Indonesia adds sustainability to its timber legality system
In the past, the system was designed only to ensure that all timbers produced in Indonesia were from legal sources, not from illegal deforestation.
Nations
This archive collects stories from Good News for Humankind involving nations — countries and their governments — as key actors in progress. Across 1,807 articles, you’ll find reporting on policy wins, international cooperation, and measurable improvements in health, climate, rights, and more.
Lynx, wild horses and vultures return to eastern Spain in latest rewilding project
Rewilding Europe’s 10th project spans 2.1 million acres in the Iberian highlands east of Madrid, one of the continent’s least populated areas.
France to require all large parking lots to be covered by solar panels
The new provisions are part of French president Macron’s large-scale plan to heavily invest in renewables, which aims to multiply by 10 the amount of solar energy produced in the country.
Cases of blindness and visual impairment in India have declined by roughly 50% since 2010
According to a recent study for estimating the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment in the Indian population, more than one fourth of people in India aged 50 years and above are visually impaired.
Jaguar populations in Mexico are rebounding thanks to conservation efforts
In Mexico, the number of jaguars is now growing, increasing to 4,766 animals in 2018 from 4,025 in 2010, a promising sign that conservation strategies are working.
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and Scotland pledge more than 200 million euros for climate damages in the Global South
Rich nations, which bear the brunt of responsibility for warming the atmosphere, have long resisted making such payments, seeking to avoid assuming legal liability for their contributions to climate change.
Prevalence of dementia is declining among older Americans
The age-adjusted prevalence of dementia declined from 12.2 percent of people over age 65 in 2000 to 8.5 percent of people over age 65 in 2016—a nearly one-third drop from the 2000 level, according to a new RAND Corporation study.
Niue designates its entire exclusive economic zone as a marine park
The small island nation in the South Pacific Ocean has designated its entire exclusive economic zone — an area about the size of Vietnam — as a multiple-use marine park called Niue Nukutuluea.
Ethiopia’s warring sides agree to a permanent cessation of hostilities
This “monumental” breakthrough formally ends a two-year war that has displaced millions and threatened to destabilize a swath of the continent.
Trans people in the U.S. can now easily update their gender with the Social Security Administration
The Social Security Administration has announced that it is now possible to self-select sex on Social Security records without the need to provide any legal or medical proof of a gender change.