We are building the world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news. Change is not only possible, it has happened consistently throughout human history.
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Era
- Tomorrow (2025 C.E. - ???)
- Today (2017 C.E. - 2024 C.E.)
- Post-modernity (1945 - 2016 C.E.)
- Modernity (1500 - 1945 C.E.)
- Post-classical (500 - 1500 C.E.)
- Civilization (3000 B.C.E. - 500 C.E.)
- Agriculture (10000 - 3000 B.C.E.)
- Prehistory (250000 - 10000 B.C.E.)
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2024 C.E. May 16
Bangladesh achieves major victory in olive ridley turtles conservation
This year, Bangladesh has seen its highest number of olive ridley turtle eggs, thanks to extensive conservation actions, including building awareness among local people and the vigilance of local conservation groups to ensure favorable conditions for the species. The number of eggs has increased by almost 53% compared with the previous year, from 8,096 to 12,425. Those tallies represent a significant jump from the 4,713 eggs recorded in 2020-2021 and 5,763 in 2022-23. The olive ridley is listed as an endangered turtle on the IUCN Red List.
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2024 C.E. May 15
Coal’s share of power capacity in India drops below 50% for first time since 1960s
India is rapidly emerging as a renewable energy powerhouse on the world stage with a surge in both capacity addition and tendering to add more plants, according to new research. Renewable energy accounted for 71.5% of the record 13,669 MW power generation capacity added by India in the first quarter of 2024, while coal’s share of total power capacity dropped below 50% for the first time since the 1960s.
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2024 C.E. May 13
Microsoft signs another reforestation-based carbon removal megadeal
Microsoft and nature-based climate solutions startup re.green have announced one of the largest-ever carbon removal agreements, with Microsoft purchasing 3 million tons of carbon removal credits over a 15-year period, generated through re.green’s reforestation projects in Brazil. The deal marks the second large-scale Brazil reforestation-focused carbon removal agreement for Microsoft, following a 1.5 million ton offtake deal with Brazil-based Mombak in December 2023, forming part of the tech giant’s initiative to become carbon negative by 2030.
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2024 C.E. May 11
World’s first wooden wind turbine blades installed in Germany
Wooden wind turbines promise to significantly reduce CO2 emissions during construction and production costs compared to current turbine blades. Designed and manufactured by Voodin Blade Technology, a German pioneer in wind turbine blade manufacturing, the laminated veneer lumber blades are a more sustainable construction material than current materials and allow for easier recycling of decommissioned blades.
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2024 C.E. May 10
Global sulfur dioxide emissions from shipping dropped sharply with the introduction of new rules in 2020
In 2020, the International Maritime Organization introduced strict limits on marine fuels: the maximum percentage of sulfur allowed in fuels fell from 3.5% to 0.5%. All ships worldwide had to comply. As a result, there was a dramatic fall in global sulfur dioxide emissions from over 10 million tonnes a year in 2019 to 3 million tonnes a year later, helping abate local air pollution and acid rain.
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2024 C.E. May 10
Brazil takes pioneering action to rewild howler monkeys
Brown howler monkeys, endemic to the Atlantic Forest in Brazil and Argentina, became one of the 25 most threatened primate species following a yellow fever outbreak in late 2016. In response, Brazilian government agencies and other conservation organizations launched a nationwide population management plan, the first of its kind in the country, focused on coordinating captive facilities with experts who could relocate animals to areas where populations have vanished or declined.
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2024 C.E. May 9
Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova elected North Macedonia’s first woman president
The 70-year-old law professor, who belongs to the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party, won the presidential runoff with a significant lead over her opponent, incumbent social democrat Stevo Pendarovski, receiving nearly 65% of the vote.
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2024 C.E. May 8
Groundbreaking at-home cervical cancer test granted ‘breakthrough’ status by U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The Teal Wand is an at-home self-collect device that aims to improve rates of screenings and provide a comfortable and accessible alternative to traditional pap smears. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now granted the Teal Wand with Breakthrough Device status; a designation awarded to medical devices that the FDA considers “life-saving” or “life-changing.”
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2024 C.E. May 8
30% of the world’s electricity came from renewable sources in 2023 for first time ever
Global renewable electricity production is growing at an unprecedented pace, according to a new report from climate think tank Ember. For the first time ever, in 2023, renewables supplied 30% of the world's annual electricity supply, thanks to the rapid deployment of solar and wind technology.
