Portugal becomes fourth E.U. country to stop using coal plants
The Pego plant located 90 miles northeast of Lisbon stopped generating over the weekend, as Portugal became the fourth E.U. country to stop burning coal to produce electricity.
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.
U.S. Education Department announces $2 billion of student loans will be cancelled within weeks
Borrowers who are pursuing public service student loan forgiveness will be able to count previously ineligible student loan payments, get credit for late student loan payments that were late, and more.
India greatly enhances solar module manufacturing incentive
India has increased its incentive package for solar module manufacturing by a factor of 5, to $3 billion. This scheme is part of India’s efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in renewable power equipment.
Ecuador will expand the marine reserve encircling the Galápagos Islands
The current Galápagos Marine Reserve covers 133,000 square kilometers. The extension protects an additional 60,000 km2, protecting an important migration route for hammerhead sharks and leatherback turtles.
Bhutan, Suriname, and Panama are now “carbon-negative,” absorbing more emissions than they produce
What they have in common is strong protection of their carbon-absorbing forests alongside increasingly tough measures to hold down climate-changing emissions.
33 countries and 11 automakers pledge no new fossil fuel powered cars by 2040
In the latest announcement from COP26, nations, automakers, and local governments have pledged to ensure that all new cars are zero emission by 2040, and no later than 2035 in “leading markets.”
Ireland to become 15th European country to ban fur farming
Only three fur farms in Ireland have been active since 2014, however, all three farms are factory-scale operations that produce more than 110,000 pelts annually.
U.S. to begin regulating methane emissions from oil and gas wells
Oil and gas wells, even abandoned ones, are a huge source of emissions. The regulation of methane from oil and gas operations will cut methane emissions by an estimated 41 million tons between 2023 and 2035.
Portugal makes it illegal for your boss to text you after work in ‘game changer’ remote work law
Employers now face penalties for contacting workers outside of office hours. Companies will also have to help pay for expenses incurred by remote working.
Four Latin American countries join forces to form huge marine reserve
Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Costa Rica announced the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, a fishing-free corridor that will cover more than 200,000 square miles.