Renowned zoologist and environmental campaigner Jane Goodall yesterday encouraged her audience in Taipei to "act wisely and make wise choices" for the sake of the planet and future generations, referencing ongoing conflicts around the world.
Goodall began her speech, titled "Inspiring Hope through Action," by mentioning major conflicts currently taking place, including the war in Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, and Sudan.
She recalled her childhood memories of the British armed forces’ valiant fight under the strong leadership of former Prime Minister Winston Churchill, at a time when most of Europe had fallen or surrendered to Nazi Germany.
Photo: CNA
Although the situation seemed extremely adverse for the United Kingdom at the time, "we did not give up and we were not defeated," she said. "That gives me hope that some of these terrible wars, although they seem never-ending, will end -- and good will prevail over evil."
The 91-year-old Goodall went on to reflect on her life, including her groundbreaking research on chimpanzees, which proved they could use tools and engage in complex social behaviors.
She also discussed what inspired her to launch Roots & Shoots in 1991 -- a youth-led program focused on the well- being of people, animals, and the environment that is now active in 75 countries, including Taiwan, with members ranging from kindergarteners to university students.
"Probably my greatest reason for hope is the young people. When they are empowered and encouraged to take action, nothing will stop them," Goodall said.
She highlighted a Roots & Shoots event she attended at Chang Jung Christian University in Tainan on Saturday, which brought together about 1,000 students.
"It’s really inspiring to see the energy and commitment they show when they’re allowed to take action and choose for themselves what they want to do to make the world a better place," she said.
Goodall also raised concerns about the ongoing destruction of nature caused by humanity’s pursuit of economic growth, though she said there were some positive trends.
Technology, for example, has enabled the development of renewable energy and tools to measure the environmental footprint of products, and more people now actively support goods that are organically farmed, eco-friendly, and produced under fair labor conditions.
"We’re meant to be living in harmony with the natural world," Goodall said. "We’re meant to be living in harmony with each other. We’re not meant to be engaging in these terrible wars around the world."
She left the more than 1,000 attendees with this message: "Remember that every day you live, you make an impact on the planet. Act wisely. Make wise choices for the sake of our children and future generations."
"Even tiny actions, repeated by millions of people around the world, will cumulatively make a big difference -- and help us build a better world," she added.
Taipei has once again made it to the top 100 in Oxford Economics’ Global Cities Index 2025 report, moving up five places from last year to 60. The annual index, which was published last month, evaluated 1,000 of the most populated metropolises based on five indices — economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance. New York maintained its top spot this year, placing first in the economics index thanks to the strength of its vibrant financial industry and economic stability. Taipei ranked 263rd in economics, 44th in human capital, 15th in quality of life, 284th for environment and 75th in governance,
A former officer in China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) who witnessed the aftermath of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre has warned that Taiwan could face a similar fate if China attempts to unify the country by force. Li Xiaoming (李曉明), who was deployed to Beijing as a junior officer during the crackdown, said Taiwanese people should study the massacre carefully, because it offers a glimpse of what Beijing is willing to do to suppress dissent. “What happened in Tiananmen Square could happen in Taiwan too,” Li told CNA in a May 22 interview, ahead of the massacre’s 36th anniversary. “If Taiwanese students or
Greenpeace yesterday said that it is to appeal a decision last month by the Taipei High Administrative Court to dismiss its 2021 lawsuit against the Ministry of Economic Affairs over “loose” regulations governing major corporate electricity consumers. The climate-related lawsuit — the first of its kind in Taiwan — sought to require the government to enforce higher green energy thresholds on major corporations to reduce emissions in light of climate change and an uptick in extreme weather. The suit, filed by Greenpeace East Asia, the Environmental Jurists Association and four individual plaintiffs, was dismissed on May 8 following four years of litigation. The
The New Taipei City Government would assist relatives of those killed or injured in last month’s car-ramming incident in Sansia District (三峽) to secure compensation, Mayor Hou You-yi (侯友宜) said yesterday, two days after the driver died in a hospital. “The city government will do its best to help the relatives of the car crash incident seek compensation,” Hou said. The mayor also said that the city’s Legal Affairs, Education and Social Welfare departments have established a joint mechanism to “provide coordinated assistance” to victims and their families. Three people were killed and 12 injured when a car plowed into schoolchildren and their
RSS