The most important message of 2016 has been delivered by a gorilla

As we embark on another year of human existence on this planet, it's good - although not, all told, really that cheery - to be reminded that it's one more year closer to the end of it.

A message for the humans of the planet from 44-year-old gorilla Koko has gone viral, which sees her use sign language to express her thoughts on the Earth's future.

Over the course of a minute, she signs: ‘I am gorilla, I am flowers, animals. I am Nature. Koko love man. Earth Koko love. But man stupid… stupid! Koko sorry, Koko cry. Time hurry. Fix Earth! Help Earth! Hurry! Protect Earth. Nature watches you. Thank you.’

The message, designed and scripted by NOE Conservation of France and The Gorilla Foundation in Woodside, California, where Koko has lived since 1979, was actually filmed at the start of December before the COP21 talks in Paris aimed at creating a global framework to (belatedly) tackle climate change - and specifically to raise awareness of the need to guard the biodiversity of the planet.

The eventual agreement was cautiously welcomed by scientists, although many remain concerned that they are not binding, and are open to self-regulation - not something that traditionally stands up well when it comes to the crunch.

We should probably put Koko in charge of the whole Climate Change plan to be honest. At the very least, we'd vote for her over Donald Trump.