In Memoriam: Dr. Jane Goodall

We honor the life of Jane Goodall, whose vision and compassionate lifelong work expanded our sense of kinship and reciprocity with the living world. As a scientist she discovered keen insights about chimpanzees - that they use and make tools, form complex communities, and experience profound emotions. And throughout her life she reminded us that the fate of all living creatures depends on the choices we humans make about how we live, consume, and reproduce.

Her message resonates deeply with our mission at Population Balance: that a socially and ecologically just world requires both recognizing our deep ecological overshoot while also striving to live within Earth's limits.

She steadfastly and courageously spoke about the harmful impacts of human overpopulation on wildlife and their habitats and she supported family planning and reproductive choice. Her work dismantled the destructive illusion that humanity stands apart from nature, and she forced us to confront the arrogance of a belief in human supremacy that justifies our exploitation and destruction of the natural world.  

Jane Goodall’s legacy is not only as a scientist but also as a strong moral voice. It's a call for both a more humble human relationship with the living world and a responsibility to protect it. Honoring her means continuing her work in challenging destructive growth-based systems and standing in solidarity with nonhuman life.