Jane Goodall’s continuing impact on global conservation is marked by her leadership in youth empowerment, advocacy for biodiversity, and promotion of civil discourse.

The Roots & Shoots program, founded in 1991, remains central to her influence, empowering young people in over 60 countries to engage in environmental, conservation, and humanitarian projects .

This initiative provides youth with tools and agency to address issues such as animal welfare, climate change, and community service, fostering responsibility, leadership, and activism .

Roots & Shoots emphasizes hands-on, community-centered action, encouraging students to identify local problems and develop projects that address them, thereby making conservation tangible and relevant .

The program’s global reach—engaging hundreds of thousands of young people in over 68 countries—demonstrates its effectiveness in mobilizing a worldwide network of conservation-minded individuals .

Goodall’s advocacy extends beyond youth programs.

She is a vocal proponent of urgent action to prevent species extinction and ecosystem collapse, warning that one million species are at risk and that human survival depends on healthy ecosystems .

Her message, however, is consistently hopeful; she argues that positive change is possible if individuals act now, and she cautions against catastrophizing, which can lead to apathy .

Goodall’s approach to civil discourse is rooted in constructive, solution-oriented dialogue, emphasizing hope and the power of collective small actions .

Through the Jane Goodall Institute, she supports community-based conservation projects, such as those in Tanzania, which balance habitat preservation with local needs and promote sustainable land use .

Goodall also advocates for the inclusion of Indigenous peoples and local communities in conservation policy, aligning with global initiatives like the “30x30” goal to protect 30% of the planet’s land and water by 2030 .

Jane Goodall’s continuing impact on global conservation is marked by her leadership in youth empowerment, advocacy for biodiversity, and promotion of civil discourse.

The Roots & Shoots program, founded in 1991, remains central to her influence, empowering young people in over 60 countries to engage in environmental, conservation, and humanitarian projects .

Title:

Content: Is COP15 closer to global plan pact to reverse biodiversity loss?

After a week of deliberations, negotiators at the fifth Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), a once-in-a-decade chance to make a difference for people and nature, are closer to reaching agreement on a global plan to reverse biodiversity loss, but with experts warn it won’t be simple.

With ministers and high-level representatives set to arrive this week in Montreal in Canada, negotiators say they expect a brand new version of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) text to be out.

On the GBF, aka Paris Agreement for nature, IANS roughly knows where country blocs stand.

Forty-six countries, comprising the EU, the US, Australia, Japan, Mexico, Gabon and Nigeria, want tougher rule, while 20 countries that harbour 70 per cent of the earth’s biodiverse areas, including Brazil, India, China, Indonesia and Congo, say finance flows must match targets, warning that a $10 billion per annum proposal is “far from adequate”.

However, agreeing on a global target to conserve at least 30 per cent of the planet’s land and water by 2030 (30X30) won’t be simple, as Avaaz campaign lead Oscar Soria says: “An Indigenous leader with whom we spoke notes that it is always like this, and that last time, some of the discussions on target 3 (30×30) went on until 3 a.m. The wee hours, the games and tactics to reduce or watering down an already unambitious target (30×30) is emotionally exhausting.”

Responding to the outcomes, Ernest Bai Koroma, former President of Sierra Leone and Campaign for Nature Global Steering Committee Member, said: “It’s time for delegates to roll up their sleeves and deliver the deal nature deserves. We’re already delayed by two years, and we do not have a moment to waste. The world is depending on an agreement to protect 30 per cent of its land and sea by 2030, anything less will be a failure.”

“For every species lost, there is a human cost — we must protect nature now to save ourselves and the generations behind us. The world is counting on COP15.

“We simply cannot address development issues and meet the Sustainable Development Goals without addressing the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change — they are inextricably linked. Ensuring 30 per cent of the world’s land and sea is protected, will not only help us meet these development goals but will also drive a more prosperous future for all.”

Responding to India’s stand, Jagdish Krishnaswamy, Dean, School of Environment and Sustainability, Indian Institute for Human Settlements, told IANS that India has had a very good record in biodiversity conservation in spite of heavy odds and development challenges.

“Moving forward, given the looming threat of a post-1.5 degree warming, we cannot afford to lose any of our remaining old growth forests rich in biodiversity and carbon, as their loss is irreplaceable and cannot be ‘compensated’ for by planting trees elsewhere.

“In terms of a goal of 30 per cent of land and water under biodiversity-friendly coverage, we can only achieve this by going beyond conventional protected area approaches (land sparing), and increase our conservation coverage through ecological restoration and evidence-based strategies for sustainable multiple use (land sharing) of wetlands, rivers, grasslands, coastal and marine ecosystems, urban green and blue spaces areas and agro-ecosystems.

“This would ensure synergies between forests, biodiversity conservation, water security and resilience under climate change as well enhancing our options to adapt to a warming world.”

