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Earth might be under strain, but optimism persists. A new award from the interdisciplinary festival Starmus will inspire the public to make a difference.

The medal will be given in honour of the esteemed scientist and conservationist who passed away this year. It seeks to acknowledge individuals and groups that champion our planet's biodiversity.

Honoring a Legacy

Initial honorees are slated for announcement at the Starmus VIII festival 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 award’s creation. “The concept behind this award, and the festival being tasked with organising it, is Jane’s,” a representative said. “Her desire was she would like this to happen. And I think because of the very special bond she shared with the festival.”

“This medal will recognize enduring projects carried out to create a planet a better place for people, animals and the environment and offer support for the continuation such efforts,” commented a relative.

Format and Inspiration

A co-founder of Starmus indicated that the medal – which was announced at a scientific institution – would probably include several divisions.

“The intent is for it to be very much similar to the Stephen Hawking award honoring scientific outreach established exactly 10 years ago,” it was explained. Goodall herself received of that very medal.

Expressing concern about the future of the planet, one figure stated, “Honestly, it’s very hard to maintain optimism. Certain policies in one major nation is conducting a war on science. So this really cripples collective action.”

“To be honest, the prospects aren't very good which means we need to really start reflecting, much more seriously about the consequences of human activity. And that’s not just climate change, that’s the whole way that we treat our environment.”

Inspiring Change

As a result, it was noted it was a good time to follow Goodall’s example. “I think that when we’re awarding the prize, we will be considering this essential spirit of Jane’s – that was her priority, to change how we regard wildlife around us.”

A pressing concern at present was highlighted of disinformation. The central topic of next year’s festival is set as “the pursuit of factual understanding”.

“We realised that truth has become a subject of discussion when politics are involved. And it’s a very dangerous thing,” he commented. “The climate science is a science; it is impossible to allow interference by political agendas in climate science.”

Optimism and Resolve

The hope is that the medal will inspire concrete steps. “It focuses on encouraging people to participate and to show concern and to strive toward these goals, truly. Whether or not we’re optimistic, we must focus on working the best we can,” a statement concluded. “Accept the possibility of setbacks, but you still continue striving to achieve positive outcomes.”

A family member involved in environmental protection shared confidence that “given direction and when empowered, humans are capable of being conscientious guardians of our planet”, citing the initiatives of an institute which, in addition to its projects, empowers young people become engaged with their community, wildlife, and environment.

“As Jane Goodall often emphasized, the choices we make each day are significant and it is up to us the kind of difference we make,” he said. “There is still time and the Starmus Jane Goodall Earth medal will give encouragement and raise awareness about constructive efforts currently in progress.”