French government to ban short domestic flights in favor of trains
After a long debate, the French National Assembly has voted to suspend all domestic flights on routes that can be traveled by direct train in less than 2.5 hours.
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.
Spain to subsidize electric vehicle sales with €800 million to 2023
Private buyers will be qualified for subsidies of up to €7,000 per vehicle. Authorities in small towns, as well as companies purchasing fleets to use them as taxis, could get even more.
Saudi Arabia plans to plant 50 billion trees
The Green Saudi and Green Middle East initiatives aim to take the crown of the world’s largest tree-planting effort—50 billion across the Arab states, as well as efforts at home to more than double the size of the Kingdom’s protected areas.
U.K. launches world’s largest ocean monitoring system
The U.K. government, under the Blue Belt program, has announced its plan to install underwater camera rigs for monitoring ocean wildlife across over 4 million square kilometers of ocean space.
Spain set to pilot four-day work week program
The €50m project provides funding to incentivize companies to try out the new schedule. Officials estimate that they will have the funding to sponsor 200 companies, impacting 3,000 to 6,000 employees.
The Netherlands to install a million EV chargers by 2030
By building the infrastructure, the Dutch government will make the transition to electric vehicles as seamless and painless as possible.
South Korea unveils $43 billion plan for world’s largest offshore wind farm
Offshore wind is about to get a new heavyweight: South Korea is investing $43 billion to build what would become the world’s largest offshore wind farm, planted in the shallow, breezy waters of the country’s Southwest Sea. The plan is remarkable not just for its scale but for how it came together. Local fishing leaders representing around 200 vessels — many initially opposed — signed on after winning compensation and equity stakes in the project itself. One cooperative leader who fought the plan now calls it something to work with, not against. For a mountainous country with little room for sprawling land-based renewables, this is a real path to displacing coal — and a template other coastal nations chasing net-zero will be watching closely.
U.S. military to release new trans-inclusive policies to reverse Trump’s military ban
The measures will allow service members to access gender-affirming health care, among other provisions.
U.S. announces measures to expand offshore wind energy production
The New Wind Energy Area off the coast of New Jersey will be available for lease to offshore wind companies and the federal government will also make $3 billion in funding available through its loan guarantee program to incentivize wind energy investment.
New Zealand approves paid leave for miscarriage
The country is expanding upon its public health policies surrounding reproductive rights and has unanimously approved a bill that gives mothers and their partners the right to paid leave following a miscarriage or stillbirth.