Good News Links

Mail-in ballot with pen

Colorado to be first state in the U.S. to expand automatic voter registration to tribes

Tribal communities in Colorado share some of the same registration and voting barriers as other rural communities across the U.S., like geographic isolation and unreliable mail delivery. But according to the Native American Rights Fund, tribal communities also commonly experience obstacles like language barriers, a lack of voter registration opportunities, and state laws in some parts of the country that block polling places on tribal lands.

Silhouette of an airplane

Denmark introduces “green tax” for sustainable aviation

Revenue from the new measure is expected to contribute to sustainable fuel use in domestic air transportation by the end of the decade, as well as a pensioner bonus increase of approximately $2.18 billion annually for those receiving the smallest benefits. The Danish government’s goal is to have the nation’s first exclusively green-fueled domestic route operating by 2025.

Waving a pride flag

Thailand to legalize same-sex marriage

The Southeast Asian country will become the third Asian nation, after Taiwan and Nepal, to legalize same-sex marriage. A new amendment to its Civil and Commercial Code will change the words “men and women” and “husband and wife” to “individuals” and “marriage partners.” The next step will be an amendment to the country’s pension fund law to recognize same-sex couples.

Sahara scimitar Oryx

North Africa’s scimitar horned oryx becomes first species ever to be downlisted from extinct in the wild to endangered

The scimitar horned oryx was once widespread across North Africa, but in the 1980’s the population began to plummet – largely due to the antelopes being hunted. In 2000, the species was declared Extinct in the Wild by the IUCN Red List. Now, thanks to a conservation partnership coordinated by the Environment Agency of Abu Dhabi, its fate has been reversed.