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Earth could be under pressure, however a sense of hope remains. A new award originating at the interdisciplinary festival Starmus aims to inspire the public to act.

The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will be given to pay tribute to the celebrated scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It will recognise individuals and groups that champion the natural world.

Award Details

The first recipients are expected to be announced at the upcoming Starmus event in Tenerife and La Palma, which will run from 17–22 October the coming year.

Reports indicate that Jane Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The vision of having this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, is Jane’s,” a statement said. “She said she would like for this to occur. This is likely because of the unique relationship she had with the festival.”

“This medal will recognize enduring projects carried out to make our world a better place for all living beings and ecosystems and offer support to carry on such efforts,” said a family member.

Structure and Vision

A co-founder of Starmus noted that the medal – unveiled at a prestigious venue – will likely encompass various fields.

“It’s going to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking award for science communication established exactly 10 years ago,” it was explained. Jane Goodall herself received of that award.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook for Earth, a prominent voice stated, “Frankly, it’s very hard to be optimistic. The current political climate in one major nation represents a dismissal of evidence. This situation really cripples collective action.”

“In truth, the situation appears particularly bright which means we need to really start reflecting, with greater urgency regarding the impact of our actions. And that’s not only climate change, but also the entire manner in which we interact with nature.”

A Call to Action

Consequently, observers believe it was an opportune moment to emulate Jane Goodall's legacy. “I think that when we’re awarding this medal, the focus will be on this core philosophy of Jane’s – that was her priority, to change how we regard fellow creatures around us.”

A pressing concern today was highlighted of disinformation. The focus of next year’s Starmus festival will be “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that factual reality is becoming a matter of debate when politics are involved. And it’s a perilous development,” he commented. “The climate science remains a scientific discipline; it is impossible to allow interference from politics in this field.”

Hope and Determination

The goal remains that the medal will spur concrete steps. “It’s about encouraging people to engage and to show concern and to work in that direction, really. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we must look at working the best we can,” a statement concluded. “Be prepared for setbacks, but you still have to work to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member involved in environmental protection shared optimism that “with guidance and once enabled, humanity can be diligent stewards of our planet”, citing the work of an institute which, among its other activities, assists the next generation get involved with their community, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall often told everyone, the choices we make each day have an impact and the responsibility lies with us the kind of difference we make,” he said. “It is not too late and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will provide inspiration and increase understanding about beneficial initiatives currently in progress.”