England to ban glue traps in ‘momentous victory’ for wildlife
Protected and endangered species including hedgehogs, birds, bats, and pet cats have been known to sustain injuries in glue traps, many of which are fatal.
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.
New Zealand’s new machine revolutionizes its e-waste recycling
The new system shreds and sorts e-waste in an enclosed negative pressure system and can recover up to 90 percent of materials.
Denmark announces aggressive carbon tax
Companies that do not pay for their pollution in the EU quota system now must pay DKK 750 per ton of CO2 they emit.
Taiwan’s ‘biggest offshore wind farm’ generates its first power
According to Orsted, the facility will eventually generate enough power to meet the needs of 1 million households in Taiwan.
Formerly warring factions in Burundi have now planted over 150 million trees together since 2018
In 2018, Burundi launched a vast national reforestation program to boost the country’s dwindling forest cover, which will run until 2025.
Spain bans harassment of women entering abortion clinics
The legal changes mean that anyone harassing a woman going into an abortion clinic will be committing a crime that can be punished with up to one year in prison.
U.S. forgives 40,000 student loans, provides aid to 3.6 million more
The government said it was addressing “historical failures” to communicate to borrowers all the benefits they were eligible for in federal student loan programs.
India’s extreme poverty down by 12% in last decade, according to World Bank
The global bank’s policy research team said the poverty headcount in the country has dropped from 22.5% in 2011 to 10.2% in 2019 with rural areas showing better results.
Sweden becomes world’s first country to include emissions used to produce imported goals in its climate targets
Greta Thunberg has long argued that rich countries need to take responsibility for and reduce emissions from imported goods.
Japan’s greenhouse gas emissions fall 5.1% in 2020/21 to record low
In April 2021, Japan, the world’s fifth-biggest carbon emitter raised its climate goal, pledging to trim emissions by 46 percent from 2013 levels by 2030 instead of its previous target of 26 percent.