COP15 is an international meeting bringing together governments from around the world. Participants will set out new goals and develop an action plan for nature over the next decade. The government of Canada’s priority is to ensure the COP15 is a success for nature.

Since COP15 talks began, negotiators had roughly 70 plus hours of negotiations. All this comes against a backdrop of the Montreal march, where farmers, unions and indigenous people among many others joined forces, demanding an ambitious global deal for nature that guarantees and respects human rights.

“We are approaching the age of mass extinction. But we can still turn this around. Nature can help us stabilise the climate, but we’re destroying it faster and faster. We need to protect, restore and fund nature,” remarked Greta Thunberg.

“The negotiations in COP15 Montreal now have the world’s eyes on them. If they fail, we will once again lose invaluable time that could have been used to protect the things many of us take for granted, like clean air, food security and stable societies. To the negotiators in Montreal, you must listen to the voices marching on the streets. What you do now can become a make-or-break moment, for entire societies. We are watching you.”

The federal government has set the goal of conserving 30 per cent of Canada’s land and water by 2030, because science shows that nature needs help in order to reverse the decline in biodiversity, better fight climate change, and maintain a strong, sustainable economy.

At COP15, Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada Agency, last week announced the government is leading by example by recognising a number of federally-managed properties for their contribution to the federal government’s conservation goals.

These federal properties will be recognised using an international mechanism established by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), called Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECM), which has been adopted by Canada.

OECMs achieve long-term and effective conservation of biodiversity, even when the land is managed for different purposes. They are a model for how people can manage and steward the land sustainably, in ways that allow nature to thrive, achieving the same biodiversity results as a protected area.

Experts urged COP15 policymakers to support research to find, catalogue, protect disappearing deep-sea species.

Sounding an alarm bell, they say more than 90 per cent of marine species are undescribed and many may go extinct due to human activity before they are discovered — the loss of unique, potentially valuable genetic resources resulting in unpredictable effects on global ecosystems essential to human food supplies and climate regulation.

Without knowledge of these species, effective deep sea conservation is impossible, leading international marine scientists warned in a new policy brief.

They urge global policy-makers to support urgently needed new research to fill a critical knowledge gap.

(Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in)

20221211-125603

RELATED ARTICLES

Title:

Content: Jane Goodall wants University of Wisconsin-Madison students to walk away with one message Sunday: Do not give up hope.

It’s a strategy the world-renowned ethologist and conservationist has found effective in spurring action, even as headlines catastrophizing climate change inundate people with a sense of doom.

“I don't agree with scientists who say the tipping point has already reached the point of no return with climate change and loss of biodiversity,” Goodall told the Cap Times. “We still have a window of time. But if we lose hope, fall into apathy and don't take action, then we're doomed.”

Goodall is best known for her groundbreaking work in the early ‘60s as a primatologist. At 26, she began studying chimpanzees in Tanzania, becoming the first to observe that the animals make and use tools. Now part of the world’s longest-running study of wild chimpanzees, her findings have forever changed scientific understanding of primates and humans’ relationship to them.

Goodall’s legacy also endures through her activism. In 1977, she founded the Jane Goodall Institute, a global conservation nonprofit. One of the organization’s programs, Roots & Shoots, educates young people in over 60 countries to work on environmental, conservation and humanitarian issues.

In 2021, Goodall additionally published “The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times,” which details her hope in the world’s ability to make change despite its environmental challenges.

Goodall will speak Sunday at 7 p.m. in UW-Madison’s Memorial Union for the Wisconsin Union’s Distinguished Lecture Series. Tickets for the event sold out among students within 90 minutes, but the public can still register to watch the online livestream.

In a virtual interview with the Cap Times, Goodall spoke from the Edgewater Hotel about climate deniers, how she remains optimistic and what the audience can expect from her on Sunday.

Will you have time to explore Madison this weekend, or will you mostly be working?

It’s all working. Not mostly — all. But the hotel has a lovely view overlooking the lake with all the ice. My life turns out to be work, meeting lovely people and just having an occasional moment to walk in a bit of nature.

What can people expect to learn from you on Sunday?

I hope they take away the message that every single one of them makes a difference every single day of their lives, and they can choose what sort of difference they make. I think that’s the most important message that anybody can have — that they, as an individual, matter and have a role to play.

Your platform revolves around this message of hope. What might be the harm in catastrophizing?

It makes people lose hope. If you’re told that nothing you can do will avert the planet heating up to a point where life is no longer possible and that we’re destroying the ecosystems on which we depend, then why bother doing anything?

The important thing is to realize we still have time, but we have to take action. We have to each do our bit. It may seem small, but billions of small, ethical actions make change.

Much of your work focuses on involving young people within conservation efforts. What inspires you about the attitudes of younger generations toward animals and the environment?

They are much more aware, which isn’t surprising. When I was young, "environmentalism" wasn’t even a word.

Young people are surrounded by doom and gloom. The radio’s full of it, the internet's full of it, the television's full of it, the press is full of it, and so they're much more aware. Fortunately, there are enough people saying it's not too late, and that inspires them and galvanizes them into action.

