Sir David Attenborough sets the scene for the BBC’s Saving Planet Earth series by examining the impact of humans on this over-crowded planet in Sharing Planet Earth – the opening programme in the BBC’s exciting Saving Planet Earth season on 17 June on BBC One.

David says: “We all need space to live, but our species is taking more than its fair share. According to recent figures, the average person in the UK uses six hectares of the planet every year to live. That may not sound like much, but if every human-being were to use this amount we would need three Earths to survive.

“What does our over-consumption mean for the rest of life that shares Planet Earth? Can a growing human population still leave space for wildlife?”

David has travelled to some of the world’s most remote wildernesses during his extensive film-making career, but agrees that it is vanishing fast. With only a quarter of the habitable planet considered wilderness, David examines the struggles for survival in the remaining deserts, mountains, wetlands and forests.

Through archive and footage from the BBC One smash hit series Planet Earth, he outlines the threat to the remaining planet and urges viewers to protect as much wilderness as possible.

“During the course of my career I have had the good fortune to visit some of the most remote places on our planet – places rich in a variety of life,” says David. “Now, increasing human pressure threatens many of the places and animals I have seen. Some experts believe we are in the middle of a mass extinction and our species to blame.”

David concludes: “We know we are using more than our fair share of the planet and its resources, and we must now redress this imbalance. Any effort to do so – no matter how big or small – is valuable if we wish to ensure a future that is healthy for all life on Planet Earth.”