Nicola Forrest backs David Attenborough’s Ocean documentary

Nicola and Andrew Forrest, who have funded a new David Attenborough documentary, are pushing for 30 per cent of the world’s oceans to become marine parks.

David Attenborough and King Charles at the world premiere for Ocean With David Attenborough in London. Picture: Getty Images for National Geographic

Billionaire Nicola Forrest says water temperatures around islands on Australia’s doorstep have risen to alarming levels as she champions a new documentary on oceans by Sir David Attenborough.

Ms Forrest attended a relatively low-key premiere of Ocean with David Attenborough – funded by the family’s philanthropic arm, Minderoo – in Perth on Thursday night that coincided with Sir David’s 99th birthday. It contrasted with a lavish premiere in London earlier this week attended by Andrew Forrest, King Charles and Sir David.

The Forrests will use the UN Ocean Conference in June to push for 30 per cent of the world’s oceans to be covered by no-take marine parks by 2030.

Nicola Forrest, right, and scientist Sarah Dunlop at the premiere of Ocean in Perth on Thursday.

Ms Forrest said she visited remote coastal communities in Melanesia, including the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea, last month and was shocked by what she saw among people “living on the frontier of the climate crisis”.

“In some places we visited, the water temperatures had risen to 31C, causing coral bleaching, which is like the equivalent of an underwater bushfire,” she said.

“This directly impacts the health of the oceans that these communities, many of whom are subsistence fishers, rely on to survive and thrive.

“Already, there is evidence of migration away from the coast due to rising sea levels and powerful weather events like storms and cyclones.”

Ms Forrest said this forced ­migration made vulnerable communities even more susceptible to exploitation – all because of a global problem they didn’t cause.

Ms Forrest has forged her own path in business and philanthropy in the wake of her separation from Dr Forrest and the division of their shareholding in iron ore miner Fortescue, but remains committed to the family’s Minderoo Foundation and private company Tattarang.

The documentary featuring Sir David Attenborough highlights actions the world can take to restore the oceans. Picture: Conor McDonnell

The family’s Minderoo Pictures was the first investor in the Ocean project, and kicked in £1.5m ($3.1m) towards the £3.8m cost of the documentary directed by Colin Butfield.

Ms Forrest said she met Mr Butfield from Studio Silverback in 2022 and then the opportunity emerged to work with Sir David and his team on the documentary.

“Sir David famously said that saving our environment is not just a technological problem, it’s a communications problem. We need to tell the story of what is ­really happening and how to fix it.” she said.

“This perfectly aligns with the mission of Minderoo Pictures, which was created because we believe in the power of storytelling to inspire change.”

Minderoo Foundation chief executive John Hartman said the documentary included gut-wrenching scenes of industrial-scale bottom trawling, and predicted it would have a powerful and persuasive impact on decision-makers.

“The scientifically proven and economically smart solution to the issues plaguing our oceans is the 30x30 initiative – enforceable, no-take marine parks covering at least 30 per cent of our oceans by 2030,” Mr Hartman said.

“This is what Minderoo will be advocating strongly for at the UN Ocean Conference in June this year.”

Originally published as Nicola Forrest backs David Attenborough’s Ocean documentary