Panama legally recognizes rights of nature
The new law could have major implications for Panama’s land and energy development policies, which are now required to respect and protect the natural world’s new rights.
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.
Light-duty plug-in electric vehicle sales in the United States nearly doubled from 2020 to 2021
The rapid growth in plug-in electric vehicle sales from 2020 to 2021 is remarkable in the context of overall light-duty vehicle sales, which increased by only 3% during the same period.
World’s first CO2 emissions tariff to be introduced in the E.U. by 2026
The EU wants to introduce CO2 emissions costs on imports of steel, cement, fertilizers, aluminum and electricity, from 2026.
Ukraine and Moldova join European power grid, ending their dependence on Russia
ENTSO-E, whose 39 members operate the world’s largest interconnected electrical grid, said the move means they will be able to help maintain the stability of the nations’ power systems.
E.U. looks to cut reliance on Russian gas with new investment in climate-friendly heat pumps
The EU will target programs and policies to accelerate the installation of clean, efficient heat pumps to the tune of 10 million new heat pump installations in the next five years.
Giant floating solar panel flowers replace coal in Korea become a tourist destination
The solar project on the 17-mile-long reservoir in Hapcheon is able to generate 41.5 megawatts, enough to provide power for 60,000 people more than the total population of the county.
U.S. Congress passes bill named after Emmett Till to make lynching a hate crime
The bill would make it possible to prosecute a crime as a lynching when a conspiracy to commit a hate crime results in death or serious bodily injury.
The Philippines raises the age of sexual consent from 12 to 16
Prior to the new law, the Philippines had the second lowest age for sexual consent worldwide, next to Nigeria’s age of 11, according to Child Rights Network.
U.S. officially enacts Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault Act into law
The law is retroactive, freeing individuals who have been bound by arbitration language to pursue legal action against their harassers.
Nearly 200 countries pass historic resolutions linking animal welfare and the environmental crisis
The crucial resolution will help develop a better understanding of the relationship between improving animal welfare and tackling the drivers of wildlife loss, climate change, pollution and pandemic diseases.