Do you think those attitudes are much different from older generations?

They are different because older generations either didn't understand what was happening because of ignorance, or they don't want to understand because they want to carry on with business as usual. They want to go on making money in the short term at the expense of future generations.

Sometimes I don’t think they’re thinking like that. I don't think they're deliberately understanding that they're harming the future for their children and grandchildren. But they're simply not thinking in the way that we should be thinking today.

Is it still worth trying to change their minds?

Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes! How to change the minds of the older people? Through storytelling, not through pointing fingers, not through making people angry, not by telling them they're bad, but by reaching into the heart. I’ll give you one example.

This CEO of a huge international corporation told me he was working to get his company ethical for three reasons. One, because we're using our nature's finite natural resources faster than nature can replenish them. Second, consumer pressure — people are beginning to demand ethically produced products.

But what really tipped the balance, he said, was his little girl of 8. She came back from school one day and said, “Daddy, they're telling me that what you're doing is hurting the planet. That's not true, is it, Daddy? Because it's my planet.” That reached his heart. That's the way you change people.

When did you realize this approach of storytelling could persuade people?

I think it was probably part of my nature. I'm not confrontational. I'm fighting for change, yes, but not by confronting. People must change from within. I don't believe you can change them by hammering them with facts that they don't want to listen to.

When I first went to the medical research labs where the scientists kept chimps in 5-foot by 5-foot cages, it was one of the worst experiences of my life. I came out shaken, trying not to cry. I was taken into a room with the top people from the National Institute of Health in the department of animal experimentation. I realized they were waiting for me to speak.

I said, “I imagine all of you are caring and compassionate people, and maybe feel just as I did about what's going on in there.” When you think of it, that was very clever. They couldn’t admit they weren’t caring and compassionate, could they?

Instead of telling them they were bad people, I showed them pictures of the chimpanzees in the wild, making their nests, playing, lying around. In their minds, they could contrast it with the cages where these very social beings were kept for 30 to 40 years. I know it did get into some of their hearts because they told me so. It made some labs completely change the way that they operated.

When you meet somebody, or a group of people, you may not realize that you've made a difference — but you may have planted seeds that will grow and cause change in some of the hearts.

What mistakes did you make early on in your career that emerging activists and young people can learn from?

I was saved from making mistakes in the early days. Before I went to Africa to study chimps, I was working at London Zoo. The chimps were in terrible conditions. So when I got back from my first stint in Africa, the zoo arranged a press conference. I thought now I could really tell the world how bad the chimps were treated!

I happened to be having dinner that night with a very powerful man that I met in Tanzania, and I told him about my plan with great excitement. There was dead silence. He said, “Do you realize that the head of the London Zoo is Solly Zuckerman, Winston Churchill's wartime adviser? A very, very powerful man. Do you think he's going to take it lying down when you criticize his zoo?”

He said, “Just tell me three things that are the most important to change.” I told him, and within two weeks, they were all done. There was no confrontation. That was a lesson that came just in time for me not to make that mistake.

So it’s about activists getting rid of their own personal egos.

Exactly. What people want is to have their name out there and to say, “I did it. I changed this.” It’s learning to not want to be recognized for change. The main thing is to make the change. Not “me” making the change.

This powerful man obviously didn't want me to say that the chimps were being treated badly. He immediately agreed, but didn’t want it out in the press. Give Solly Zuckerman the credit. That’s fine — as long as it changes.

This is a lesson I talk about with our youth. I tell them not to be confrontational. Your goal: Is it to glorify yourself? To be the champion? Or do you really want change?

What do people still not understand about your work and its relevance today?

Climate change deniers, people who don’t want to make a difference, probably don’t understand. What they really think is hard to tell. But are there really people who deny that climate change is happening? Probably not. When they admit it’s real, they say it’s natural and that it’s not manmade. Do they really believe that? I can’t believe they do — but that’s what they say. They don’t want to lose face, and making people lose face isn’t a good way to make change.

What makes you think they don’t really believe what they’re saying?

Well, I can't think of anybody with any ounce of intelligence could believe it. That's why.

How often do you come across those kinds of people?

Not very often. They tend to avoid me.

Kayla Huynh joined the Cap Times in 2021 and covers higher education. She graduated from Northwestern University with a master's degree in journalism after attending UW-Madison.

Support Kayla's work and local journalism by becoming a Cap Times member.

To comment on this story, submit a letter to the editor.

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

This initiative provides youth with tools and agency to address issues such as animal welfare, climate change, and community service, fostering responsibility, leadership, and activism .

Title:

Content: Leading conservationist Dr Jane Goodall warns next generation faces a 'bleak future' without action

COP15, the once-in-decade global biodiversity summit, began in Montreal on Wednesday. Ahead of the conference, ITV News spoke to one of the world's most famous and inspiring conservationists, Dr Jane Goodall.

