New York City opens the U.S.’s first safe injection site
The sites, intended to reduce overdose deaths, will serve as a safe place for drug users to inject heroin and other drugs under the supervision of medical professionals.
Civil society
Civil society encompasses the nonprofits, advocacy groups, community organizations, and grassroots movements that operate outside government and business to advance the public good. This archive collects stories of civil society actors driving measurable progress on issues ranging from human rights and environmental protection to public health and civic participation.
Jaguar populations in Mexico are growing, a sign that conservation strategies are working
The first surveys to count jaguars in Mexico revealed a 20% increase in the population from 2010 to 2018, up to 4,800 animals.
American Psychological Association apologizes for role in promoting and perpetuating racism in U.S.
The APA passed two other resolutions: one on what the APA and the field of psychology must do to dismantle racism, and another committing to eradicating inequality in health and healthcare.
Conservationists bring the Saharan gazelle back from the brink of extinction
After a captive-breeding program in Spain, Dama gazelles have been reintroduced in protected reserves in Tunisia, Morocco, and Senegal and number roughly 4,000.
Cleveland Clinic launches human trials on first-of-its-kind preventative breast cancer vaccine
After two decades of preclinical research, human trials are set to begin on a unique preventative vaccine that is designed to target a protein commonly expressed by triple-negative breast cancers.
Critically endangered Grauer’s gorillas rebounding in Democratic Republic of the Congo
From a previous global estimate of 3,800 individuals, the estimated the global population of Grauer’s gorillas – the world’s largest gorilla subspecies – has almost doubled to 6,800 individuals.
Scottish Highlands to be transformed by major rewilding project
The Affric Highlands initiative will involve planting trees, restoring peat bogs, connecting wildlife habitats and restoring river corridors over 500,000 acres.
Indigenous resistance has staved off 25% of U.S. and Canada’s annual emissions
A new report by Indigenous Environmental Network and Oil Change International found that Indigenous-led resistance over the past decade has stopped or delayed the equivalent of 25% of annual U.S. and Canadian emissions.
Australia’s northern hairy-nosed wombats are back from the brink of extinction
The population of Australia’s largest wombat species dipped to as low as 35 in the 1980s. Since then, with the help of predator fencing, habitat management, and more, the population has grown to more than 300.
Four tuna species recovering after decade of fishing quotas
In IUCN’s Red List update, the seven most commercially fished tuna species were reassessed. Four moved in a positive direction thanks to countries enforcing more sustainable fishing quotas and successfully combatting illegal fishing.