Mongabay · Climate & nature

Christiana Figueres Awarded Inaugural Jane Goodall Earth Medal

Christiana Figueres, former UN climate chief, has received the first Jane Goodall Earth Medal, an award established to recognize individuals who combine science, courage, and responsibility. The medal was announced by the Starmus Festival board.

The award honors Jane Goodall, a renowned primatologist and conservationist who passed away in October 2025 at age 91. Figueres, who led the negotiations for the 2015 Paris climate agreement, expressed that receiving the medal in Goodall's honor is an "unbelievable honor."

The Jane Goodall Earth Medal was conceived by astrophysicist Garik Israelian and Queen guitarist Brian May, who is also an astrophysicist and animal advocate. Musician Peter Gabriel also contributed to the idea.

The Starmus Festival, taking place in Spain from October 17-22, will focus on "The Search for Truth" and address the integrity of information in the current era. Both Figueres and Israelian highlighted how social media algorithms prioritize engagement and profit over factual accuracy.

Figueres stated that society is constantly exposed to disinformation and misinformation, which she described as an abuse of free speech. She believes the public's preference for consuming non-scientific information fuels the practices of tech companies.

Israelian suggested that education is key to combating misinformation, as it is more difficult to mislead knowledgeable individuals. He also called for greater control over social media algorithms to limit their power.

AI-samenvatting op basis van de bron.