"It's Become Power and Money, Power and Money!" At Nearly 91, Dr. Jane Goodall is Still Fighting for the Planet and Calling Out Corporate Greed Almost six decades since she embarked on a journey to save the natural earth, Dr. Jane Goodall has become an awe-inspiring figure to many around the world. At nearly 91 years of age, her passion remains unwavering.
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Whether in the glossy pages of the National Geographic, wildlife documentaries on television, or a carefully edited reel on one's Instagram feed, Dr. Jane Goodall's work has permeated into the lives of many across generations, and, indeed, the globe. It was perhaps most evident to me when, in late January 2025, I sat across from the renowned conservationist in a brightly lit room at Terra, the sustainability hub at Expo City Dubai, awaiting my turn to speak with her. The room, filled with journalists and reporters, carried a palpable nervous energy- all of which translated into giddily uttered phrases like, "I'm such a fan!" or "It's such an honor to meet you!" by every single person who got to interview her. To see how people across so many different age groups have been enamored by Dr. Goodall is perhaps the easiest litmus test of the truth ingrained in her life's work. "My work is my purpose in life," she says. "It has evolved; at first it was learning about chimpanzee behavior in the wild which was not easy but it was my passion, and there was the thrill of discovery."
Image source: BNC Publishing
Indeed, Dr. Goodall's journey began in July 1960 at the Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania (which, at the time, was referred to as Tanganyika) where she studied wild chimpanzees. Her research on the behavior of these primates, which has often been labelled "revolutionary" by academics and researchers, continues to aid scientific studies in primatology, anthropology, and biodiversity conservation. It was in the midst of her 25-year-long research at Gombe, in 1977, that she launched the Jane Goodall Institute for Wildlife Research, Education and Conservation, a nonprofit organization that promotes the protection of chimpanzees and sustainable environmental practices.
"When I left Gombe, having learned about the problems faced by chimps, I also learned about the plight of so many Africans living in and around the chimp habitat," Dr. Goodall recalls. "And I am passionate about alleviating the poverty of these people. It is poverty -the struggle to survive- that so often causes destruction of the environment- for example, to make money from cutting down trees for timber or charcoal, or making space to grow more food. So I started Tacare, the Jane Goodall Institute's program for community-led conservation (i.e. asking them how we can help, providing microfinance, scholarships for secondary education and so on). And then I started the Roots & Shoots program for young people of all ages, now active in 75 countries, and is growing fast in the UAE."
Dr. Goodall on the cover of National Geographic's December 1995 issue. Image courtesy: National Geographic
The 1991-founded Roots & Shoots launched its UAE branch in January 2024 at the aforementioned Terra, which is nestled in the heart of Dubai's Expo City. According to insights shared by Terra, the launch of Roots & Shoots UAE has led to a 20% increase in the number of schools involved in initiatives that benefit animals, people, and the environment and engagement has soared by 50%. For Dr. Goodall, who famously wrote that "we are the custodians of this planet," in her book Reason for Hope: A Spiritual Journey, which was published in 1999, such enthusiasm from the UAE's youth would have certainly been appreciated. When asked how the young generations can stay committed to building a sustainable future, Dr. Goodall stresses upon the importance of consistency. "It's difficult to give blanket advice because young people may move away [from their initial purpose and vision] for different reasons; we don't really know," she tells me. "But if you start off understanding the environment, the natural world, and you understand that we're gradually destroying it, then you won't leave your original thinking and purpose. You may be doing other things -you may not be spending your entire time working towards conservation or the environment- but as long as you remember it, it's okay.
Dr. Jane Goodall (left) at the official launch of The Jane Goodall Pollinator Garden at Dubai Expo City's Terra in January this year. Image source: BNC Publishing
Dr. Goodall's association with Terra went one step further when, last month, she unveiled the Jane Goodall Pollinator Garden sequestered within the sustainability center's lush space. "This is the first time I've worn a beekeeper's suit, and I think having new experiences when you're almost 91 years old is always exciting," she told the group of people who'd gathered around her during the garden's official launch. Designed as an ecological hub that seeks to promote biodiversity and the importance of pollinators -in this case, the UAE-native apis mellifera bees native bees- in modern ecosystems, the Jane Goodall Pollinator Garden falls under Terra's extensive sustainability efforts in the UAE.
