EVs exceed 10% of monthly auto sales in Australia for first time ever
Out of the 110,000 vehicles sold in Australia in September 2023, 10.6% came with a plug. Approximately 8% of these were battery electric and 2% were plugin hybrid EVs.
Citizens
Ecuadorians vote against oil drilling in critical Amazon biosphere
The referendum was a popular initiative demanded by Indigenous communities to protect the vast Yasuní National Park from oil drilling. Ecuador’s government has announced that it will honor the result of the referendum and have machinery removed within a year.
U.K. achieves record numbers of heat pump and solar panel installations in first half of 2023
With almost 17,000 installations occurring on average each month, the European nation achieved a 62% rise in solar panel installations over the previous year. It also installed over 17,000 climate-friendly heat pumps over that same period.
Zimbabwe sees recycling boom as waste picking becomes lucrative business
Community-based recycling organizations, which handpick litter, quadrupled in the last few years, now picking up 15% of all plastic waste generated in the country.
Rooftop solar capacity in South Africa has increased by 349% since March 2022
The South African Government is actively encouraging the uptake of new rooftop solar with targeted policy, including a new rebate scheme announced in February, which allows individuals who install new panels onto their homes to claim rebates equal to 25% of the cost of the panels.
China to reach peak gasoline demand in 2024
With plug-in cars increasingly displacing gas guzzlers, China is now on track to hit peak gasoline demand in 2024, according to independent analyses from the International Energy Agency and Rystad Energy.
Jacksonville Jaguars’ Kevin Maxen becomes the first male professional men’s coach in the U.S. to come out as gay
In a historic moment, Jacksonville Jaguars assistant strength and conditioning coach Kevin Maxen has come out, becoming the NFL’s first male coach to publicly identify as gay.
Lab-grown diamonds booming in the U.K. as newlyweds opt for more sustainable option that is 85% cheaper
The London-based diamond retailer Queensmith revealed the market for lab-grown diamonds has increased by 2,860 percent in just five years as consumers look for more sustainable, ethical, and affordable options.
More than half the population of India supports same-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage in India is not currently legal and queer couples in the country are only afforded certain rights if they live together as a cohabitating couple.
Cyclists now outnumber motorists in London
The number of motorists has fallen by 64% since 1999, while the number of climate-friendly cyclists has increased by 386%.