Jane Goodall

I recently had the honour of spending time with one of the most inspiring people in the world – Jane Goodall. Before she took to the stage at the first-ever annual Planetary Health Check launch in New York City, we also got chance to look back on her lifetime of activism and discuss our hopes for the future. Plus, I got to direct this impromptu photoshoot!

Vote for Nature

Jane has been a source of inspiration for as long as I can remember - her groundbreaking work in animal behaviour, particularly relating to chimpanzees, revolutionised our understanding of the natural world. Though it’s not just her research with animals that captures the imagination, it’s her respect for all living creatures and her unwavering dedication to conservation. Jane Goodall is a reminder to all of us that if we truly care about something, we must fight for it.

What amazes me most about Jane, now 90, is that she’s still as driven and visionary as she was when she first set out into the wilds of Tanzania in the 1960s. What began with chimpanzees has evolved into a global mission to protect biodiversity, combat climate change, and promote environmental justice. The work she’s doing through the Jane Goodall Institute, her Roots & Shoots programme, and the Vote for Nature campaign is laying important groundwork for the next generation of conservationists and change-makers.

With more than half of the world’s population heading to the polls in 2024, people have the power to make their voices heard by backing leaders who prioritise nature. The leaders chosen will determine whether we accelerate the transition to a greener future or fall behind on critical environmental issues. Vote for Nature calls on all of us to use our voices to protect our natural world, fight for clean air, water, and a stable climate. As Jane so perfectly puts it, “Every vote matters – more this year than perhaps any time in history”.

Seeing Jane onstage alongside fellow Planetary Guardian, and brilliant climate activist, Xiye Bastida, at the Planetary Health Check launch was a moving reminder of how far we’ve come and how much further we have to go if we’re to keep our planet stable. Xiye represents the new wave of environmental leaders - she is bold, eloquent, and unafraid to speak truth to power.

The Planetary Health Check illustrates how the boundaries relate to each other, as well as with tipping points. Typically, environmental challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution have been addressed separately, but these issues are interconnected and collectively impact our planet’s health, as well as human health. The Planetary Guardians sounded the alarm that six out of nine planetary boundaries – the vital organs that keep our planet stable – have been breached and that a seventh is on the verge of being crossed. The earth has exceeded its safe limits, and we have a narrow window – just five years – to change course.

Planetary Boundaries

As Jane and Xiye spoke and stood side-by-side there was a sense of unity between them – a shared understanding that the health of our planet is inseparable from the wellbeing of all its inhabitants. Jane represents the incredible progress we’ve made, while Xiye embodies the urgency and energy of the present.

Each of us has a part to play if we’re to course correct for the planet. Together, we must stay hopeful and committed to the cause. As Jane continues to show us, the fight for our planet never stops.