Dr Jane Goodall said “we are still living in dark times” as she spoke about the planet, loss of biodiversity and climate change when she took to the Greenpeace stage at Glastonbury Festival.
The British primatologist, 90, also brought a toy chimp on to the stage and greeted the audience by mimicking ape sounds.
The anthropologist reflected on the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, and said “it’s not surprising, but young people are still losing hope”.
She told the crowd: “It’s as though we’re in a dark tunnel.
“Humanity is at the mouth of the tunnel and between us and the little star that’s shining at the end of the tunnel, and that star is hope, between us and the star, we have to overcome all these problems that I just mentioned.
“The good news (is), more and more people are trying to solve those problems.”
She added: “We really are going through tough times all over the world.”
Goodall went on to say that her reasons for having hope include “the indomitable human spirit”.
The renowned conservationist also praised Saturday’s Glastonbury Festival headliner, Coldplay, for their efforts to tour sustainably.
She said: “I know they’re really trying to make their footstep in places like Glastonbury invisible… and there are more and more groups like that.”
The phenomenal Dr Jane Goodall sharing her story over at Greenpeace. DH pic.twitter.com/4zfZ86Obig
— Glastonbury Live (@GlastoLive) June 28, 2024
Coldplay, fronted by Chris Martin, previously announced that their Music Of The Spheres tour would be powered with rechargeable batteries fuelled by renewable sources.
They said at the time that their global tour would be supported by a “show battery”, supplied by BMW, which would be recharged using solar power and generators powered by hydrotreated vegetable oil.
Fans could also generate electricity for the concert through a kinetic stadium floor and power bikes.
In 2019, the band revealed that they would not launch a globe-trotting tour for their previous album – Everyday Life – because of environmental concerns.
Dr Goodall also thanked her “supportive” mother and joked that Tarzan married the wrong Jane as she began her speech where she reflected on her career researching chimpanzees.