Over time, he noticed fewer animals when filming for his shows, such as fish, orangutans, and others. In places like the Arctic or Antarctic, melting ice made the environment different from what the filming team expected. These changes are caused by climate change and the loss of many species, which could lead to a major event where many species disappear quickly, much faster than previous similar events in Earth's history.

Attenborough calls the book his "witness statement" and describes what could happen to Earth over the next few decades if humans do not change their habits. For example, the Amazon rainforest might turn into a dry grassland, the Arctic might lose all its summer ice, coral reefs might die, and overusing soil might cause food shortages. These changes would lead to the loss of many species and make climate change worse.

However, Attenborough also explains actions that could help stop these problems. He suggests helping poor countries, providing healthcare for everyone, and improving education for girls, which could help the human population grow more slowly. Using energy from the sun, wind, water, and heat from the Earth could power human needs in a sustainable way. Protecting one-third of coastal areas from fishing could allow fish to grow in number, leaving enough for people to use. Eating fewer animal products and more plant-based foods could use land more efficiently. Attenborough mentions examples like Costa Rica reversing deforestation, Palau’s rules for fishing, and better land use in the Netherlands as successful solutions.

Reception

Pilita Clark included the book on the Financial Times' list of best books of 2020, in the "Environment" category. Clark stated that the book "may not be entirely original but it is an important message from a messenger without parallel." A starred review from Kirkus Reviews called the book "excellent," noting that Attenborough is "refreshingly optimistic" and that the book is useful for "anyone concerned with the planet's ecological future." Bryan Appleyard of The Times wrote that Attenborough's "special pleading is fair and should be noted by other eco-warriors" and recommended the book "to learn" and "to honour the man." James Bradley of The Sydney Morning Herald described the book as "extremely powerful," stating that Attenborough "captures the accelerating ruination of the planet in the starkest possible terms."

Translations

• Croatian: Život na našem planetu: Moje svjedočanstvo i vizija budućnosti. Translated by Dubravka Pleše. Zagreb: Školska knjiga. 2020. ISBN 9789530621152.
• Finnish: Yksi elämä, yksi planeetta: Näkemys ihmeellisen maailmamme tulevaisuudesta. Translated by Ilkka Rekiaro. Helsinki: WSOY. 2020. ISBN 9789510456583.
• German: Ein Leben auf unserem Planeten: Die Zukunftsvision des berühmtesten Naturfilmers der Welt, lit. 'A Life on Our Planet: The Vision of the Future of the World's Most Famous Nature Filmmaker'. Translated by Alexandra Hölscher. Munich: Blessing. 2020. ISBN 9783896676917.
• Hungarian: Egy élet a bolygónkon: A szemtanú vallomása – és látomás a Föld jövőjéről. Translated by Benjamin Makovecz. Budapest: Park Könyvkiadó. 2020. ISBN 9789633557006.
• Italian: La vita sul nostro pianeta: Come sarà il futuro?, lit. 'Life on Our Planet: What Will the Future be Like?'. Translated by Rachele Salerno. Milan: Piemme. 2020. ISBN 9788856677706.
• Serbian: Живот на нашој планети: моје сведочење и визија будућности, romanized: Život na našoj planeti: moje svedočenje i vizija budućnosti. Translated by Tatjana Bižić. Belgrade: Laguna. 2020. ISBN 9788652139217.
• Bulgarian: Живот на нашата планета, romanized: Zhivot na nashata planeta. Translated by Tsvetelina Yakova. Sofia: IK Khermes. ISBN 9789542621201.
• French: Une vie sur notre planète. Translated by Philippe Giraudon. Paris: Flammarion. 2021. ISBN 9782080249616.
• Greek: Η ζωή στον πλανήτη μας: Η μαρτυρία μου και ένα όραμα για το μέλλον, romanized: I zoí ston planíti mas: I martyría mou kai éna órama gia to méllon. Translated by Myrto Kalofolias. Athens: Patakis. 2021. ISBN 9789601693545.
• Lithuanian: Gyvenimas mūsų planetoje. Mano liudijimas ir ateities vizija. Translated by Jurgita Jėrinaitė. Vilnius: Helios. 2021. ISBN 9789949691951.
• Norwegian: Et liv på vår planet: Mitt vitnesbyrd og en visjon for fremtiden. Translated by Knut Ofstad. Oslo: Cappelen Damm. 2021. ISBN 9788202690243.
• Polish: Życie na naszej planecie: Moja historia, wasza przyszłość, lit. 'Life on Our Planet: My History, Your Future'. Translated by Paulina Surniak. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Poznańskie. 2021. ISBN 9788366657021.
• Russian: Жизнь на нашей планете: Мое предупреждение миру на грани катастрофы, romanized: Zhizn na nashey planete: Moye preduprezhdeniye miru na grani katastrofy, lit. 'Life on Our Planet: My Warning to the World on the Brink of Catastrophe'. Translated by Sergey Bavin. Moscow: BOMBORA. 2021. ISBN 9785041183585.
• Slovene: Življenje na našem planetu: moje pričevanje in videnje prihodnosti. Translated by Petra Anžlovar. Križe: Učila International. 2021. ISBN 9789610047506.
• Spanish: Una vida en nuestro planeta: Mi testimonio y una visión para el futuro. Translated by Tomás Fernández Aúz. Madrid: Crítica. 2021. ISBN 9788491993117.
• Turkish: Gezegenimizden Bir Yaşam: Tanıklık Ettiklerim ve Geleceğe Dair Bir Vizyon. Translated by Onur Uygun. Istanbul: Kronik. 2022. ISBN 978-625-8431-35-3.