Catholic institutions divest from fossil fuels
So far, more than 150 Catholic banks, universities, foundations, and others have pledged to end their investments in fossil fuels.
Civil society
A wild tapir gave birth in Brazil for the first time in more than a century
Scientists said video clips of the baby tapir proved the initial success of a re-introduction strategy for the threatened mammal, which is often described as “a forest gardener” because it plays a vital role in the dispersal of seeds.
A million seagrass seeds are being planted of the United Kingdom coast
Experts say seagrass helps tackle the effects of climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide faster than trees.
Women’s rights group eliminates female genital mutilation in Kurdistan’s Garmiyan region
On International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), a women’s rights group active in the Kurdistan Region announced that zero cases of GM were reported in the Garmiyan Administration in 2019.
14 of the largest US hospitals and health systems are investing $700 million into affordable housing
The new approach marks perhaps the first time that these health systems have acknowledged that impact investment can and should be part of their overall strategy for improving health and well-being in their communities.
The Ocean Cleanup begins catching trash in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
At age 19, Boyan Slat founded The Ocean Cleanup. The organization has developed a massive plastic-cleaning device which is now operating in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
Social Progress Index indicates humanity’s well-being has improved five years in a row
Since 2014, Social Progress Imperative publishes an annual index of over 150 countries, scoring them across 51 indicators. Each year has shown improvement on the global average.
World’s largest urban rooftop farm to open in Paris in 2020
French company Agripolis is opening a 150,000-square-foot urban farm in Paris, where it will grow more than 2,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables every day during high season.
Minnesota Methodists resolve to allow officiating of same-sex unions, LGBT ordination
Members of Minnesota’s United Methodist Church voted to commit to full inclusion of LGBT people.
World Data Lab projects Kenya to eradicate extreme poverty by 2032
A global data enterprise suggested in a post published last week by a US think tank that the share of abjectly poor Kenyans will drop from nearly 21 percent to 4.3 percent in 2030.