ABU DHABI // Jane Goodall, the world's leading expert on chimpanzees, says the younger generation is the only hope to stop the world from moving in the "wrong direction" on environmental sustainability.
Speaking to students yesterday at the Eye on Earth Abu Dhabi 2011 Summit, the British primatologist said that "people have to wake up".
Ms Goodall, who serves as a UN Messenger of Peace, said she travelled 300 days a year to spread her message. "We are at a crossroads, so we need to inspire young people, who are about to burst into society," she told the students at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre.
Ms Goodall is best known for her extensive studies of the social and family interactions of the wild chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park in Tanzania, and she has worked with chimpanzees for more than 45 years.
During her research in Tanzania, she managed to challenge two long-standing beliefs in the scientific community: that only humans could construct and use tools, and that chimpanzees were vegetarians.
She also founded the Jane Goodall Institute and works on conservation and animal welfare issues.
She said scientists who used chimpanzees as test animals "refuse to care about the similarities in emotion and intellect that chimpanzees have with humans".
"The biggest difference between us and the chimpanzees is that we have an amazing intellect, so we can do amazing things," she said. "But If we're so smart, why are we ruining our planet and poisoning the air and water?"
Times have changed for the worse, she said, but added that there was still hope in the younger generation.
"We've lost wisdom. In the old days, people used to think about the future. Today, we don't; we only think about how things affect us now. It's up to you to change that," she told the students. "If we continue like this, the time will come when the planet absolutely can't support life."
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The%20stats%20and%20facts
%3Cp%3E1.9%20million%20women%20are%20at%20risk%20of%20developing%20cervical%20cancer%20in%20the%20UAE%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E80%25%20of%20people%2C%20females%20and%20males%2C%20will%20get%20human%20papillomavirus%20(HPV)%20once%20in%20their%20lifetime%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EOut%20of%20more%20than%20100%20types%20of%20HPV%2C%2014%20strains%20are%20cancer-causing%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E99.9%25%20of%20cervical%20cancers%20are%20caused%20by%20the%20virus%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EA%20five-year%20survival%20rate%20of%20close%20to%2096%25%20can%20be%20achieved%20with%20regular%20screenings%20for%20cervical%20cancer%20detection%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EWomen%20aged%2025%20to%2029%20should%20get%20a%20Pap%20smear%20every%20three%20years%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EWomen%20aged%2030%20to%2065%20should%20do%20a%20Pap%20smear%20and%20HPV%20test%20every%20five%20years%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EChildren%20aged%2013%20and%20above%20should%20get%20the%20HPV%20vaccine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Neves 28', Doherty 37', Jota 45' 2
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Papastathopoulos 80'
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League quarter-final (first-leg score):
Juventus (1) v Ajax (1), Tuesday, 11pm UAE
Match will be shown on BeIN Sports
The five pillars of Islam
Brief scoreline:
Manchester United 1
Mata 11'
Chelsea 1
Alonso 43'
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3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Ten10 Cricket League
Venue and schedule Sharjah Cricket Stadium, December 14 to 17
Teams
Maratha Arabians Leading player: Virender Sehwag; Top picks: Mohammed Amir, Imad Wasim; UAE players: Shaiman Anwar, Zahoor Khan
Bengal Lions Leading player: Sarfraz Ahmed; Top picks: Sunil Narine, Mustafizur Rahman; UAE players: Mohammed Naveed, Rameez Shahzad
Kerala Kings Leading player: Eoin Morgan; Top picks: Kieron Pollard, Sohail Tanvir; UAE players: Rohan Mustafa, Imran Haider
Pakhtoons Leading player: Shahid Afridi; Top picks: Fakhar Zaman, Tamim Iqbal; UAE players: Amjad Javed, Saqlain Haider
Punjabi Legends Leading player: Shoaib Malik; Top picks: Hasan Ali, Chris Jordan; UAE players: Ghulam Shabber, Shareef Asadullah
Team Sri Lanka Cricket Will be made up of Colombo players who won island’s domestic limited-overs competition
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Director: Scott Cooper
Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Odessa Young, Jeremy Strong
Rating: 4/5