The Ocean Is Breaking: Why We Must Listen to ‘Earth’s Last Wilderness'

Reading Ocean: Earth’s Last Wilderness by Sir David Attenborough and Colin Butfield has been one of the most profoundly moving experiences of my life.

This is not simply a book about marine biology or environmental science; it is a reckoning, a call to awaken to the ocean’s shimmering depths, to feel its pulse beneath your skin, and to understand the inextricable bond that ties us to this vast, mysterious, and fragile world.

Attenborough doesn’t lecture. He invites us in with a seasoned friend’s voice, marked by decades of witnessing extraordinary beauty and heartbreaking loss. Colin Butfield, co-author,  complements this narrative with sharp insight into the ocean’s role as the lifeblood of our planet and the urgency of safeguarding it.

The Ocean as a Living, Breathing Force

From the first pages, the ocean is not an abstract concept. It is alive—waving, singing, and breathing beneath the surface. Attenborough’s portrayal of the blue whale is breathtaking. I could almost feel the immense heartbeat of the whale echoing in the deep, sense the weight of its tongue heavier than an elephant’s, and marvel at its graceful passage through the vast blue.

Yet that wonder quickly turns to sorrow. These gentle giants were hunted almost to extinction, and the scars of that brutal history still linger.

As Attenborough writes, “No one will protect what they don’t care about; and no one will care about what they have never experienced.” This statement hit me like a jolt. We have become distanced—oceans reduced to a backdrop, a vacation spot, or worse, a dumping ground. We forget that the ocean absorbs over 90 percent of the heat caused by greenhouse gases and takes in nearly a quarter of all carbon dioxide emissions, playing a crucial role in regulating the climate and sustaining life on Earth.

Colin Butfield’s words echo this urgency: “The ocean is the lifeblood of our planet, quietly sustaining every breath we take. Yet, it remains out of sight and out of mind for many—until we see it as the living system it truly is, we risk losing it forever.” This dual perspective, poetic and practical, reminded me that knowledge without care and action is meaningless.

The Haunting Reality of Ecological Loss

The book immerses readers in the ocean’s wonders, from playful otters darting through kelp forests to the delicate balance of coral reefs. It also journeys to the silent guardians of the coast—mangroves—those tangled, salt-tolerant forests that shelter juvenile fish, protect shorelines from storms, and lock away vast amounts of carbon in their roots and soil. Once dismissed as swamps to be drained, these ecosystems are now recognised as some of the most powerful natural defences against climate change. Yet they are disappearing three to five times faster than global forests, cleared for development or poisoned by pollution.

I often found myself closing my eyes to picture the ocean as it should be: kelp swaying like a forest beneath the waves, whale songs rippling through the water, shafts of sunlight dancing on fish scales. Then the scene shifts—ghostly reefs, sea turtles choking on plastic bags mistaken for jellyfish, beaches where microplastics outnumber plankton.

It is not just loss; it is spiritual devastation, a desecration of a mother who has cradled life on Earth for millennia. The ocean’s health is deteriorating rapidly. Marine heatwaves are more frequent and intense, acidification disrupts the very building blocks of marine food chains, and entire ecosystems are unravelling. The book provides sobering facts and stories, not to paralyse, but to ignite urgency for change.

The Ocean’s Role in Climate and Global Systems

This book deepened my understanding of the ocean as the planet’s great regulator. It absorbs the vast majority of excess heat from greenhouse gas emissions, slowing the pace of global warming. It draws down carbon dioxide, playing a vital role in the carbon cycle.

The Southern Ocean, encircling Antarctica, is one of Earth’s most powerful carbon sinks, storing around 40% of the human-made CO₂ absorbed by the world’s oceans. Its frigid currents drive nutrient upwellings that sustain marine life from krill to great whales. Yet warming waters and melting ice are disrupting these currents, threatening to unravel a food web on which countless species—and ultimately we—depend.

The ocean’s decline impacts food security for billions who rely on fish, intensifies climate disasters like storms and floods, and threatens cultural and spiritual connections to the sea. The book underscores that the ocean’s fate is our fate.

Are We Doing Enough? A Critical Look at Global Efforts

Attenborough and Butfield present a sobering reality: despite global summits, pledges, and treaties, the ocean’s health continues to decline. Governments have committed to expanding marine protected areas, promoting sustainable fishing practices, and reducing carbon emissions, but these efforts are often fragmented, underfunded, and slowed by political inertia.

The ocean doesn’t respond to speeches or promises; it responds to carbon levels, temperature changes, and how much we extract and pollute. The silence in action is deafening. The book challenges us to consider: are we doing enough? The answer, painfully, is no.

The Moral Question: What Gives Us the Right?

A question that haunts me throughout the book is: what gives us the right to take so much from the ocean? This vast body of water has nurtured life for billions of years. It is a mother—fierce and protective, yet gentle and giving. For many communities, it is sacred. Yet, we have exploited it with little regard, treating it as an endless resource or a convenient dumping ground.

This book asks us to reconsider our relationship with the ocean—from entitlement to reverence, from exploitation to stewardship.

What Can We Do? Moving Beyond Words to Action

This is where Ocean: Earth’s Last Wilderness transcends a mere narrative of loss. It is an invitation to act:

• Change Consumer Habits: Reduce plastic use, choose sustainable seafood, and avoid products linked to ocean destruction.

• Support Conservation Efforts: Back marine protected areas and organisations doing vital restoration and protection work.

• Educate and Advocate: Share the ocean’s stories, raise awareness, and support policies that protect marine environments.

• Vote with the Future in Mind: Elect leaders who prioritise science-based climate and ocean policies.

• Embrace Interconnection: Teach and embody the understanding that human wellbeing is inseparable from ocean health.

Every small choice ripples outward, creating waves of change.

Personal Reflection: Living the Ocean’s Story

Since reading the book, I carry the ocean’s story with me daily. It colours my social media posts, conversations, and even my food choices. I share snippets about whale “carbon forests”—how whale poo helps trap carbon and combat climate change—sparking curiosity and hope. I talk about the risks of overfishing, the slow regrowth of kelp beds, the quiet resilience of mangroves, and the fragile heartbeat of the Southern Ocean’s currents.

This book transformed me from a passive observer to an active participant in the ocean’s story. It reminded me that the ocean’s health is inseparable from our own future.

A Message of Hope: Endurance and Repair

Despite the bleak realities, Attenborough and Butfield never abandon hope. The ocean is resilient. Marine sanctuaries show that life can rebound. Species can recover. Systems can heal—if we give them the chance.

At 99, Attenborough’s passion and belief in repair inspire me. It’s a testament that dedication can span generations and that each of us has a role to play.

The Ocean as Our Ancestor and Mother

Ultimately, this book moved me to see the ocean not just as water, but as a living mother who cradles us all. She has given us life, regulated our climate, and sustained our species through millennia. The ocean’s fate is intertwined with ours. To protect her is to protect ourselves.

What kind of ancestors will we be? Will we leave a wounded, silent ocean to future generations? Or will we rise to honour her, to fiercely protect the last wilderness on Earth?

Closing Thought

This is more than a book. It’s a call to remember, to feel, and to act. It demands that we see the ocean with new eyes: as a source of wonder, a cradle of life, and a sacred trust.

It changed me. I hope it changes you, too.

* Ocean: Earth’s Last Wilderness is available at Exclusive Books.