With an estimated one million plant and animal species facing extinction, the scale of the issues being grappled with by nations at COP15 in Montreal could hardly be greater.

Entire ecosystems face collapse if we do not act, so how best to overcome this challenge?

Dr Jane Goodall has spent a lifetime trying to understand, protect and educate others about the natural world. She’s witnessed devastating habitat loss but also examples of where, given time, nature returns.

She paints a dark picture of what happens if politicians fail to rise to the occasion, saying the “price of failure is condemning our children, our children's children, to a very, very bleak and grim future.”

Talking to ITV News in Parliament, where she was marking a significant moment in the campaign to ban trophy hunting, she explains how we need to view nature.

“I would say how important it is to realise that we are actually not separate from the natural world. We are part of it and more than that we depend on it. We depend on it for food, water, everything," she said.

"We depend on healthy ecosystems. An ecosystem is made up of an interrelated mix of animal and plant species living in that ecosystem. And as more and more animals and plants become extinct in that area, so the ecosystem eventually will collapse.”

Decades of witnessing animals, such as primates, up close has forged her understanding of our world. It was notable in a room full of animal welfare campaigners just how quiet it was when she spoke.

In Montreal, the world faces a choice but it’s complicated. Delivering change includes finding a way of maintaining wealth. Making people poorer while saving plants and animals won’t work, but Dr Jane Goodall sees options that will.

She concluded: “We need nature for our own physical and psychological well-being. That's proven again and again. We must not let these ecosystems collapse, we have this window of time, we have the tools, we know how we can do things. But will we?”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know

Title:

Content: Roots and Shoots: Finding Native Plants

If you’re an ecologically conscious gardener, you know that finding plants can be an adventure. While at least a dozen nurseries and retailers within a 30-minute drive sell plants, only a few stock common native perennials such as Echinacea or black-eyed Susan and some cultivars.

This broomsedge grass appeared in a field we stopped mowing. The native grass was in the soil’s seed bank and if I collect it and grow it, it will be a local ecotype plant. (Photo by P. Doan)

A few nurseries sell only native plants, such as One Nature in Beacon and Rosedale Nursery and Wild Gardens in Westchester. The Catskill Native Nursery is worth the one-hour drive. And we’re lucky to have those three. The respondents to a survey by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Seed Bank said they traveled, on average, 500 to 700 miles for seeds and plants.

Another survey of wholesale plant sellers found that only 25 percent of their stock was native plants and 77 percent were cultivars.

To understand the layers: A cultivar is a plant that has been bred to have a different characteristic from its parent. For example, Blue Moon (Phlox divaricate) has blue flowers rather than white (Phlox divaricata). Cultivars can be bred to have specific color blooms, leaf and flower shapes and height, among other characteristics.

However, research has shown that changing the plant can impact its usefulness in the ecosystem. If your goal is to create habitat for pollinators or birds, a cultivar may not have the same attraction. Ulrich Lorimer, horticulture director of the Native Plant Trust, located near Boston, advises shooting for 70 percent straight species in your garden.

The trust, which was founded in 1900, has been part a campaign to rectify the shortage of native plant material. For the past three decades, it has led a citizen-science project to establish a rare seed bank that has around 400 taxa. With an ecological horticulture program, a robust public education schedule and a botanical garden, the trust was able to use its connections to solicit support for the Northeast Seed Network, which launched in the spring.

“We want to create a native-plant supply chain that can be trusted for ethical collection, technical knowledge, seed-bank hubs that clean and store material, and to connect users who are doing restoration projects with sources that are recognized and trusted for their rigorous standards,” Lorimer says.

That addresses another issue of concern: Seed and plant material often don’t include their ecotypes, which are formed by the conditions where they were grown. Soil type and composition, seasonal temperatures, altitude and nearby plants are factors that affect behavior and growth. When a seed is collected but the plant is moved hundreds of miles, the seeds of the following generations are forced to adapt.

The network will use an agricultural technique — seed-increase plots — to ramp up production for bulk orders, making it possible to turn a half-pound of seeds into 100 pounds. “We can grow 1,000 little blue stem in a block, then keep collecting seeds and bulk up the numbers,” explains Lorimer. Working with small farms and land trusts, Lorimer expects it will take five to 10 years to have a broad and diverse collection.

For the moment, demand is greater than availability. Lorimer sees that as a sign that people are reacting to climate change and loss of biodiversity, and recognizing that their yards can make a difference. Sales and workshop attendance at the Native Plant Trust have bloomed in recent years to unexpected levels. People realize, he says, that plants are not just pretty.

What does Dr. Goodall hope the Jane Goodall Barbie doll will encourage?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

What does Dr. Goodall hope the Jane Goodall Barbie doll will encourage?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

Roots & Shoots emphasizes hands-on, community-centered action, encouraging students to identify local problems and develop projects that address them, thereby making conservation tangible and relevant .

