New York state divests from fossil fuels in historic move
The massive pension fund’s financial portfolio is worth $226 billion. The new plan is to sell off the riskiest gas and oil stocks and be completely divested from fossil fuels by 2025.
Today (2017 C.E. - 2025 C.E.)
This archive spans the years 2017 through 2025, a period marked by rapid advances in clean energy, medicine, technology, and social equity. It collects documented breakthroughs, policy wins, and scientific achievements from the present era. If you want evidence that progress is real and ongoing, this is where to look.
Ocean Cleanup launches plan to clean up plastic in the world’s most polluted rivers
The company is now preparing to scale up production of the Interceptor as it tries to reach its stated goal of cleaning up the world’s 1000 most polluting rivers.
U.N. reclassifies cannabis as a less dangerous drug
Cannabis is no longer classified as a Schedule IV drug as per WHO’s recommendation. The declassification opens up the door for more research into its medicinal and therapeutic uses.
Phase 1 human trial for universal flu vaccine reports promising results
The Phase 1 trial, led by researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, found this experimental vaccine to be both safe and effective at generating a long-term immune response in a small number of healthy adults.
MDMA-assisted couples therapy shows promising initial results in landmark pilot trial
The new study reports the addition of MDMA to the couples therapy protocol resulted in effects that were, “on par with, or greater than, those achieved with CBCT [cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy] alone.”
U.S. Supreme Court hands victory to transgender students in locker room case
The Supreme Court has declined to take up a case brought by Oregon parents who want to exclude transgender students from school locker rooms and restrooms.
India plans enormous 41.5 GW hybrid wind & solar power park
For perspective, that is almost as much solar as is currently installed in the entire United States.
Secondhand clothing sales are booming in the United States
According to a new report, the U.S. secondhand clothing market will more than triple in the next 10 years – from $28b in 2019 to $80b in 2029. In 2019, secondhand clothing expanded 21 times faster than conventional apparel retail did.
14 countries commit to ocean sustainability initiative
Governments from 14 countries responsible for 40% of the world’s coastlines and 20% of global fisheries have committed to sustainably manage their national waters by 2025 and encouraged all other nations to join them by 2030.
Switzerland is set to be the next country to legalize marriage equality
The Council of States passed a law that would legalize marriage equality with a 22-15 vote, with seven abstentions. The lower house passed the bill this past June. The bill now goes back to the National Council for final approval and it is expected to pass before the end of the year.