This TED Talk features sustainability expert Johann Rockstrom, recorded live at We the Future, presented by TED, the School Foundation and the United Nations Foundation.

In 2015, we saw two fantastic, hopeful breakthroughs for humanity. First, the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals,

the collective universal plan for humanity to eradicate hunger,

good economic development, good health within global environmental targets.

Secondly, after 21 years of negotiations,

we adopted the legally binding Paris Agreement,

all nations in the world, keeping global warming under 2 degrees Celsius,

aiming at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Today, three years down the line, we're still in the hand-waving business.

Now I think it's time to step back one step and recognize

that I wonder if the world leaders really knew what they signed

at the General Assembly three years ago. These are universal, aspirational, transformational goals

for inclusive, prosperous humanity on a stable Earth system. But there are underlying problems.

We have inherent contradictions between these goals,

whether they're a risk of pursuing one favorite goal at the expense of others.

Take, for example, goal eight on decent work in economic growth.

If we continue doing that by exploiting natural resources and burning fossil fuels,

it will be impossible to reach Go 13. Three years down the line, we simply must admit,

we're seeing limited action to really, really address this

as an inclusive, collective, universal package.

Now, this requires us to step back one step.

I think we have to ask ourselves some hard questions.

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