Title:

Content: Tanzania: Boycott of land use plan puts conversation efforts in danger

By Robert Bociaga, in Kigoma
Posted on Friday, 4 November 2022 16:56

Communities living in proximity of Gombe National Park in Western Tanzania have contested conservation programmes meant to protect endangered chimpanzees, as well as land registration process. This comes amid the growing discontent nationwide over the execution of land policies.

The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI), a global conservation organisation that was established following the founder’s research into the lives of the chimpanzees, offered to create a locally managed forest for the dwellers of neighbouring villages in order to stop them from cutting trees at the protected area.

“As chimpanzees require a large home range size and some of the protected areas like Gombe may not provide enough habitat for sustainable chimpanzees conservation, the primates will need to connect to other chimpanzees in the landscape [for genetic diversity] and access suitable habitats outside the park,” says Wilson Elihuruma Kimaro, a biological conservationist at Gombe National Park. “This is why land use planning […] is critical”.

However, the plan was boycotted by some local members of the Waha community, as the participants feared the expansion of the national park and their expulsion without compensation. Despite the deeply rooted fears over the status of their lands, people from the nearby areas were not sufficiently engaged to understand the process.

Growing mistrust

The JGI has been involved in multiple community-centred conservation projects. Since the early 1990s, its TACARE project has encouraged the planting of woodlots to provide a supply of firewood. More recently, a USAID-funded program facilitated the creation of village land-use plans.

During the participatory land use planning meetings, however, worries over whether Gombe National Park would annex more of the area were not sufficiently addressed and as a result, some villagers destroyed the tree samples planted by the JGI, and refused to participate in the land registration process.

The mistrust between the communities and the authorities is also deepened thanks to the persistent issue of the lack of compensation over crops destroyed by wild animals.

Adam Kohoe, a local leader from Bubango village, and the member of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM), voluntarily patrols the forest to ward off those cutting trees for charcoal or making furniture. For him, silence from the authorities with regards to this matter has been very puzzling. “In the past, we sent many letters to the park about the intrusions of the monkeys, and wild pigs, but we never received any reply,” he says.

Objectives lost in action

“One of the benefits of the land-use planning process provided by the Tanzania land and forest laws is that it gives an opportunity for villagers to designate an area as the Village Land Forest Reserve during the land-use planning process,” says Kimaro.

However, Masalu Luhula, a land tenure specialist, says “national parks in Tanzania have been expanding in a way that makes communities suspicious [and] if people are not engaged, imposed solution[s] will not work as the solutions must come from people”.

In some ways, the law itself is flawed because the president of Tanzania can always acquire the land

According to him, Tanzania’s Village Land Act of 1999 puts rural communities at the heart of all land-related issues, but in practice, the implementation of the law has often turned out to be cumbersome for the authorities.

The law requires the government to consult the villages through an assembly, but in this case, “the institute communicated mainly with the village leader”, says Eliyas Elmas, a resident of Bubango village. “[…] This provoked the accusations over […] alleged corruption and expansion of the Gombe National Park.”

Luhula argues that in some ways, the law itself is flawed because “the president of Tanzania can always acquire the land, and the community can only demand the compensation, which is against the spirit of democracy”, he says.

The case of forced relocation of Maasai people in the Ngorongoro Province, and also the expansion of Rungwa Game Reserve, where communities were not consulted, have been resonating nationwide. Many hint at the history of injustice regarding land-related issues that has been haunting Tanzania since the colonial times when thousands were expelled to make space for the  creation of various protected areas.

Nevertheless, among the villagers, there are still people trying to protect the forest, appreciating the value of the wildlife. Some of them have even agreed to relocation if compensated, but the communication with the authorities has not been sufficient to dispel their doubts about the plan for the area.

Still, “human population increase is one of the main challenges facing […] conservation [efforts] in Tanzania, [but for] the local communities, forest resources are still the cheapest option for their well-being”, says Kimaro.

The need for national debate

In Tanzania, about 43.7% of the total land area is protected, of which at least 28% of the mainland’s total land area is made up of protected areas (including Game Controlled Areas), while about 15.7% is made up of forest reserves. However, most of the species are found outside of already protected areas, competing with farmers, pastoralists or business people for survival.

For Kimaro, the core issue remains the need to balance conservation and development. “People living close to the parks are living in abject poverty. Addressing their challenges while implementing conservation goals can be very difficult,” he says, adding that an improvement in daily well-being would decrease their dependency on forest products.

The Waha communities near Gombe National Park, who are predominantly farmers, lack good quality infrastructure and do not see themselves as the beneficiaries of conservation. “People move on unpaved roads, classrooms are overcrowded, while hospitals [are not well] equipped,” says Elmas.

To earn a living, many cultivate oil palm trees, a cash crop of growing importance, but the villagers apply an old-fashioned technology of processing the palm oil, which keeps their profits low. This is despite Tanzania’s ambitious plans to end the import of palm oil by 2025.

