As we kick off a new month, we’re happy to share our June roundup! In this special edition, we share the top stories our editors are most excited about – from Vanuatu’s bold move to slash plastic pollution to Vermont leading as the first state to hold oil companies accountable for climate change costs.
How the small Pacific island nation of Vanuatu drastically cut plastic pollution
Once plagued by rubbish-filled lagoons, Vanuatu faced intense pressure from its concerned community, prompting the government to ban specific single-use plastics. In the six years since, the results have been impressive.
Vermont is first state to hold oil firms accountable for climate damages
Vermont has implemented a law mandating that fossil fuel companies contribute to the costs of climate change damage. The decision comes in the wake of severe summer flooding and other extreme weather events that have caused significant destruction across the state.
US sees significant drop in violent crime and murder rates
Violent crime in the US decreased by more than 15% in early 2024, with the murder rate plunging by 26.4%, according to FBI data. It shows that last year’s historic decline in violent crime is continuing.
Sierra Leone passes landmark law banning child marriage
According to UNICEF, one-third of girls in this West African country are married before they turn 18. The new law makes it illegal to marry girls under the age of 18 and imposes prison sentences of up to 15 years for violators.
Maryland to pardon 175,000 marijuana convictions to right ‘historical wrongs’
The pardons will forgive low-level marijuana possession charges for an estimated 100,000 people. Black Americans have historically been more than three times as likely as white Americans to be arrested on marijuana charges, according to research from the American Civil Liberties Union.
EU passes law to restore 20% of bloc’s land and sea by end of decade
The EU has passed a landmark law to protect nature after a knife-edge vote, ending a months-long deadlock among member states spooked by fierce protests from farmers.
Denmark to introduce world’s first CO2 tax on farms to cut emissions
Denmark will impose a carbon dioxide tax on livestock emissions starting in 2030 to address its largest source of CO2 and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 70% from 1990 levels.
Finland cuts teen abortion rate by 66% with education and free contraception
Finland’s public health institute THL has reported that teenage abortions decreased by 66% from 2000 to 2023. The decline is attributed to the country’s initiative providing free contraception to adolescents and implementing mandatory sex education in schools.
Ireland’s free contraception scheme to expand, benefitting more women
Women residing in Ireland – aged between 17 and the day before their 36th birthday – will now have access to cost-free contraception services. Additionally, women who received coils, IUDs, IUSs, or implants during their eligibility period will maintain access to follow-up care, including removal of any implanted devices.
South Australia introduces bill to ban political donations from elections
The state’s electoral amendment bill announced on Wednesday night will ban electoral donations and gifts to registered political parties, members of parliament and candidates. In exchange, the state will provide funding to allow parties and candidates to contest elections, run campaigns and promote political ideas.
Massachusetts’ millionaire tax to fund public transport and education
Massachusetts voters have approved a new tax targeting individuals with incomes exceeding one million dollars, with the proceeds of this new legislation to fund transport infrastructure, education, and free school meals across the state.
San Francisco welcomes its first completely free grocery store
Low-income residents will soon have access to essential pantry items without any cost, marking a significant departure from traditional food banks that typically provide pre-bagged kits or operate in a farmers market format.
San Francisco credits microdosing for reduced drug deaths
Health officials in San Francisco are attributing their success in reducing drug-related deaths to a pioneering approach: administering small doses of buprenorphine, a medication known to help overcome opioid addiction, within community hospitals.
New AI technology predicts heart attacks years in advance
Oxford University researchers have developed an AI system that predicts heart attacks up to 10 years in advance, potentially saving thousands of lives annually. This groundbreaking technology could be implemented across the UK by the end of the year.
At-home saliva test shows promise in detecting prostate cancer
New research suggests that at-home saliva tests are more effective than standard blood tests at identifying men at higher risk for prostate cancer. These tests can detect genetic factors that predispose men to the disease, which claims approximately 12,000 lives annually in the UK.
Within a cluster of mobile genetic elements, researchers at Arc Institute have uncovered an RNA-guided system. This new discovery has the potential to facilitate modular and programmable DNA insertions, excisions, and inversions.
Air pollution in Paris drops by 40% ahead of Olympics
Efforts aimed at promoting alternative transportation have led to a 40% reduction in air pollution over the past ten years, as reported by city officials.
The places bringing the vision of a car-free city to life
The notion that cars are essential in majors cities is proving difficult to dispel – but more and more urban areas are seeing the benefits of reduced car usage.
Despite New York’s delay in implementing its congestion reduction strategy, the success of congestion pricing in other cities demonstrates its effectiveness and growing popularity.
Using mosquitoes to save Hawaii’s endangered birds
Traditionally, conservation methods such as tree planting and breeding programs have been used to protect endangered birds. However, a novel approach has emerged: the release of millions of sterile mosquitoes into the wild.
European lynx population bounces back from brink of extinction
The European lynx, native to remote regions of Spain and Portugal, has made a remarkable recovery from near extinction. Since the beginning of the millennium, the adult population of this species has increased more than tenfold thanks to conservation measures.
Ecuadorian cloud forest thrives after being granted legal personhood
This protection – which shields the region from deforestation and mining -– stems from Ecuador’s historic 2008 constitutional amendment, the first of its kind to grant nature the same rights as humans.
29-year-old Murrawah Maroochy Johnson has taken on a coal giant – and won. Her lawsuit was the first to leverage Queensland’s new human rights law – arguing that the greenhouse gas emissions from the Waratah coal mine threatened Indigenous peoples and their cultural heritage.
