The Jane Goodall Earth Medal Will Recognise Individuals Striving to Better the Planet.

Earth could be under pressure, yet there is hope. A new award from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus will inspire individuals to take action.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name will be given in memory of the renowned scientist and conservationist who passed away recently. It will recognise those who protect life on Earth.

Award Details

Initial honorees are slated for announcement during the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, scheduled from 17–22 October next year.

Reports indicate that Goodall, a former member of the festival's board, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The concept of having this medal, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a statement said. “Her desire was she would like for this to occur. And I think due to the close bond she had with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to highlight enduring projects carried out to make our world a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and foster motivation to continue that work,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of the festival noted that the medal – unveiled at a scientific institution – would probably encompass various fields.

“It’s going to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking award for science communication that we created a decade past,” he explained. Goodall was an honoree of that award.

Expressing concern about the future of the planet, a prominent voice stated, “To be truthful, it’s very hard to feel hopeful. Certain policies in one major nation represents a war on science. So this significantly hampers the world’s efforts.”

“In truth, the prospects aren't very good which means we need to begin to reflecting, more deeply about the consequences of human activity. This concern encompasses not just global warming, but also the whole way in which we interact with nature.”

Inspiring Change

Consequently, observers believe this is a good time to honor her guiding principles. “It is believed that when we’re awarding the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – which made her foremost concern, to change how we regard the other animals around us.”

A pressing concern at present is the proliferation of false information. The theme of next year’s Starmus festival is set as “the search for truth”.

“We realised that factual reality is becoming a subject of discussion when politics are involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” it was said. “Climate research is a science; you cannot have any influence from politics in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration is that the medal will inspire action. “The purpose is motivating others to participate and to care and to strive toward these goals, truly. Regardless of if we feel hopeful, we must look at working all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for failure, yet we must continue striving toward success.”

A family member engaged in environmental protection shared hope that “with guidance and once enabled, humans are capable of being diligent stewards of Earth”, citing the work of a foundation which, in addition to its projects, empowers the youth get involved locally, wildlife, and environment.

“As Jane Goodall repeatedly told everyone, our daily actions have an impact and it is up to us what type of impact we make,” he said. “There is still time and this medal will give encouragement and increase understanding about beneficial initiatives that people are making.”