The City of Sydney has taken a pioneering step toward eliminating fossil fuels from its buildings. The council voted to mandate that all new major buildings must be built all-electric, effectively banning natural gas connections. This major policy shift is critical for accelerating the city’s transition to net-zero emissions. By removing indoor gas pollution, the mandate also creates healthier, safer urban environments for its residents.
A monumental conservation victory has been achieved with the recovery of the Eastern Australian humpback whale population. Once decimated, the population has rebounded to over 50,000 individuals, surpassing pre-whaling levels. This success, confirmed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC), proves the power of sustained international protection. By securing their migration corridor and enforcing a global ban, humanity successfully reversed the species’ decline.
In a landmark move, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia have formally recognized Palestine as an independent state.
This diplomatic action, hailed as a major step toward a two-state solution, is a powerful affirmation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. The coordinated effort signals a growing international consensus that a stable and lasting peace requires a sovereign Palestinian state existing alongside Israel.
While this move is largely symbolic and does nothing to mitigate the suffering happening in Gaza every day, it is perhaps still a moment of hope, demonstrating that diplomacy and international law can be key tools in resolving long-standing conflicts and moving toward justice.
In a landmark climate announcement, Australia has committed to a new target of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 62-70% below 2005 levels by 2035. This ambitious plan, which is backed by a comprehensive net zero strategy, is a significant step toward a sustainable future. The government’s plan emphasizes a transition to clean electricity, which will not only reduce pollution but also create new jobs and enhance the nation’s energy security.
Australia will cut student loan balances by 20%, delivering over A$16 billion in relief to three million people. A graduate with an average loan of A$27,600 will see about A$5,520 erased, with changes backdated to June 1, 2025, before a 3.2% inflation adjustment. The law also lifts the repayment threshold to A$67,000 in annual income, easing the burden on lower earners and delaying repayments for many.
Found in over 180 species of fungi these mushrooms have a long history of use in Indigenous spiritual and healing rituals in parts of Central and South America. Studies have found that 80% of patients who were given psilocybin experienced a drop in anxiety and depression that lasted for six months or more. David Seymour, New Zealand’s associate minister of health, said the new policy is a “real breakthrough.”
The massive new MPA in the South Pacific will cover the semi-autonomous French territory’s entire exclusive economic zone (EEZ), roughly 1.9 million square miles. It will include nearly 420,000 square miles of highly or fully protected ocean, an area twice the size of mainland France. Of this, some about 350,000 square miles will be fully protected. In these areas, no extractive fishing or mining will be allowed. About 72,000 square miles will be an artisanal fishing zone, only allowing traditional line fishing.
The virus’s ability to conceal itself inside white blood cells is a core challenge for scientists looking for a cure. It means there is a reservoir of HIV in the body, capable of reactivation, that neither the immune system nor drugs can access. Now, researchers from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection & Immunity in Melbourne have found a way to make the virus visible, paving the way to fully clear it from the body. UNAids estimates that one person died of HIV every minute in 2023.
The Samoan government has enacted a law establishing a plan to sustainably manage 100% of its ocean by 2030. The plan creates nine new marine protected areas that cover 30% of Samoa’s ocean, an area roughly the size of Taiwan. The MPAs mean that Samoa meets its 2020 agreement to protect 30% of Earth’s land and ocean by 2030. They ban activities that harm marine life or habitats, including fishing, mining, and drilling.
Act 96 will raise the state’s current transient accommodations tax by 0.75% for a total of 11% placed upon the nightly lodging rate, effective Jan. 1, 2026. The fee will apply to travelers staying in hotels, short-term vacation rentals, and for the first time ever, cruise ships. Tourist taxes are quickly emerging worldwide as more destinations face the impacts of over-tourism and climate change. Last year, Greece, Bali, and the Galápagos Islands all implemented or raised their fees on travelers to contribute to sustainability programs.
