Tanzania bans the use of plastic bags
In a historic conservation move the government of the United Republic of Tanzania has announced the ban on plastic bag use beginning June 1, 2019.
Nations
This archive collects milestones and progress stories involving nations — countries and their governments — acting to improve lives, protect rights, or address shared challenges. From policy breakthroughs to international cooperation, these stories show what countries are doing right.
Germany tests its first ‘electric highway’ for trucks
Germany is testing a eHighway system with a hybrid truck receiving power from cables to keep it from using its combustion engine.
Residential solar booming in Australia: Q1 installations up 46% from 2018
A record amount of new solar capacity has been fitted to Australia’s households and businesses in the first three months of this year, an increase of 46% on the same period last year.
Mexico plans to legalize cannabis by October 2019
Mexican lawmakers will hash out the details of a marijuana regulation bill during the upcoming summer recess, with the goal of passing the legislation ahead of an October deadline, a key committee leader said.
America’s renewable energy set to surpass coal for the first month ever in April 2019
This turning point is decades in the making — not a policy target, but an economic reality arriving ahead of schedule. Wind and solar costs have dropped so sharply that 74% of the U.S. coal fleet could now be replaced by renewables while still saving customers money. April’s seasonal conditions give renewables a boost they don’t always enjoy, and annual parity remains years away. But the direction is no longer in doubt — and as utilities retire coal plants early, this milestone signals to energy markets worldwide that the crossover isn’t hypothetical anymore.
The United Arab Emirates opens the world’s largest single-site solar farm
The Noor Abu Dhabi Solar Power Plant located near Abu Dhabi in Sweihan has 3.2 million solar panels with a generating capacity of 1.177 GW. The total project cost was over US$850 million. At the time of its completion, it was larger than all other single-site solar projects in the world.
Canada bans deep-sea mining, oil and gas drilling in marine protected areas
The decision, which also prevents waste dumping and bottom trawling, helps inch Canada closer to its international commitment to protect 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas by 2020.
Canada iZEV electric car incentive program begins May 1
Canada will provide a $5,000 rebate to electric and plug-in hybrid car buyers called iZEV and goes into effect on May 1.
Johnny Cash and Daisy Bates to replace Confederate and Jim Crow era statues on Capitol Hill
The likenesses of music legend Johnny Cash and civil rights icon Daisy Lee Gatson Bates will appear in the hallways of the U.S. Capitol in marble form, replacing two Confederate figures from the Civil War.
China’s electric vehicle sales grow 118% year on year and fossil sales fall 13% in Q1 2019
The China passenger car association’s first quarter figures are in, and electric vehicle sales continue their rapid rise, up 118% year on year, to over 254,000.