Finland commits to be carbon neutral by 2035
Finland will go carbon neutral by 2035, under a coalition deal published on Monday, setting one of the world’s earliest timelines for reaching that mark.
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Illinois to legalize marijuana sales, expunge criminal records for pot crimes
State lawmakers gave final approval to the bill Friday and Gov. JB Pritzker said he will sign the measure, which make Illinois the first state to legalize marijuana sales via its legislature.
U.K. creates “Blue Belt” marine protected area twice the size of England
An area nearly twice the size of England will become a “blue belt” of protected waters after the government created 41 new marine conservation zones.
E.U. and Bill Gates launch €100m clean energy innovation fund
The European Commission, European Investment Bank and Breakthrough Energy Ventures have launched ‘Breakthrough Energy Ventures Europe’: a €100m fund to support investments in clean energy.
New Zealand ‘wellbeing’ budget focuses resources on vulnerable populations
New Zealand’s Labour coalition government has unveiled its “world-first” well-being budget which offers billions for mental health services, child poverty, and family violence.
Brazil’s top court votes to make homophobia and transphobia crimes
Six out of 11 judges voted to consider discrimination against gays and transgender people equivalent to racism.
California lawmakers approve bill to give workers full pay for family leave
The legislation would give workers in the state 100% of their wages when on family leave.
World Health Organization removes transgender from list of mental disorders
The World Health Organization (WHO) has made history and removed transgender from its list of ‘mental disorders.’
Atlanta to create United States’s largest food forest for public
The move would result in the city’s first food forest and the largest of its kind in the country.
Colorado becomes first state in the United States to cap price of insulin
Diabetics in Colorado who use insulin to control their blood sugar levels won’t pay more than $100 per month for the drug starting in January.