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.

Silhouette of wind turbines, for article on UK wind power

British wind power overtakes gas for the first time

By / / Good News For Humankind

Wind power just crossed a historic line in the U.K., supplying 32.4% of the country’s electricity in the first quarter of 2023 — narrowly beating gas at 31.7%. It’s the first time on record that wind farms have outpaced gas plants over a full quarter, and renewables together delivered nearly 42% of Britain’s power. Decades of offshore wind investment, falling turbine costs, and the urgency triggered by Europe’s 2022 energy shock all helped get the country here. The lead researcher called it a “genuine milestone,” and rightly so. For climate movements everywhere, it’s quiet proof that energy transitions, however slow and contested, really do arrive — and once the turbines are built, the wind keeps blowing for free.

Japanese flag, for article on Japan abortion pill

Japan approves first abortion pill

By / / Good News For Humankind

Japan’s first abortion pill won approval in 2023, and clinical trials there showed 93% of participants had a complete abortion within 24 hours using the two-pill combination. Until that vote, Japan had been one of the last developed nations offering only surgical options, including a method the World Health Organization calls obsolete. The ministry took the unusual step of opening a public comment period before deciding, drawing strong responses from doctors and advocates who had pushed for years. The approval is historic, though spousal consent requirements still shape who can actually access care. As reproductive rights contract in some countries and expand in others, Japan’s shift is a reminder that progress is uneven, hard-won, and worth celebrating wherever it lands.

New Zealand Parliament Buildings in Wellington, for article on New Zealand cabinet gender parity

New Zealand cabinet reaches gender equality for the first time

By / / Good News For Humankind

New Zealand’s cabinet reached gender parity for the first time ever, with women and men now sharing the top table 10-10. The shift came when Prime Minister Chris Hipkins promoted Willow-Jean Prime, who holds the conservation and youth portfolios, bringing the number of Māori ministers in cabinet to a record six. Counting ministers outside cabinet too, women now outnumber men across the full ministerial ranks — a quieter milestone that may matter even more. It builds on 2020’s election of the most diverse parliament in the country’s history, including the highest share of female lawmakers in the OECD. For democracies still wrestling with who gets to govern, it’s a hopeful glimpse of what representative government can actually look like.