Assa Makanika, a CCM member and Tanzania’s youngest parliamentarian, comes from Kalinzi, another village near Gombe. He advocated for support for existing palm oil producers near Kigoma, but without success, Nevertheless, he supports plans to expand production of palm oil at home, insisting that “there’s enough un-utilised land available in Tanzania, and the country should develop this sector”.

Luhula, however, sees the problem in the fact that “the same system has been exercised for many years, and there have been no major changes in the land governance”.

People have conflicting interests over land use, and with the increase in population “some sort of national debate might be necessary as the land being generationally transferred is a highly important issue”, he says.

Understand Africa's tomorrow... today

We believe that Africa is poorly represented, and badly under-estimated. Beyond the vast opportunity manifest in African markets, we highlight people who make a difference; leaders turning the tide, youth driving change, and an indefatigable business community. That is what we believe will change the continent, and that is what we report on. With hard-hitting investigations, innovative analysis and deep dives into countries and sectors, The Africa Report delivers the insight you need.

View subscription options

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

What would letting children get close to nature help cultivate?

The program’s global reach—engaging hundreds of thousands of young people in over 68 countries—demonstrates its effectiveness in mobilizing a worldwide network of conservation-minded individuals .

Goodall’s advocacy extends beyond youth programs.

She is a vocal proponent of urgent action to prevent species extinction and ecosystem collapse, warning that one million species are at risk and that human survival depends on healthy ecosystems .

Title:

Content: World-famous for her research with chimpanzees, Jane Goodall now focuses on the human condition

Apr 21, 2024 | 0 comments

By Michelle Cohan

In 1960, on the banks of Lake Tanganyika, Tanzania, one young British woman would set out to change what we know about primates forever.

Jane Goodall, in 1960, searching an African forest for chimpanzees.

Jane Goodall defied conventional scientific methods by immersing herself in the jungle, which led to groundbreaking discoveries about chimpanzees; most notably that they use tools, are omnivores and that they are socially complex beings.

More than six decades later, her unorthodox field work – and her conservation efforts – are still celebrated around the world.

Today, the recently-turned 90-year-old’s work looks a little different – taking place mostly indoors, and with a different crowd. Through her program called “Roots & Shoots,” Goodall empowers young people to create change within their communities. And for her, this work is just as significant.

CNN spoke with Goodall recently during a trip to South Africa, where she observed some of the projects local Johannesburg students are heading up as part of Roots & Shoots.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

CNN: The younger generation has so much they can learn from elders. Who made an impact on your life?

Goodall: I think it’s really important, this exchange of information from the elders to the youngers. I was really lucky; I had an amazing mother. I was born loving animals, and she supported that love of animals. I was one-and-a-half years old, and she came into my room and she found I’d taken a whole handful of wriggling earthworms into my bed. Most mothers would’ve [said], ‘Oh, throw these dirty things [away].’ She just said, ‘Jane, I think they might die without the Earth, you better take them into the garden.’ And so she nurtured this inherent love I had … in all the insects, the birds, the animals, everybody around me.

Jane Goodall

CNN: Roots & Shoots is active in 70 countries, where hundreds of thousands of young people are making an impact within their communities. How did the program come about?

Goodall: When I began Roots & Shoots in Tanzania in 1991, it was because I was meeting young people then who had lost hope. Young people who felt we’d compromised their future. And the reason they’re losing hope, it’s obvious: climate change, loss of biodiversity. I could go on listing, listing, listing … but when they said there was nothing they could do about it, then I thought, ‘No, that’s not true.’

We worked out that Roots & Shoots’ main message [would be that] every individual has a role to play. And that we needed to think holistically in terms of helping the environment, people and animals, because we are all interrelated. That’s where it began.

CNN: What is the most important message to convey to the younger generation?

Goodall: The goal that I have is helping young people understand that there is a window of time [to save the planet]. Unfortunately, today I [still] meet more and more people who are losing hope. So many people feel helpless and hopeless because [they question] what can they can do as an individual.

But what people have to understand is when it’s 2 million, 1 billion, 2 billion, 3 billion, all taking small actions to make the world a better place, that is changing the world. What matters is people understanding that as an individual, what they do makes a difference. Not because it’s just them, but because they are not alone.

CNN: Does climate innovation and technology give you hope?

Goodall: Yeah, I think that if we look around at what’s happening to the planet, we need to grab onto every single thing we can that will help us to move forward out of the disaster that we have created. And if we look at solar energy, if we look at wind energy and the power of tide energy, then these things are good.

The problem has been to get government support. So governments tend to put money into the fossil fuel industry, rather than to support the new emerging technologies that will enable us to live in a more harmonious way with the natural world. If we don’t do that, our future is doomed. And unfortunately, it’s not only our future, but so many of the other animals that so many of us love. We have to take action now.

CNN: What message do you have for the world?

