International community | Good News for Humankind

For the first time, researchers detect significant dip in global atmospheric levels of HCFCs

By Peter Schulte / June 11, 2024 / Good news links

Almost 30 years after nations first agreed to phase out these chemicals, which were widely used for air conditioning and refrigeration, scientists say global concentrations peaked in 2021. Since then, the ozone-depleting potential of HCFCs in the atmosphere has fallen by about three-quarters of a percentage point. Though small, that decline comes sooner than expected and represents a significant milestone for the international effort to preserve the ozone layer.

Global deaths from tetanus have been reduced massively since 1990s

By Peter Schulte / June 5, 2024 / Good news links

Tetanus is a bacterial disease that causes paralysis and can lead to death. Globally, it was estimated to kill more than 250,000 people each year in the early 1990s. Most of these deaths were in children. By 2019, annual deaths had fallen to less than 35,000. The rollout of the combined vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis among children has been crucial in driving this.

Global sulfur dioxide emissions from shipping dropped sharply with the introduction of new rules in 2020

By Peter Schulte / May 10, 2024 / Good news links

In 2020, the International Maritime Organization introduced strict limits on marine fuels: the maximum percentage of sulfur allowed in fuels fell from 3.5% to 0.5%. All ships worldwide had to comply. As a result, there was a dramatic fall in global sulfur dioxide emissions from over 10 million tonnes a year in 2019 to 3 million tonnes a year later, helping abate local air pollution and acid rain.

Solar panels reflect sparkling light from the Sun

30% of the world’s electricity came from renewable sources in 2023 for first time ever

By Peter Schulte / May 8, 2024 / Good news links

Global renewable electricity production is growing at an unprecedented pace, according to a new report from climate think tank Ember. For the first time ever, in 2023, renewables supplied 30% of the world’s annual electricity supply, thanks to the rapid deployment of solar and wind technology.

G7 agree to close all coal-fired generating stations by 2035

By Peter Schulte / April 30, 2024 / Good news links

Energy ministers from the G7 countries — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union — agreed at a meeting in Turin, Italy, to close all coal-fired generating stations in their countries by 2035 if not sooner. Putting an end date on coal — the most polluting of all fossil fuels — has been highly controversial at international climate talks. Until this point, Japan, which derived 32% of its electricity from coal in 2023 according to the climate advocate Ember, has blocked progress on the issue at past G7 meetings.

Solar is now perhaps being installed faster than any technology in history

By Peter Schulte / April 29, 2024 / Good news links

Cumulative global installed solar capacity in 2023 passed 1.4 terawatts (TW), which is tenfold larger than ten years ago and doubling every 3 years. At current growth rates (20% per annum), solar will pass fossil gas in 2024 and coal in 2025. Current growth rates also suggest that solar will approach 9 TW in 2031, when there will be more solar generation capacity than everything else combined.

Number of maternal deaths worldwide has halved in the last 35 years

By Peter Schulte / April 19, 2024 / Good news links

The number of mothers dying as a result of pregnancy has declined precipitously in the last several decades due to reduced poverty rates, improved physical and mental health services, healthier lifestyles, increased access to contraceptives, and more. In 1985, nearly 600,000 mothers died every year worldwide. Today, it’s half that.

Global death tolls from natural disasters have plummeted over the last century

By Peter Schulte / April 12, 2024 / Good news links

According to a recent study from Our World In Data, in the early-to-mid 20th century, the average annual death toll from disasters was very high, often climbing to over a million. In recent decades, such deaths are typically fewer than 20,000 people, even as natural disasters become more frequent and more extreme.

African girl sleeping on mother's shoulder

‘Historic milestone’ as global child mortality hits record low of 4.9 million in 2022

By Peter Schulte / March 12, 2024 / Good news links

Figures newly released by the U.N. Interagency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) reveal the global under-five mortality rate has declined by 51% since 2000 reaching an all-time low. Some countries such as Cambodia, Malawi, Mongolia, and Rwanda reduced under-five mortality rate by over 75% over the time period. UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell praised the dedicated efforts of midwives, health workers and community health workers, whose commitment has contributed to the remarkable decline.

11 countries sign global pact to protect endangered river dolphins

By Peter Schulte / January 15, 2024 / Good news links

Since the 1980s, the combined populations of river dolphin species have plummeted by 73%. With the Global Declaration for River Dolphins, 14 countries are expected to join forces to protect six surviving species. So far, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, and Venezuela have signed the declaration.