Global efforts on ozone help reverse southern jet stream damage
Up until about 2000 it had been moving southwards towards the Antarctic, affecting storm tracks and rainfall over South America, east Africa and Australia.
Humankind
Emissions from global power sector dropped by record-breaking 2% in 2019
The historic decline in CO2 emissions was largely caused by Europe and the US shifting away from coal, resulting in a global 3% decline in coal-fired power generation – the largest drop in 30 years.
Fisheries management is effectively rebuilding fish stocks around the world
A global analysis from the University of Washington shows that nearly half of the fish caught worldwide are from stocks that are scientifically monitored and, on average, are increasing in abundance.
The global homicide rate fell by 46% worldwide between 1990 and 2015
Between 1990 and 2015, the number of homicides per 100,000 people fell by 46%, with countries in Oceania experiencing a 22% drop over the same period, and 36% in Asia.
Survey of 167 countries shows tolerance toward LGBT people rising globally
The rise in acceptance of LGBT people was particularly marked, rising from about one in four people expressing acceptance a decade ago to almost a third in the latest report.
The global average cost of offshore wind power drops 32% in 2018
New solar and onshore wind projects have reached parity with average wholesale power prices in California and parts of Europe, while in China levelised costs are below the benchmark average regulated coal price, according to BloombergNEF.
Global renewable power capacity to grow by 50% in next five years
The International Energy Agency (IEA) new forecast finds that the world’s total renewable-based power capacity will grow by 50 per cent between 2019 and 2024.
Global solar power capacity projected to grow by 17% in 2019
The International Energy Agency expects to see growth in solar of over 17% and capacity of 115 gigawatts (GW) by year’s end.
Early child mortality has dropped in 96 of the world’s 97 low-to-middle-income countries from 2000 to 2017
From 2000 to 2017,96 low-to-middle-income countries that account for the vast majority of deaths of young children lowered their child mortality, according to a Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation report.
2019 ozone hole could be smallest in three decades
The EU’s Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) says it’s currently well under half the area usually seen in mid-September.