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2024 C.E. May 8
The world’s biggest carbon removal factory opens in Iceland
In 2021, the world's first large-scale carbon removal plant started sucking CO2 from the air in a remote corner of Iceland. Now Climeworks, the company behind it, has opened a version that’s ten times larger. The new plant, called Mammoth, has installed 12 modular containers so far. By the end of the year, it will have 72, with the capacity to capture around 36,000 tons of CO2 per year.
-
2024 C.E. May 16
Bangladesh achieves major victory in olive ridley turtles conservation
This year, Bangladesh has seen its highest number of olive ridley turtle eggs, thanks to extensive conservation actions, including building awareness among local people and the vigilance of local conservation groups to ensure favorable conditions for the species. The number of eggs has increased by almost 53% compared with the previous year, from 8,096 to 12,425. Those tallies represent a significant jump from the 4,713 eggs recorded in 2020-2021 and 5,763 in 2022-23. The olive ridley is listed as an endangered turtle on the IUCN Red List.
-
2024 C.E. May 15
Coal’s share of power capacity in India drops below 50% for first time since 1960s
India is rapidly emerging as a renewable energy powerhouse on the world stage with a surge in both capacity addition and tendering to add more plants, according to new research. Renewable energy accounted for 71.5% of the record 13,669 MW power generation capacity added by India in the first quarter of 2024, while coal’s share of total power capacity dropped below 50% for the first time since the 1960s.
-
2024 C.E. May 13
Microsoft signs another reforestation-based carbon removal megadeal
Microsoft and nature-based climate solutions startup re.green have announced one of the largest-ever carbon removal agreements, with Microsoft purchasing 3 million tons of carbon removal credits over a 15-year period, generated through re.green’s reforestation projects in Brazil. The deal marks the second large-scale Brazil reforestation-focused carbon removal agreement for Microsoft, following a 1.5 million ton offtake deal with Brazil-based Mombak in December 2023, forming part of the tech giant’s initiative to become carbon negative by 2030.
-
2024 C.E. May 11
World’s first wooden wind turbine blades installed in Germany
Wooden wind turbines promise to significantly reduce CO2 emissions during construction and production costs compared to current turbine blades. Designed and manufactured by Voodin Blade Technology, a German pioneer in wind turbine blade manufacturing, the laminated veneer lumber blades are a more sustainable construction material than current materials and allow for easier recycling of decommissioned blades.
-
2024 C.E. May 10
Global sulfur dioxide emissions from shipping dropped sharply with the introduction of new rules in 2020
In 2020, the International Maritime Organization introduced strict limits on marine fuels: the maximum percentage of sulfur allowed in fuels fell from 3.5% to 0.5%. All ships worldwide had to comply. As a result, there was a dramatic fall in global sulfur dioxide emissions from over 10 million tonnes a year in 2019 to 3 million tonnes a year later, helping abate local air pollution and acid rain.
-
2024 C.E. May 10
Brazil takes pioneering action to rewild howler monkeys
Brown howler monkeys, endemic to the Atlantic Forest in Brazil and Argentina, became one of the 25 most threatened primate species following a yellow fever outbreak in late 2016. In response, Brazilian government agencies and other conservation organizations launched a nationwide population management plan, the first of its kind in the country, focused on coordinating captive facilities with experts who could relocate animals to areas where populations have vanished or declined.
-
2024 C.E. May 9
Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova elected North Macedonia’s first woman president
The 70-year-old law professor, who belongs to the nationalist VMRO-DPMNE party, won the presidential runoff with a significant lead over her opponent, incumbent social democrat Stevo Pendarovski, receiving nearly 65% of the vote.
-
2024 C.E. May 8
Groundbreaking at-home cervical cancer test granted ‘breakthrough’ status by U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The Teal Wand is an at-home self-collect device that aims to improve rates of screenings and provide a comfortable and accessible alternative to traditional pap smears. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has now granted the Teal Wand with Breakthrough Device status; a designation awarded to medical devices that the FDA considers “life-saving” or “life-changing.”
-
2024 C.E. May 8
30% of the world’s electricity came from renewable sources in 2023 for first time ever
Global renewable electricity production is growing at an unprecedented pace, according to a new report from climate think tank Ember. For the first time ever, in 2023, renewables supplied 30% of the world's annual electricity supply, thanks to the rapid deployment of solar and wind technology.
-
2024 C.E. May 8
The world’s biggest carbon removal factory opens in Iceland
In 2021, the world's first large-scale carbon removal plant started sucking CO2 from the air in a remote corner of Iceland. Now Climeworks, the company behind it, has opened a version that’s ten times larger. The new plant, called Mammoth, has installed 12 modular containers so far. By the end of the year, it will have 72, with the capacity to capture around 36,000 tons of CO2 per year.