Sir David Attenborough receives IGU Planet and Humanity Award
Posted 10 September, 2024
Acclaimed broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has received the (opens in a new window)International Geographical Union (IGU) Planet and Humanity Award in recognition of his enduring legacy as a champion of the natural world.
Presented to the conservationist at the opening ceremony of the International Geographical Congress (IGC), chaired by UCD (opens in a new window)Professor Niamh Moore-Cherry, Principal of the UCD College of Social Sciences and Law, the award honours those who have made outstanding contributions to peace, welfare, or sustainability.
“Sir David has inspired generations to appreciate the intricate beauty and delicate balance of Earth's ecosystems through his captivating storytelling, ground-breaking documentaries, and unwavering commitment to environmental conservation,” the conference heard.
“Across eight decades, his tireless efforts in raising awareness about climate change and biodiversity loss exemplify the spirit of the IGU's mission to promote geographical knowledge and contribute to a sustainable world.”
Conference Chair Prof Moore-Cherry said: “This award to Sir David is especially significant to me as I remember our former Professor of Geography at UCD, Prof Anne Buttimer. She was not just a pioneer in sustainability thinking in the 1990s before it became mainstream, but she has also been the only female President of the IGU to date and so excited when we won the bid to host this conference in Ireland.
"Sir David’s lifework for which he is being recognised aligns with the values that Anne held and promoted in her research and teaching. She especially advocated that in an increasingly contested and troubled world, we are all joined by a common humanity in a fragile and complex ecosystem.”
Accepting the award, Sir Attenborough said if ever there were a time in human history “when the experience and the resulting wisdom of geographers was needed to set humanity on a new course… it is now, and if this medal is a suggestion that I've helped in that process, then I am indeed proud”.
“I've spent the past 80 odd years of my professional life studying and recording the behavior of animals. Doing so, happily for me, has taken me all over the world, often to wonderful and extraordinary places. If such experiences can count towards becoming a geographer as well as a zoologist, then at least I've made a start.
"But even though you and I come from different disciplines, we both must recognize that the worlds of animals and plants, and the world that we ourselves have created, are both heading for disaster, and that we must take urgent action.
The (opens in a new window)@IGU_Online_ will present the Planet and Humanity Award to Sir David Attenborough, whose captivating storytelling, ground-breaking documentaries and unwavering commitment to conservation have inspired generations to appreciate the beauty and delicate balance of our planet. (opens in a new window)pic.twitter.com/Z33EFFWYnn
— International Geographical Union - IGU (@IGU_Online_) (opens in a new window)August 23, 2024
Adding: “And the sooner we recognize the truth in one another's discoveries, the better chances we will have of staving off catastrophe. I would like to believe that one of the reasons that you, as geographers, have given me, as zoologists, this extremely distinguished medal, is that we both recognize that our respective sciences are pointing both of us in the same direction.
“And that the sooner we learn from one another's insights, the better chance we will have of staving off the catastrophe that currently threatens the whole of the living world, both animal and human.”
Founded in 1922, the IGU promotes the discipline of Geography globally and its Planet and Humanity Award was created to honour individuals who have made outstanding contributions globally to peace, welfare, or sustainability.
Previous awardees include Nelson Mandela, Al Gore and Greta Thunberg.
Having inspired generations to appreciate the intricate beauty and delicate balance of Earth’s ecosystems through captivating storytelling and an unwavering commitment to environmental conservation, the IGC said Sir Attenborough's enduring legacy “as a champion of the natural world makes him truly deserving of recognition with its most esteemed honour”.
Held every four years, and this year for the first time in Ireland, over 2600 delegates attended 2024 IGC including some 42 UCD researchers from across a number of Schools and Colleges who participated in the event across a range of activities, such as presenting at the conference, organising field trips and showcasing UCD research in environmental sustainability; urban and regional development; urban climatology; AI and big data; transport economics; river catchment science; and green infrastructure.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
