On His 99th Birthday, David Attenborough Champions the Ocean as Earth’s Most Vital Frontier

Crashing waves, vibrant coral reefs, and shimmering blue waters set the stage for David Attenborough’s latest film, Ocean with David Attenborough, a sweeping tribute to the planet’s most crucial ecosystem. Released in theaters today—coinciding with the legendary broadcaster’s 99th birthday—the film will also be available on Disney+ and Hulu this June.

Attenborough, whose voice has guided generations through the wonders of nature, opens the documentary with a powerful declaration: “The most important place on Earth is not on land but at sea.”

A Lifetime of Change Beneath the Surface

Spanning Attenborough’s nearly 100 years of life, Ocean reflects on how our seas have changed dramatically—both in beauty and in peril. From dazzling discoveries of marine life to catastrophic damage caused by humans, the film serves as both a celebration and a call to action.

“We share those wonderful discoveries,” Attenborough says, “uncover why our ocean is in such poor health, and, perhaps most importantly, show how it can be restored.”

Viewers are taken on a global journey, exploring kelp forests, towering underwater mountains, and fragile coral reefs. The ocean, Attenborough emphasizes, is not only the Earth’s largest carbon sink—absorbing vast amounts of CO₂—it is also on the front lines of climate change.

A Crisis Hidden Beneath the Waves

Filmed during an unprecedented marine heatwave, Ocean reveals the devastating reality of coral bleaching—graveyards of lifeless, white coral stretching across the sea floor. Attenborough doesn’t shy away from the human causes of this damage, including industrial fishing practices that have left entire ecosystems—and local communities—struggling.

One particularly haunting sequence captures bottom trawling, a method where massive nets drag heavy chains across the ocean floor, destroying everything in their path and releasing huge clouds of carbon-rich sediment.

“The trails of destruction can be seen from space,” Attenborough narrates, condemning the wastefulness of catching unintended marine life, most of which is thrown away.

A Message of Hope and Urgency

Despite the grim images, Attenborough’s tone remains hopeful. The ocean, he says, is incredibly resilient—if given the chance to recover. From Kiribati and Palau to West Papua and the Mediterranean, regions that have restricted fishing are seeing marine life bounce back.

The film highlights Papahānaumokuākea, the world’s largest marine reserve near Hawaii, where native fishers report thriving fish stocks and flourishing seabird populations.

Enric Sala, a marine ecologist and advisor on the film, reinforces this message. He recalls diving in the Southern Line Islands after a major coral die-off. Just four years later, he witnessed the reef’s full recovery—thanks to the return of fish that helped clean and rebuild the ecosystem.

“If we stop overfishing today, the ocean begins to heal tomorrow,” says Sala.

Protecting a Third of the Ocean

One of the film’s core messages is the need for more protected areas with no-take zones. Currently, less than 3% of the world’s oceans are fully protected. Scientists, along with Attenborough, argue this figure must rise to at least 30%.

History offers reason for optimism: the global ban on commercial whaling in 1986 helped many whale populations recover. With similar determination, the ocean can thrive again.

Sala believes that Ocean may finally spark the shift scientists have long urged. “We’ve been saying it for years. Now that David Attenborough says it, people will listen.”

A Timely Plea Before the World Watches

The film lands just ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference in Nice, France, this June. Although many countries have pledged to protect 30% of marine environments by 2030, action has lagged. Attenborough calls on leaders to move from paper promises to real change.

“This could be the moment,” he says. “Nearly every country on Earth has just agreed in principle to protect a third of the ocean. Together, we now face the challenge of making it happen.”

With his signature calm and urgency, David Attenborough reminds us: the ocean is not just a distant frontier—it is the heart of our planet. And it needs us now more than ever.