From huge new protected areas on land and at sea to the most important emotion for a feeling of meaning in life: here’s our recap of the most important constructive news and stories from the past month.
Ireland becomes the sixth European country to end its use of coal
With the shut-down of the Moneypoint coal-fired power plant six months earlier than originally planned, Ireland’s move encourages 23 other countries across Europe having committed to the phaseout of coal.
French Polynesia creates world’s largest marine protected area
The area will cover the entirety of the country’s exclusive economic zone, which is roughly 5 million square kilometres, and will restrict damaging extractive practices such as bottom trawling and deep sea mining.
Kyrgyzstan announces development of 800,000-hectare eco-corridor
The 8,000km² corridor will connect existing protected areas, including Khan-Tengri National Park and Naryn Nature Reserve, growing the existing total protected landscape to over 1.2 million hectares.
Hawaii becomes first US state to charge climate impact fee to tourists
Hawaii’s new “Green Tax” on tourists will fund projects for climate and hazard resiliency and environmental stewardship to preserve the state’s natural resources. The bill comes in response to wildfires and other recent climate disasters.
Plastic bag bans and fees working as intended in the US, new study finds
The plastic bag portion of shoreline litter is down 25% in areas of the US that have bag bans or fees in place, as shown by data from thousands of beach clean-ups. The rules about bags vary a lot by area or US state, so researchers could compare. Because many places do not have bans or bag fees yet, plastic litter is not down overall.
Australia offers permanent residency to Tuvalu citizens under climate threat
The island county of Tuvalu is predicted to be among the first world countries made uninhabitable from climate change. In the world’s first agreement that creates a visa in the context of climate change, up to 280 Tuvaluans can migrate each year to Australia and obtain permanent residency, which allows them to move freely between the countries.
China is building the largest national parks system in the world
By creating a network of wilderness bigger than Texas, China plans to overtake the US by building the world’s largest national park system, despite only announcing its first national park four years ago. The goal is to secure 49 parks covering 272 million acres by 2035.
UK MPs vote to decriminalise abortion in step forward for reproductive rights
British MPs have voted to decriminalise abortion, marking the biggest step forward in reproductive rights in almost 60 years. In an amendment to the government’s crime and policing bill, parliament voted to change the criminal laws that govern abortion in England and Wales so that women procuring a termination outside the legal framework cannot be prosecuted.
Rough sleeping to be decriminalised in Wales and England
Homeless charities have long called for the 200-year-old Vagrancy Act to be scrapped, clearing the way for a more constructive approach to helping those living on the streets.
New emergency clinics focused on mental health to open across England
With England’s national health emergency facilities overburdened, the wait time for mental emergencies is far longer than average. The government announced that over a dozen new emergency clinics specialised in mental health are slated to open around the country over a ten-year period.
Breakthrough in search for HIV cure leaves researchers “overwhelmed”
The virus’s ability to conceal itself inside certain white blood cells has been one of the main challenges for scientists looking for a cure, but researchers have discovered a way to make the virus visible, paving the way to fully clear it from the body.
According to the Real-Time Crime Index, a research project analysing data from over 380 police departments covering nearly 100 million people, murders dropped nearly 22% in the first three months of this year compared to the same period last year. Overall violent crime is down about 11%, and motor vehicle theft has declined by more than 26%.
Oregon free summer meals start up, one of many programmes across the US
700 sites in Oregon, including parks, libraries, schools, and community centres, are serving 1- to 18-year-olds free meals this summer. An interactive map shows free food programme locations nationwide.
World’s biggest sand battery starts to work in Finland
In the Finnish town of Portnainen, the industrial-scale sand battery will store enough wind and solar energy in crushed soapstone to fill a month’s heating needs for the district. The company says it is a simple structure that could save 70% of emissions through eliminating oil use.
Thanks to solar panels installed on Vatican-owned property outside of Rome, the power generated from these devices is able to supply all of the city’s energy needs.
Record number of river-blocking barriers removed in Europe, report says
Europe dismantled 542 river-blocking dams, weirs, culverts and sluices in 2024, a report has found, helping a record number of waterways resume their natural course. The number of removals grew 11% from the year before, according to an annual report from Dam Removal Europe.
Wildtype has received the FDA’s first-ever green light for a safety consultation on lab-grown fish. The company becomes just the fourth to gain regulatory approval to sell cell-cultivated animal products in the US.
Japanese scientists create ocean-safe plastic that breaks down in hours
A team of researchers in Tokyo has developed a plastic that dissolves in seawater within just a few hours, potentially shaping a new tool to tackle ocean pollution and protect marine life.
New disposable diapers paired with fungi become black soil in nine months
Hiro Technologies, a start-up in Texas, has developed the “MycoDigestible Diaper”. When parents change a poopy diaper, they can easily slip a disc with fungi spores into the diaper, re-close it and discard. In lab tests, the diaper is entirely digested and converted to soil over nine months. Hiro’s next step is to test the breakdown in real-world situations.
How special MP3 players could give new prospects to children in Afghanistan
In Afghanistan, girls have barely any access to education. Now an association from Bremen is developing MP3 players with educational audio books for children in crisis regions. Founder Sadaf Zahedi, who secretly supplied herself with books as a child, explained to us how the devices work and the stories they tell.
Beavers could be the secret to winning the fight against wildfires
In a recent study, researchers found that beaver canals and ponds irrigate the landscape so thoroughly that they can turn crisp, flammable plants into lush, fireproof ones, essentially forming green refuges in which wildlife and livestock can retreat.
Beavers have returned to Portugal after more than 500 years
The last recorded presence of beavers in Portugal was in the 1400s, but after several decades of population recovery in Spain, signs of their presence are now confirmed by video within Portugal. The ecological contribution of beavers to biodiversity through wetland creation makes this a significant step in the efforts to rewild the country.
New exhibit space in London shares vast stored art collection for free
Curators at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum have been thinking out of the box on how to share their enormous stored art collection with the public. The result is a world first: a new four-storey facility where people can view 250,000 art objects of all sorts, from all angles, without protective glass, seven days a week for free.
The homeless tour guides leading the way around London
Unseen Tours trains formerly unhoused individuals to lead guided walks around different neighbourhoods across London. The charity hopes to spark conversations around homelessness and reduce the stigma that can come with it.
The Scottish clowns bringing joy to paediatric wards
For many children, being in hospital can be a frightening, lonely and often deeply boring experience. Professionally trained clowns are stepping in to distract young admittees and make their stay feel a little lighter.
Hope shown the most important emotion for a feeling of meaning in life
Researchers at the University of Missouri say hope is not just wishful thinking or a way to be motivated for goals; it is the single most important emotion for well-being and a life that feels meaningful. They stress the importance of cultivating hope by noticing what is going well, acting on opportunities even in chaotic times, and engaging in nurturing activities like care of plants, children, and animals.
