A Climate Lens on Nature's Fragile Beauty
Our Planet narrated by David Attenborough, was a major shift in nature documentaries. Unlike previous series, it directly connected the beauty of the natural world to the reality of climate change and human impact. It showed not just wildlife, but how rising temperatures, deforestation, and overfishing are disrupting ecosystems. The series was notable for its use of real climate science and for confronting viewers with the consequences of environmental degradation - perhaps most memorably in scenes showing walruses forced onto cliffs due to ice sea loss.
As of 2025, the trends Our Planet highlighted have largely continued. Global temperatures remain high, with 2023 and 2024 among the hottest years on record. Arctic sea ice continues to shrink, and coral reefs (including the Great Barrier Reef), have suffered repeated mass bleaching. According to WWF's 2024 Living Planet Report, monitored wildlife populations have declined by nearly 70%. Deforestation remains widespread, especially in the Amazon and Congo.
While renewable energy adoption is growing and more countries now have net-zero targets, global greenhouse emissions remain high. The world is currently not on track to meet the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C.
Our Planet remains one of the most visually stunning and scientifically grounded climate documentaries to date. Its message is even more urgent now than when it was released.
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