Jane Goodall’s Urgent Call: Restore the Planet for Future Generations

Jane Goodall’s Plea for Future Generations

We are living through dark times—politically and socially, but most critically, environmentally. For millennia, early humans, like many other species, lived in relative balance with the natural world: hunter-gatherers took only what they needed to survive. Over time, that balance shifted. As human populations grew, so did our demands on Earth’s finite resources—and those demands became increasingly unsustainable.

In too many cases, need turned into greed. A materialistic worldview came to define success by the accumulation of wealth, and the unrealistic notion that economies could grow forever on a planet with limited resources took hold. As a result, billions of people have become increasingly disconnected from nature, living instead in virtual worlds shaped by technology.

“We have lost the long-term thinking seen in many Indigenous cultures—deciding only after asking how choices will affect future generations.”

I have devoted much of my life to studying the remarkable animals with whom we share—or should share—this planet. From decades of fieldwork with chimpanzees, I have seen how intricately ecosystems are woven: every plant and animal plays a role. The chimpanzees my team and I have observed and protected since 1960 are strikingly like us: they can live for more than 60 years, possess distinct personalities, form deep family bonds, and make and use tools. They express emotions familiar to us—love, compassion, joy, grief—and live in complex, territorial communities. Like people, they can be aggressive and violent, but they are also capable of care and altruism.

There is, however, one profound difference between humans and other animals: our explosive intellectual development. Many species—great apes, elephants, whales, pigs, birds, octopuses and even some insects—are more cognitively sophisticated than we once believed. Yet human intellect has enabled feats such as reaching the Moon, exploring the deep oceans, and inventing the internet and artificial intelligence.

And yet, despite being the most intellectually powerful species to live on Earth, we cannot claim to be the wisest. If we were truly wise, we would not be destroying our only home. We have lost much of the long-term, stewardship-minded thinking that many Indigenous peoples still practice—asking how decisions will affect the grandchildren and generations to come. For centuries, Indigenous communities have acted as guardians of the land.

The encouraging news is that we are beginning to use our intellect to repair the web of life. As scientific understanding deepens, we are gaining the tools and knowledge to work together to heal the damage we have caused. But the trajectory of unsustainable consumption and resource destruction has brought us to a crisis.

Rising carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are warming the planet and altering weather patterns. Species are disappearing at alarming rates; vast tracts of forest and woodland have been cleared; wetlands drained; coral reefs bleached; and grasslands degraded. Although we cannot fully restore everything that has been lost, much can be done to begin the healing: nature has a remarkable capacity for regeneration. Forests can be replanted and recover, rivers can run clear again, and species on the brink of extinction can be given a chance to rebound in restored habitats.

Generation Restoration by Tim Christophersen is a clarion call and practical roadmap for that work. The book lays out a global vision for restoring degraded ecosystems at scale and urges everyone—individuals, communities, businesses and nations—to unite behind this essential cause. More than technical instructions, it is an invitation to reflect on our relationship with Earth and to rekindle wonder and gratitude for the beauty, diversity and complexity of life. When we accept that our well-being is intimately tied to healthy ecosystems—forests, oceans, prairies, wetlands and more—we see why protecting them is not optional.

Success will hinge less on discovering new technologies than on changing priorities and mindsets. We already know many of the solutions and possess many of the tools. The challenge is making restoration central to government policy, corporate practices and everyday life. That means reducing unsustainable consumption, alleviating poverty, transforming industrial agriculture away from heavy reliance on chemical pesticides and synthetic fertilizers, and tackling pollution and waste.

Equally important is involving local communities in ways that allow them to support their families without destroying their environment. When people understand that protecting nature safeguards their future, they become powerful partners in conservation. I have seen this work through community-led programs of the Jane Goodall Institute in six countries, where protecting chimpanzees and their forest homes goes hand in hand with improving livelihoods.

Many cultures still maintain strong bonds with the natural world, and there is much to learn from Indigenous knowledge as we rebuild a respectful relationship with the planet. Economic growth, as traditionally measured, can no longer be our sole compass; instead, we must place planetary health and human well-being at the center of decisions while finding fair ways to meet real human needs and curb excessive greed.

Young people—the leaders of tomorrow—are already rising to the challenge. They are campaigning for climate action, conservation and rewilding with energy and moral clarity. Their momentum cannot shoulder the entire burden: everyone must play a part. Even small actions matter. If enough individuals, corporations and communities recognize the urgency and act, political leaders will be more likely to back the difficult choices required.

We have the knowledge, the tools and the moral imperative. The question is whether we have the collective will to restore the living systems on which our own survival depends. If we do not act, humans are not exempt from extinction. If we do, future generations may inherit a thriving, regenerating planet.

Excerpted with permission from the publisher, Wiley, from Generation Restoration: How to Fix Our Relationship Crisis with Mother Nature by Tim Christophersen. Copyright © 2026 by Tim Christophersen. All rights reserved.

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