I think the goal of evolution is colonizing the planet. Once that we are capable of constructing a world-wide network (communications and transport) and colonizing the whole planet then we discover the need of not destroying the planet. We try to be self-sustainable. It begins a race against the clock, a feed-back signal marks the start (scarce resource are getting exhausted). If the feed-back is delayed because we are not enough intelligent to see what is coming then the race is over. We have no time to response and the clock signal announces the end.

The question is: we are more intelligent that a monkey but perhaps not enough intelligent to not destroy our planet.