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Earth might be under pressure, but there is hope. A novel accolade from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus will motivate people to act.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will honor in honour of the celebrated British primatologist who passed away recently. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that champion the natural world.

The Medal's Framework

Initial honorees will be revealed during the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, scheduled from 17–22 October the coming year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, who was a Starmus advisory board member, had backed the medal's establishment. “The vision of having this medal, and Starmus being entrusted with organising it, was Jane's wish,” a statement said. “She expressed she would like this to happen. And I think because of the very special relationship she shared with us.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to highlight enduring projects undertaken to build an environment improved for people, animals and the environment and foster motivation to carry on that work,” commented a relative.

Structure and Vision

One of the founders of Starmus noted that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – will likely have multiple categories.

“It’s going to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach that we created a decade past,” he explained. Jane Goodall was an honoree of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook of the planet, one figure remarked, “Honestly, it’s very hard to maintain optimism. The current political climate in one major nation represents a dismissal of evidence. So this undermines global initiatives.”

“Realistically, the situation appears very good so we have to really start thinking again, more deeply regarding the impact of our actions. And that’s not only global warming, but also the whole way in which we interact with our environment.”

A Call to Action

Consequently, it was noted this is an opportune moment to follow her guiding principles. “It is believed that when we’re awarding the prize, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her foremost concern, to change the way we treat wildlife with which we share the planet.”

A pressing concern today involves the spread of false information. The central topic of the upcoming festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that truth is becoming a subject of discussion when politics is involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” it was said. “The science of climate is a science; you cannot allow interference from politics in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The hope remains that the medal will spur concrete steps. “It’s about inspiring individuals 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 our utmost,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of failure, yet we must continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member engaged in environmental protection shared optimism that “with guidance and when empowered, people are capable of being conscientious guardians of our planet”, highlighting the initiatives of a foundation that, in addition to its projects, empowers young people become engaged with their community, wildlife, and environment.

“As my late grandmother repeatedly reminded us, our daily actions make a difference and the responsibility lies with us what type of impact we make,” he said. “We still have an opportunity and this medal will offer support and raise awareness about constructive efforts that are being undertaken.”