Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg to discuss climate crisis in virtual chat

Activists will examine key issues facing the planet and what can be done to mitigate against them

Sir David Attenborough and Greta Thunberg are joining forces for a virtual chat to discuss the climate crisis.

The duo will be speaking virtually from their respective homes in the UK and Sweden as part of the Wildscreen Festival, an annual Bristol event showcasing nature filmmaking from around the world.

Festival organisers said the conversation is a “unique chance to hear two of the most influential figures of our time honestly discussing their opinions”.

While there might be 77 years between them, Sir David and Thunberg have a shared passion for protecting the natural world and will ask each other questions about what people can do to look after the planet.

They will also share their own experiences of communicating the impacts of humans on the environment and discuss the importance of conservation stories being told through natural history films.

“We are so proud that two of the most famous figures in the fight against climate change have agreed to take time out of their exceptionally busy schedules to appear at Wildscreen Festival 2020,” said Sue Martineau, Wildscreen CEO.

“The brave and powerful voices of the iconic naturalist Sir David Attenborough and the climate and environmental activist Greta Thunberg is a compelling gift and couldn’t be more pertinent in our current global crisis.”

This is not the first time that the broadcaster and teenage activist have joined forces.

In December 2019, the pair met for the first time via Skype when Thunberg guest edited BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

The 17-year-old interviewed Sir David during the special climate edition of the show, where they discussed the climate crisis and share their thoughts on how to get governments to tackle the problem.

During the chat, Sir David described what Thunberg has done as “astonishing and admirable” in getting people to face up to the climate crisis.

“She’s achieved things that many of us who have been working on it for 20-odd years have failed to achieve,” he said.

In response, the teenager said the credit should be shared, adding: “I’m a part of a very large group of people who have done it. And you are definitely a part of that group too.”

The new virtual discussion, titled “Planetary Crisis”, will take place on Tuesday 20 October at 7pm. You can sign up to join the festival here.