We’re closing out the week at Squirrel News talking about the first of three new national forests in the UK, a historic court decision halting oil exploitation to protect Ecuador’s uncontacted Indigenous communities, and how China was able to reverse decades of environmental damage from grazing and farming.
UK to plant new national forest with 20 million trees
The Western Forest will span both new and existing woodlands across Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Somerset, the Cotswolds, and the Mendips, as well as urban areas like Bristol, Swindon, and Gloucester. It’s the first of three national forests aimed at helping the UK meet its legally-binding goal of 16.5% woodland cover in England by 2050.
Historic ruling upholds rights of Indigenous peoples, challenges big oil
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights has directed the Ecuadorian government to protect uncontacted Indigenous communities from oil exploitation and to preserve the oil reserves beneath their ancestral lands.
New Zealand on track to hit 100% renewable energy by 2040
The New Zealand Electricity Authority projects that the country’s electricity grid will run entirely on renewable energy by 2040. With four major energy suppliers, the transition will involve big investment in new power generation to meet growing demand and replace retiring thermal power plants.
California installs more than 26,000 new EV chargers in just six months
California is quickly growing its electric vehicle charging network, adding more than 26,000 new chargers in just six months to help support the growing demand for EVs.
New London Underground map guides cyclists around the city’s green spaces
A newly released free map of the London Underground is helping cyclists explore the city’s green spaces by linking the National Cycle Network, Cycleways, and expanded bike routes to parks and waterways.
UK’s biggest supermarket to trial giving away expiring food to shoppers
Tesco will launch a trial offering free expiring food to customers at the end of the day as part of its efforts to reduce food waste. The food will first be offered to charities and store employees before being made available to customers.
Saving US climate and environmental data before it disappears
After 2,000 records vanished from government databases following the Trump administration’s arrival, Canadian geographer Eric Nost and his team have been working to archive climate and environmental data before it’s lost for good.
Canadian tech millionaire creates tiny home village for homeless neighbours
Marcel LeBrun, CEO and co-founder of Radian6, has built a village of 99 tiny homes in Canada through his nonprofit, 12 Neighbours. Before launching the project, he travelled across the US, Canada, and Ghana to study sustainable solutions to homelessness and poverty that kept the dignity and autonomy of the individual.
Little Free Library unveils its 200,000th book box
Little Free Libraries are making reading accessible to all in every corner of the globe – even in Antarctica. With the opening of its 200,000th book box, the youth literacy movement now spans all 50 US states, 128 countries, and all seven continents.
