The Jane Goodall Earth Medal to Recognise Those Acting to Better the Planet.

The world could be under pressure, yet there is hope. A new award from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus aims to inspire the public to make a difference.

The medal will honor to pay tribute to the renowned scientist and conservationist who died recently. It is designed to celebrate individuals and groups that advocate for our planet's biodiversity.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are expected to be announced at the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, scheduled from 17–22 October the coming year.

It was shared that Jane Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had supported the medal's establishment. “The idea behind this medal, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, originated with Jane,” a representative said. “She expressed that she wanted for this to occur. And I think because of the close connection she shared with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to highlight enduring projects undertaken to build an environment improved for all living beings and ecosystems and foster motivation to carry on that work,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of the festival indicated that the medal – which was announced at a prestigious venue – would probably include several divisions.

“It’s going to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award for science communication that we created a decade past,” it was explained. Jane Goodall was an honoree of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, a prominent voice said, “Frankly, it's challenging to be optimistic. Present governance globally represents a war on science. This situation significantly hampers global initiatives.”

“In truth, the prospects aren't very good which means we need to really start reconsidering, much more seriously about the consequences of human activity. And that’s not just global warming, that’s the entire manner in which we interact with our environment.”

Following an Example

Consequently, observers believe it was a good time to emulate her guiding principles. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, the focus will be on this core philosophy that Jane embodied – that was her foremost concern, to change our relationship with wildlife with which we share the planet.”

Another key issue currently was highlighted of disinformation. The theme of the upcoming festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that truth is becoming contested where political interests are involved. This is a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “Climate research remains a scientific discipline; you cannot allow interference from politics in this field.”

Optimism and Resolve

The goal is that the medal will inspire concrete steps. “The purpose is motivating others to get involved and to care and to work toward these goals, truly. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we have to focus on working the best we can,” it was added. “Accept the possibility of failure, but you still continue striving towards succeeding.”

A family member involved in conservation work shared hope that “given direction and once enabled, humanity are capable of being diligent stewards of Earth”, citing the initiatives of an institute which, among its other activities, helps the next generation get involved with their community, animals, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall often told everyone, our daily actions are significant and it is up to us what type of impact we choose to create,” it was stated. “We still have an opportunity and this medal will provide inspiration and raise awareness regarding constructive efforts currently in progress.”