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At the intersection of sustainability and the UAE's endeavors in this regard, however, comes the business ecosystem. Following the country's hosting of COP28 in 2023, the spotlight on environmental, sustainable and governance (ESG) policies has perhaps never been brighter. So what advice does the renowned ethologist and conservationist Dr. Goodall have for the companies who truly want to make a difference through their ESG frameworks? "There are plenty of businesses that are starting to do things right, working towards sustainable practices- but my advice would be to talk with those who are doing a good job," she shares. "Of course a lot depends on what the business is. And of course we need a new business model -a new mindset- that puts concern for future generations ahead of increasing profits. One CEO [I knew] said he had been working hard for eight years to make his business ethical for three reasons: he first was seeing the writing on the wall– that we are using up natural resources in some places faster than nature can replace. The second reason was consumer pressure – there are more people choosing to buy products created sustainably and ethically. But the third reason… It was his little girl coming home from school one day and saying "Dad, they tell me that what you are doing is hurting the planet. That's not true is it? Because it's my planet." That was the real motivation behind his efforts."
Dr. Goodall at Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania. Image courtesy: Hugo van Lawick/National Geographic
The anecdote Dr. Goodall shares is perhaps a great example of just why the almost-91-year-old places immense hope on younger generations to save planet earth. So I'm not surprised when, very masterfully, she steers the conversation from the complexities of ESG policies to the vices that present themselves with modern day corporate culture. "It's all about pleasing your shareholders, and the problem is it's become 'power and money, power and money,'" she laments. "And if we don't get away from that somehow or the other…I am hoping that young people will! That is why Roots and Shoots is so important. Because they [the children and youngsters] grow up realizing that to be happy, you just need to have enough. You see all these people who do really well in business, but they are stressed; they're worried all the time, they're afraid that they're going to make a mistake…they're not happy!"
The antidote to escaping the pressures of modern life lies within realizing that less is more, iterates Dr. Goodall. "We have to stop thinking that the best things in life are to get more power and more money," she says, her voice raising almost imperceptibly. "The best things in life are to have what you need, and not go on and on trying to get more…. If we live with what we need, if we respect nature and we respect each other, and we respect animals- and we're content with having enough- this will make a very happy world. We will be able to live in greater harmony with nature. More, especially younger people, must learn to understand this."
Dr. Jane Goodall at the official launch of The Jane Goodall Pollinator Garden at Dubai Expo City's Terra in January this year. Image source: BNC Publishing
Dr. Goodall's words clearly hold an abundance of wisdom that many of us will be eager to hold on to. As such, I ask her -in the hopes that her words may help any entrepreneurs or startup founders reading this- what the most challenging time of her life was. Her answer, coincidentally, contains an element that many entrepreneurs can easily resonate with: lack of funding. "There have been so many [difficult phases]!" she says. "Always one of the challenges was finding funds to do the work. But perhaps the most challenging was when four of my students, at Gombe, were kidnapped by a rebel group. They came over the lake –Lake Tanganyika– in a boat in the middle of the night and took four: three women and one man (all aged around 25). These were students doing research on chimpanzees or baboons in Gombe national park. After this, all my financial support was withdrawn. I went over to the US and had to go around to the people who had withdrawn their support, and assure them that things would go back to normal; that thanks to the Tanzanian field staff there was only one day when there was no one working in the field. Obviously, after a harrowing few weeks, I was successful. The research is now in its 65th year, one of the three longest running and uninterrupted wild animal studies in the world. And funding is still a problem!"
Aalia Mehreen Ahmed, Features Editor at Entrepreneur Middle East, with Dr. Jane Goodall at Terra. Image source: BNC Publishing
When listening to Dr. Goodall speak, there is an immediate air of calm and tranquility that surrounds you- a stark contrast to the whirlwind life she's led so far. "My lifestyle has not been slow exactly," she shares. "When in the field the work was physical. Once I left the field to try to help conservation, it has been totally exhausting– since 1986. Lectures, conferences, meetings… Last year I visited 27 countries! But I eat right– vegan, no meat. And I am passionate about what I do."
It is that rope of passion that the nearly 91-year-old continues to hold onto as she forges ahead in her journey to create a sustainable future for all- that and, well, hope. In fact, Dr. Goodall's reliance on hope for the future has been so emphatic, that the word itself has become a constant feature in a lot of her work titles- her podcast is titled, "Jane Goodall Hopecast," and in 2021 she released a book titled The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times. "I feel I am on this planet with a mission to try to save enough of the natural world for my grandchildren's children and wildlife," she declares. "And that can only happen if people have hope. My lectures and books are designed to give hope no matter how grim things get. It has become my mission."
