James Stewart

Meet the man trying to spread a positive message about our planet.

Feeling positive and excited about planet Earth isn’t always easy. There are so many scary headlines about global warming (the gradual heating of Earth that can cause problems such as droughts) and species loss out there that you would be forgiven for wanting to switch off. But one TV presenter and climate enthusiast is hoping to change the tune. James Stewart is known for his work on the BBC, CBBC and CBeebies, and he’s using his job as a way to get young people interested in science and nature.

The inbetweener

Stewart is trying to bring a fresh voice to the conversation around climate change, and build on the work being done by others. Sir David Attenborough, 97, is famous for his BBC documentaries about animals and the environment, while Greta Thunberg, 20, became known around the world when she began campaigning to protect the planet at the age of just 15.

Stewart, 30, sees himself as working somewhere in between these two science heroes as he tries to interest young people in the environment. “I thought, well, I’ve got a bit of presenting experience, maybe I can translate what I know about the world, science and the climate,” he told The Week Junior Science+Nature. “Children, in my experience, are always the most engaged, interested and passionate about the subject.”

Mission of hope