About the GoodPlanet Foundation
Created in 2005 by Yann Arthus-Bertrand, the GoodPlanet Foundation was awarded public interest status in 2009, a mark of confidence that facilitates its long-term commitment to its activities. In 2012, the Foundation obtained the IDEAS label, awarded by an independent committee, which recognizes its budgetary management, the effectiveness of its programs and the quality of its governance.
Coeur de Voh en 1990, Nouvelle-Calédonie, France (20°56’S – 164°39’E). © Yann Arthus-Bertrand/altitudephoto.com
Yann Arthus-Betrand’s goal: LIve together, respect and share the planet
Since 1990, Yann Arthus-Bertrand has flown over approximately 100 countries. His aerial photographs, inseparable from the accompanying texts, invite us to reflect on the evolution of our planet and on the future of its inhabitants.
Over the past 50 years, humans have modified the Earth’s environment to a greater extent than throughout the rest of the history of humanity. The Earth’s ecosystem is deteriorating and showing its limitations in all areas: rivers, oceans, forests, the air, the climate, farmable land, green areas, etc. We are living at a critical time, when the alternative offered by sustainable development policies should help bring about the changes that “meet current needs without compromising the capacity of future generations to meet theirs”. We are all personally responsible for the future of the Earth. Because each person has a role to play, each person has the power and duty to mobilize themselves to act.
Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s insight and his desire to be involved have been made a reality through the GoodPlanet Foundation.
GoodPlanet Foundation’s mission: “To bring ecology at the heart of consciousness “, inciting people to act
GoodPlanet Foundation’s mission is to educate the public and make people aware of how to protect the environment. The Foundation seeks to inspire a lifestyle that is more respectful to the Earth and its inhabitants. It proposes realistic, optimistic solutions and encourages each individual to become committed to the planet, through a series of programs, which is constantly being developed and strengthened in order to “bring ecology at the heart of consciousness”. These programs and guidelines result from principles that are affirmed in our Ethical Charter.
Our programs are structured around 2 main themes:
I) Understanding ecological and human challenges
To help everyone understand the challenges related to sustainable development, we have developed a range of programs with both an environmental and social dimension, adapted to the target audience.
Their purpose is to:
> Raise awareness through images: Encourage everyone to conserve the environment and be open to Others, via exhibitions, festivals and films.
> Educate the general public about environmental issues: Invite people to learn about and understand the different aspects of sustainable development via the website and books.
> Educate about sustainable development: Raise awareness in children and young people of the challenges of sustainable development, using educational posters for schools in France and Belgium.
II ) Take action for the planet and its inhabitants
Each one of us, businesses, communities and individuals, is able to act at our own level to minimize the negative impact of our activities on the environment to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged populations. With this in mind, we have created two programs to facilitate:
A commitment to act against climate change and in the interests of developing countries: Encourage the reduction of our carbon footprint, the support of social and environmental programs and the contribution to improving schooling for children, especially in developing countries, via concrete projects in the field.
To these programs that cover the different aspects of sustainable development, the GoodPlanet Foundation adds its mission to raise awareness and educate on specific themes. After dedicating the year 2011 to forests, we began a program devoted to the ocean.
The OCEAN program
Developed around each of our teaching resources – our website, books, films, exhibitions, posters – the Ocean program invites you to get to know the bottom of the “blue planet” better and the conservation challenges in our marine life ecosystems. To find out more about the Ocean Program, take a look at our dedicated website.
GoodPlanet Foundation Internationally: A presence in Switzerland and Belgium
GoodPlanet Foundation Switzerland was created in 2007 and GoodPlanet Belgium in 2011. These national branches participate fully in the development of the foundation, to its creativity and the spreading of its message. We hope to continue this dynamic and open new international branches.
Explore their achievements: GoodPlanet Foundation Switzerland and GoodPlanet Foundation Belgium
Stay up-to-date with GoodPlanet Foundation news
To help you to stay up-to-date with the GoodPlanet Foundation on a daily basis, we have developed an app for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.
This app will help you understand ecological challenges via different types of content. It will allow you to follow international developments in environmental issues and sustainable development via the GoodPlanet.info thematic feed, to watch video testimonies from inhabitants the world over from the 7 billion Others program and to measure the CO2 emissions produced by your journeys using the Action Carbone calculator. The GoodPlanet counter presents the evolution of the planet in real time, displaying key figures regarding world population, deforestation, climate change, atmospheric pollution and energy. With HOME, discover the film-event about the Earth and Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s photographs.
The GoodPlanet Foundation is a member of l’Alliance pour la planète and Comité 21.
