In our younger generations, Jane Goodall finds hope.
It's what inspires the famed conservationist as she sees new coalmines approved and nature destroyed for human benefit.
"China is opening many coalmines, we are doing fracking, (Donald) Trump is wanting to reopen all the coalmines - it's absolutely appalling," Dr Goodall told AAP.
The 85-year-old primatologist gained global attention in the 1960s through her ground-breaking study of wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania in eastern Africa.
Since then Dr Goodall has spent much of her life as an ambassador for wildlife and conservation issues through the Jane Goodall Institute.
The UN Messenger of Peace travels the world for most of the year raising awareness of the plight of nature.
She often questions how the "most intellectual creature" to walk the planet is also destroying it.
"It's absolutely shocking that we are doing this to our Mother Earth," she said.
The chimpanzee expert notes Australia's baiting of wild dingoes with poison and misuse of the Murray-Darling basin as examples of environmental destruction.
"What Australia is doing to dingoes is absolutely horrible ... (and) Australia is trying to grow crops where they shouldn't - the Murray-Darling basin," Dr Goodall said.
But just like her mother encouraged her not to give up, Dr Goodall passes that message onto the younger generations, encouraging them to make small changes in their communities.
"That's why I work so hard with young people - because they get it. They are changing the world," she said.
While Dr Goodall believes there has been an increase in awareness of environmental issues, she says action is lacking.
"People get depressed and do nothing. If you don't have hope, it's all doom and gloom," she said.
As for the future of the planet, Dr Goodall doesn't believe it's all doom and gloom - yet.
"We have the resilience of nature, animals can be brought back from the brink of extinction and we have the indomitable human spirit," she said.
But she warns nature won't be able to bounce back if we carry on with business as usual.
"If we carry on as we are, the window of time we have to slow down climate change will be too late," she said.
Dr Goodall will be speaking in Sydney on May 8 before travelling to Melbourne and Adelaide for her Rewind the Future tour.
