Christiana Figueres receives inaugural Jane Goodall Earth Medal

Christiana Figueres, the former executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, has been named the first recipient of the Jane Goodall Earth Medal. The award was established by the board of the Starmus Festival to honor individuals who “unite science, courage and responsibility.”

The medal commemorates the legacy of primatologist and conservationist Jane Goodall, who passed away in October 2025 at age 91. The inaugural award will be presented during the Starmus Festival, held from October 17 to 22 in Spain. The festival’s theme, “The Search for Truth,” aims to address information integrity and the challenges of the “post-truth era.”

Figueres, known for leading the negotiations for the 2015 Paris climate agreement, described Goodall as “an absolute giant.” The concept for the medal was conceived by Starmus advisory board members, including astrophysicist and musician Brian May and musician Peter Gabriel.