Goodall: A message to the world would be, don’t forget that you as an individual make an impact on the environment every single day. And it’s up to you to choose what sort of impact you make. I think once everybody understands the role that they play, whoever they are, is so desperately important, then we move towards a better world.

Editor’s note: At one of Goodall’s recent presentations in California, 93-year-old movie actor and director Clint Eastwood was in the audience. Asked why he was there, Eastwood said he supported Goodall’s work and added that he was a big fan of 90-year-olds.
_________________

Credit: CNN

CuencaHighLife

Dani News

Google ad

Google ad

Thai Lotus News

Fund Grace News

The Cuenca Dispatch

Week of April 14

Trial of Carlos Pólit: First Week of Revelations Sheds Light on Corruption in Correista Regime.

Read more

Insecurity affects tourism in Manabí as nine cruise ships canceled their arrival in Manta.

Read more

Ecuador Gains Ground with Palm Heart, Secures 75% of the Global Market.

Read more

Country living News

Gran Colombia Suites News

Quinta Maria News

Her message, however, is consistently hopeful; she argues that positive change is possible if individuals act now, and she cautions against catastrophizing, which can lead to apathy .

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

What does Dr. Goodall hope the Jane Goodall Barbie doll will encourage?

Goodall’s approach to civil discourse is rooted in constructive, solution-oriented dialogue, emphasizing hope and the power of collective small actions .

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

What does Dr. Goodall hope the Jane Goodall Barbie doll will encourage?

At the Proctor & Gamble 2022 summit on regional sustainability, what did Dr. Jane Goodall emphasize?

What does Dr. Goodall hope the Jane Goodall Barbie doll will encourage?

Through the Jane Goodall Institute, she supports community-based conservation projects, such as those in Tanzania, which balance habitat preservation with local needs and promote sustainable land use .

Goodall also advocates for the inclusion of Indigenous peoples and local communities in conservation policy, aligning with global initiatives like the “30x30” goal to protect 30% of the planet’s land and water by 2030 .

Title:

Content: ×

The work of legendary ethnobiologist, conservationist and activist Jane Goodall has already inspired people to care for endangered species and the environment for decades — but the doctor’s latest endeavor continues her work in motivating the next generation.

Apple TV+’s mission-driven children’s series “Jane” harnesses the power of TV, with Emmy-winning creator J.J. Johnson (“Endlings,” “Ghostwriter”) using Goodall’s teachings to motivate kids to take a stand for endangered species and care for the environment. “Jane,” from the Jane Goodall Institute and Johnson’s company Sinking Ship Entertainment, premiered on April 14, with 10 episodes now available on Apple TV+.

“Jane” features eager 9-year-old environmentalist Jane Garcia (Ava Louise Murchison) — who is inspired to help save the planet, following in the footsteps of her role model, Goodall — along with her friends David (Mason Blomberg) and a chimpanzee named Greybeard. Each episode focuses on a different endangered species, such as Apis mellifera (Western honey bee) and Panthera tigris (tiger). Blending live action and CGI — and featuring an epic theme song “One Step Closer” written by Diane Warren, and sung by Leona Lewis — the show depicts the friends taking a stand for the species and the environment, and getting into occasional trouble along the way. The episodes all end with the friends video-chatting with real-life animal experts, particularly highlighting women and people of color.

While Goodall’s years of dedication to great apes research and advocacy have made her a household name in the 21st century, she began her work at age 26 in 1960 studying chimpanzees. She founded the Jane Goodall Institute in 1977, which fosters research, advocacy as well as community-led conservation, and it empowers children — particularly through its youth program Roots and Shoots, which was founded in 1991.

A United Nations Messenger of Peace and a Dame Commander of the British Empire (DBE), Goodall’s research on chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania helped change scientists’ understanding of humans’ relationship to animals. The research continues in Tanzania through the Jane Goodall Institute Gombe Stream Research Center, and it is the world’s longest-running chimpanzee study.

Also a prolific author, Goodall has adult and children’s literary works such as “The Book of Hope,” “In the Shadow of Man” and “Rickie and Henri: A True Story.”

Goodall is no stranger to the screen, however, as the subject of dozens of films including “Chimps, So Like Us,” “Miss Goodall and the Wild Chimpanzees” and “Jane Goodall: The Hope” — as well as Brett Morgen’s 2017 Emmy-nominated documentary, also called “Jane.” While Goodall did not create this “Jane” for Apple TV+, her life’s work and teachings inspire the show’s protagonist who idolizes her, and if Goodall had not approved the show’s concept when it was in development, it would not have moved forward.

Goodall, who turned 89 earlier this month, spoke with Variety over Zoom about how she hopes “Jane” inspires the youngest generation, and what she hopes to accomplish next in her career.

How do you hope viewers, especially children, react when they see “Jane”?

I hope that it will encourage them to actually think more about endangered species — to think about the fact that if we’re not careful, many of these species will disappear. I hope it also will encourage young people to join our Roots and Shoots program, which is in 68 countries. It’s about young people choosing projects to help — animals, people and the environment — deciding what they want to do, working out what they can do, rolling up their sleeves and taking action.

