Humanity now has incredible power to shape nature and the Earth: the power to destroy and the power to repair, says sustainability champion and UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner. In this action-oriented talk, Steiner shows how this power is putting our own survival at risk -- and takes us on a global tour of individuals and societies that are choosing to write a new, sustainable and equitable chapter for people and the planet.

Achim Steiner: Humanity's planet-shaping powers -- and what they mean for the future

Humanity's planet-shaping powers -- and what they mean for the future

Administrator, United Nations Development Programme

In the Anthropocene, humanity shapes the planet, altering the atmosphere and biosphere with unprecedented power to destroy and repair.

Extreme inequity: 26 people own as much wealth as half of humanity, and one-third of food produced globally goes to waste.

Renewable energy, once deemed too costly or futuristic, now costs less and creates more jobs than fossil fuels in many regions.