Brazil’s Amazon deforestation drops 34% under Lula
From January to June the rainforest had alerts for possible deforestation covering 2,650 square kilometres, down from 4,000 sq km during the same period last year under former leader Jair Bolsonaro.
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Twelve African countries will receive 18 million doses of the first-ever malaria vaccine
The first doses are expected to arrive during the last quarter of the year, with rollout set to start in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Niger, Sierra Leone and Uganda by early 2024.
Kenya is launching Africa’s biggest school meals program
Under the new scheme, 250,000 children living in the country’s capital Nairobi will receive a hot meal every day.
Scientists create novel edible, biodegradable food packaging to replace plastic
The developers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong believe the new bacterial-cellulose-based material can offer a sustainable, easily available and non-toxic solution to plastics in food packaging.
U.K. achieves huge gains in 5-year survival rates of early breast cancer
A new U.K. study has found that, compared to 20 years ago, women diagnosed today with early invasive breast cancer and initially treated with surgery are 66% less likely to die from the disease.
U.N. agencies head up new $115 million push for healthier oceans
The Clean and Healthy Oceans strategy from the U.N.’s Food and Agriculture Organization aims to curb land-based pollution of our oceans through policy and regulatory innovation, infrastructure investments, and nature-based solutions.
Canada officially bans cosmetic animal testing and trade
This landmark decision is part of the Budget Implementation Act, not only prohibiting cosmetic animal testing but also putting an end to the sale of cosmetics that use new animal testing data for safety substantiation.
Indonesia and Malaysia have cut deforestation in half in last half-decade
Across both countries, average yearly forest loss fell dramatically between the years 2015-2017 and 2020-2022, with Indonesia seeing a 64 percent decline and Malaysia a 57 percent decline.
New Zealand bans thin plastic fruit and vegetable bags in world first
The new ban will also extend to plastic straws and cutlery, as the nation’s government expands its campaign against single-use plastics, which began in 2019 when it banned plastic carrier bags.
Solar accounts for 82% of India’s total power capacity growth in 2022
In 2022, India installed 13 GWac of new solar power capacity, 27% more than it installed in 2021, which was its previous best year ever.