So if this Jane Garcia encourages real-life activities, it’ll be great. I hope it will encourage young people to join in the effort to make this a better world, to choose projects that will help to save the environment before it’s too late.

Talk about environmental issues often creates anxiety in children and young adults, but it is still obviously important to learn about — how do you, through this show or beyond, hope to inspire the next generation without causing anxiety?

That’s my entire program Roots and Shoots, it’s all about taking action. If young people get together and work on projects, which is the same sort of thing with Sinking Ship Entertainment, then it’s all about positive change. We need to know that many species are close to extinction, but that we have to stop that from happening. And therefore we have to work together to find out ways of saving the animals that are moving toward extinction. We need to know about the doom and gloom — I talk about it all the time. But at the same time, it’s desperately important to give people hope, especially young people, because, yes, we can make a difference.

So “Jane” shows young people how they can get together and solve the “doom and gloom” effectively?

Yeah, hopefully. The goal is to try and get young people involved and taking action, and stepping on beyond that to do more. It’s young people getting really worried, but then working together with older people who are also wanting to try to save the species. So it’s a complete mixture.

How do we inspire the next generation to create change, without placing blame on children for a situation they didn’t create?

There are major problems and, yes, all sorts of things have led to unfortunate decreases in numbers of endangered species. But the whole emphasis is on working together to create change. Let’s get young people involved, talk about what can be done to make a difference and then, as I say, roll up their sleeves and work out what they can do. And taking action is going to be different with different species. And, basically, I hope that this program will have enough fun in it, as well as understanding the problem, that young people will be pushing toward saving a lot of these animals. Many animals on the very brink of extinction have been given another chance.

What’s an example of a species that was pushed toward extinction, but human intervention reversed the course?

My favorite one is that little black robin that was reduced to just two individuals, one male and one female. That was it. And through some very clever work, there are now about 500 of them. They’re all genetically identical, of course, but they’re being spread into four different islands. So, hopefully, there will be some genetic change so they’re not all identical, since that’s not very healthy. There are many, many stories like that.

What message do you have for people who feel hopeless, or that they alone cannot make a difference?

People have to realize that every single one of us can make a difference. We could just say, “Oh well, I know that animals are becoming extinct. There’s nothing I can do about it.” That’s really going to be the end of us. But if you decide, “I will try and make a difference, I will do something every single day,” then we can make a difference. We can choose what we can do: Some of us can help animals, some of us can help planting trees, some of us can help whatever it is that we care about. And if we all choose projects to make the world better, then it’s going to make a major difference. We don’t all give up and say, “Well, it’s just me, there’s nothing I can do.” If we give up, then the future is not very good, is it? We all have to do our bit to try and persuade other people. We’re in the middle of a pretty bad, dark space. So for young people to join in and feel, “Gosh, if I do this, I will be making the world a better place,” that’s really important.

You’ve done so much in your life and in your career — what else do you look forward to accomplishing?

I want our Roots and Shoots program to be in every school in every country. But I always say, “If you try and aim for the stars, you might reach the moon. If you aim for the moon, you might reach the head of Mount Everest,” for example. So that’s the same for the stars — and at least we can reach the moon and help to protect the various animals and plants that are facing tremendous danger. The young and old alike in different countries need to really, really work hard to save these creatures. We’ve got to do it now.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

Title:

Content: Big promises to Indigenous groups from new global nature fund — but will it deliver?

VANCOUVER — The devastating wildfires in the interior of British Columbia, Canada, in mid-August, forced the province into a state of emergency and gloom. But just a few days later, as the smoky skies of Vancouver began to clear up, environmentalists found a reason to cheer. About 1,500 delegates representing environmental ministries, youth, women, Indigenous Peoples, and civil society gathered in the coastal city to promise a slew of actions to save the planet’s biodiversity. One of them came on August 24, 2023, when 185 member countries officially launched the Global Biodiversity Framework Fund (GBFF). The new fund, announced during the four-day-long 7th Assembly of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), plans to raise nearly $250 billion to help budget-strapped countries meet the targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework to restore nature worldwide by 2030 as agreed during last year’s U.N. biodiversity conference, COP 15. The fund will be managed by GEF—the world’s largest source of multilateral funding for biodiversity. Canada has already pledged $146.8 million (CA$200 million), and the UK committed to invest $12.58 million (£10 million) into the fund. Another promise made came during the announcement of the fund. In a first-of-its-kind move for the GEF, 20% of the GBF fund will be channeled to non-state actors, like Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs), to support their initiatives to conserve biodiversity. Today, Indigenous peoples conserve nearly 80% of the world’s biodiversity. This part of the funding, said GEF CEO Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, would be directly accessible to IPLCs. The…This article was originally published on Mongabay

Read the full article on Mongabay

Tags:

Share This Post