Environmentalist from Jersey given Founder's Medal

A Jersey man has received an award recognising his life's work protecting tropical rainforests and combating climate change.

Andrew Mitchell has been awarded the Founder's Medal by the Royal Geographical Society.

The society said the medals were "among the highest honours of their kind in the world".

Mr Mitchell has worked in conservation for decades and is recognised as a pioneer in finance and climate change.

The award recognises "extraordinary achievement in geographical research", with past recipients including Sir David Attenborough and Neil Armstrong.

Mr Mitchell is the Emeritus Rufford Fellow in Environmental Understanding at Oxford University and for seven years was a research fellow in its Zoology Department.

He has spent the past 16 years working with leaders around the world on policy and innovative finance systems linked to sustainability.

He said: "Getting companies and getting the finance sector to take these issues seriously has been a decade, decade, decade-long fight, but they are thinking about it now.

"It's wonderful to have this recognition and the medal has to be approved by no less than King Charles III as well so it's really exciting.

"I feel super proud."

Mr Mitchell said he dedicated his award to "every leaf and every branch and every creature that calls towering trees their home".

He added: "In the face of deforestation and changing climate, our commitment to preserve these living giants and their diverse ecosystems has become ever more critical."

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Royal Geographical Society