Good News for Humankind
The world’s latest milestones for climate, justice, peace, health, and more
June 17 – 23 2024 C.E.
Namibia’s High Court decriminalizes homosexuality
The court’s ruling occurred in a case involving Friedel Dausab, a gay Namibian man, who argued that anti-gay sections of the country’s Immigration Control and Defense Acts constituted unfair discrimination and infringed on citizens’ fundamental rights. The court’s judges found that the laws unfairly discriminate between straight men, women, and gay men and were “based on prejudice and unfounded societal biases.”
Alberta’s last coal plant closes
Capital Power’s Genesee 2 facility — the last dedicated coal plant in the Canadian province — has officially gone offline. According to the latest forecast from the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO), it’s not expected to come back online ever. As recently as 2001, coal accounted for as much as 80% of the electricity on the province’s grid.
Iberian lynx no longer endangered after numbers improve in Spain and Portugal
Less than a quarter of a century after the Iberian lynx was feared to be only a whisker away from extinction, populations of the animal have recovered enough across Spain and Portugal for it to be moved from “endangered” to “vulnerable” on the global red list of threatened species. According to the latest census, the lynx population on the peninsula has risen from just 94 in 2002 to 2,021 last year.
Japanese scientists reverse Alzheimer’s synapse damage in mice
Scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology say they have reversed the signs of Alzheimer’s disease in lab mice by restoring the healthy function of synapses, critical parts of neurons that shoot chemical messages to other neurons. If the treatment successfully survives the gauntlet of clinical studies with human participants, it could potentially lead to a groundbreaking new treatment for humans suffering from the deadly disease.
Peru grants conservation status to 16,000-acre desert oasis site
Peru has granted formal conservation status to Lomas y Tillandsiales de Amara y Ullujaya, a unique fog oasis ecosystem on the arid Peruvian coastline. The state-owned land, which spans 15,936 acres in the Ica region of Southwest Peru and hosts hundreds of rare and threatened native species, will be protected for future research and exploration for at least three decades.
Thailand’s Senate overwhelmingly approves bill legalizing marriage equality
The bill will also allow LGBTQ+ couples to adopt children together. Though it still must be formally approved by King Maha Vajiralongkorn to become law, he is expected to support its passing. Once passed, it will make Thailand the third country in Asia and the first in Southeastern Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore set to issue 175,000 pardons for marijuana convictions
During a news conference, Moore said the executive order will affect “tens of thousands of Marylanders” convicted of misdemeanors. Some may have had more than one conviction pardoned through the process. Advocates praised the move as a way of removing barriers to housing, employment, or educational opportunities based on convictions for conduct that is no longer illegal.
First ever space-to-Earth solar power mission succeeds
A landmark test of beaming solar power to Earth from a satellite has concluded successfully after a year-long mission. Led by scientists at the California Institute of Technology, the mission completed all three of its primary experiments to test key technology for such an endeavor. They included a new origami-inspired solar panel structure, different cell designs, and a microwave transmitter.
New bowel cancer drug is found to be 100% effective
An immunotherapy drug could spare bowel cancer patients the need for surgery and chemotherapy after results showed it was effective in 100% of cases. Jemperli from British pharmaceutical company GSK showed “unprecedented results”, the firm said, with no evidence of disease in all patients treated. The data showed all 42 patients in a trial led by Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the U.S. had a complete response to treatment, with no evidence of tumors on scans.
Free contraception initiative helps Finland reduce teenage abortions by 66%
The number of abortions among women under 20 rose during the 1990s in Finland, leading the Nordic country to make morning-after pills available without prescription from 15 years of age and sexual education compulsory in all schools. As a result, the number of abortions fell 66% to 722 in 2023 from 2,144 in 2000 among all teenagers aged 19 or younger in Finland, while the drop was even steeper at 78% among those under 18 in the same period.
Lesotho legalizes homosexuality (2010 C.E.)
Before the current Penal Code Act, homosexuality was illegal for men in the Southern African nation as it is in many African nations, often punishable by prison or even death. However, in 2012, Lesotho became one of the first African nations to legalize homosexuality and in 2013 hosted its first Pride event.
All of the world’s countries formally legalize same-sex marriage (2065 C.E. ???)
The world’s last countries affirm the right of all adults to love who they love and marry the partner of their choice. The achievement not only offers justice and liberty for hundreds of millions of people, but further reduces the stigma against LGBTQ citizens around the world, fostering improved mental health and reducing bullying and violence.
These milestones have been added to the Archive of Human Genius – our database of social change milestones – past, present & future.
