Turning to those who had gathered to support the Jane Goodall Institute, Goodall spoke about her research, and the key role that the Society’s U.S. counterpart, the National Geographic Society, played by both supporting the research and sharing it with a massive global audience.

Goodall also explained why she continues “travelling 300 days a year, trying to create a feeling of urgency about what is going wrong in the world.”

“Everybody knows about the climate marches, the young people gathering together to say ‘Do something about emissions of carbon dioxide, but also methane, because it’s our future that you’re playing with,’” she said. “How sad that all around the world there is short term advantage being put over and above protecting the planet for the future.”

In receiving the Gold Medal, Goodall joins an illustrious group of people who have been recognized by the Society for their outstanding contributions to the general field of geography, including J. Tuzo Wilson, Margaret Atwood, Sir David Attenborough and Alex Trebek. As an RCGS medallist, Goodall has also become an Honorary Fellow of the Society.