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Earth might be under pressure, however a sense of hope remains. A fresh honor from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus seeks to inspire the public to take action.

This new Earth medal bearing Jane Goodall's name is to be awarded in honour of the celebrated scientist and conservationist who died this year. It is designed to celebrate individuals and groups that champion our planet's biodiversity.

The Medal's Framework

Initial honorees will be revealed at the upcoming Starmus event in the Canary Islands, which will run from 17–22 October next year.

According to statements that Goodall, a former Starmus advisory board member, had endorsed the award’s creation. “The concept of having this award, and Starmus being entrusted to oversee it, is Jane’s,” a statement said. “Her desire was she would like this to happen. This is likely due to the close connection she had with the festival.”

“The Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal aims to highlight enduring projects undertaken to create a planet a better place for people, animals and the environment and provide encouragement to carry on that work,” said a family member.

Format and Inspiration

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

“The intent is for it to be inspired by the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach established exactly 10 years ago,” he explained. Goodall was a recipient of that very medal.

Sharing thoughts on the outlook for Earth, a prominent voice remarked, “To be truthful, it is difficult to feel hopeful. Certain policies in one major nation represents an assault on knowledge. This situation significantly hampers the world’s efforts.”

“Realistically, the situation appears particularly bright which means we need to begin to reflecting, much more seriously regarding the impact of human activity. And that’s not only global warming, but also the whole way in which we interact with our environment.”

Following an Example

Consequently, it was noted this is an opportune moment to follow Goodall’s example. “I think that in bestowing the prize, we will be considering this essential spirit that Jane embodied – which made her foremost concern, to transform the way we treat fellow creatures with which we share the planet.”

A major topic today involves the spread of false information. The central topic of the upcoming Starmus festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“It has become apparent that truth has become contested when politics are involved. This is an alarming trend,” he commented. “The science of climate remains a scientific discipline; it is impossible to allow interference by political agendas in climate science.”

Hope and Determination

The aspiration remains that this honor will inspire concrete steps. “It focuses on encouraging people to participate and to show concern and to work in that direction, really. Whether or not we feel hopeful, we must look at doing all that is possible,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of failure, yet we must have to work to achieve positive outcomes.”

A descendant involved in conservation work expressed hope that “given direction and when empowered, people can be diligent stewards of our planet”, highlighting the initiatives of a foundation that, among its other activities, empowers young people get involved locally, wildlife, and the natural world.

“As Jane Goodall often emphasized, our daily actions have an impact and it is up to us the kind of difference we make,” it was stated. “We still have an opportunity and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will offer support and increase understanding regarding beneficial initiatives that are being undertaken.”