British conservationist Jane Goodall hopes to “reach into a few hearts” amid climate change talks at the 54th World Economic Forum (WEF).
The annual conference in Davos, Switzerland, where more than 60 heads of state attended, began on Monday, with the final day of the conference to begin today.
Other experts, advocates and stakeholders attended the five-day conference, including Jane Goodall, who has worked for more than 60 years preventing the extinction of chimpanzees.
As an environmental advocate, Goodall told reporters at The National UAE that people should think about the children and grandchildren in generations to come before “destroying their future” with reckless environmental policies.
“I hope to reach into a few hearts,” she said. “I think people change from within.
“The world is in a mess – politically, socially, economically… instead of making a world that will last, we’re really destroying their future.”
"We're really destroying their future"
— The National (@TheNationalNews) January 17, 2024
Renowned anthropologist Jane Goodall urges people to "look into their heart" and take climate action for children and grandchildren #Davos2024 pic.twitter.com/3iWteg64HO
Goodall, the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute and a UN Messenger of Peace, urged people to look into their hearts and their humanity to save the planet.
“Unless you reach the heart, you’re not going to make a real impact,” Goodall said.
Goodall is 89 years old and has not slowed down in her conservation efforts, particularly in her work to save chimpanzees from extinction.
She was just 26 years old when she first travelled to what is now Tanzania in 1960 to live side by side with a community of chimpanzees. Back then, the world knew very little about the species and just how similar they are to human beings.
Now, more than 60 years on, she continues to be an environmental warrior for the sake of future generations to come.
“We haven’t just compromised their future,” Goodall told Time on Monday. “We’ve been stealing it – and we’re still stealing it today.
“We need not just talking. We need action.”
World Economic Forum
More than 60 heads of state from around the world gathered in Davos, Switzerland on Monday to kick off the 54th annual WEF.
This year’s WEF theme is “Rebuilding Trust”, and so far, several of the world’s biggest challenges have been discussed, including AI, global governance, energy transition, climate change and more.
President of the European Union Ursula von der Leyen told the Forum on Monday that the theme couldn’t be more fitting as the world embarks on 2024.
“The sobering reality is that we are once again competing more intensely across countries than we have in several decades,” she said.
“This is not a time for conflict or polarisation. This is a time to build trust. This is a time to drive global collaboration more than ever before. This requires immediate and structural responses to match the size of the global challenges
“I believe it can be done, and I believe that Europe can and must take the lead in shaping that global response.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a more reformed, inclusive and networked global governance ahead of the new year.
“We can’t build a future for our grandchildren with a system built for our grandparents,” he told the Forum.
After 2023 was announced the hottest year on record, climate change has been a big topic of discussion at the WEF.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva was one leader who spoke on working together to tackle climate change.
She urged for financial resources to be moved from places “where they hurt” to places “where they help”.