Good news for humankind!
The world’s latest milestones for climate, justice, peace, health, and more
May 13 – 19, 2024 C.E.
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.
Liechtenstein legalizes same-sex marriage
Liechtenstein’s parliament has voted to legalize same-sex marriage, making it the 22nd country in Europe to do so. Lawmakers in the German-speaking microstate voted nearly unanimously in favor of the measure, with 24 of the 25 MPs supporting it, Liechtensteiner Vaterland reported.
Crime in England and Wales has plummeted 80% in 30 years
As of 2024, violence, burglary, and car crime have been declining for 30 years and by close to 90%, according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW). The drop in violence includes domestic violence and other violence against women. Anti-social behavior has similarly declined. While increased fraud and computer misuse now make up half of crime, this mainly reflects how far the rates of other crimes have fallen.
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.
Sei whales reappear in Argentine waters after nearly 100 years
News from Argentina shows that the benefits of the 1946 International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling are still compounding, with sei whales returning to the South American nation’s coastal waters for the first time in nearly a decade. Overhunting during the 1920s and 1930s led these massive blue-grey giants to abandon their ancestral waters in Argentina.
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.
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.
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.
Church of the Eagle and the Condor can now drink ayahuasca legally in the U.S.
Ayahuasca is a psychoactive brew traditionally used by Indigenous cultures in the Amazon and Orinoco. It is now often used to help treat depression, PTSD, trauma, and other mental illnesses and to promote spiritual and emotional development. The Church of the Eagle and the Condor is officially the first non-Christian church in the U.S to obtain legal protections to use it as a sacrament.
New mRNA cancer vaccine triggers fierce immune response to fight malignant brain tumor
In a first-ever human clinical trial of adult patients, an mRNA cancer vaccine developed at the University of Florida reprogrammed the immune system to attack glioblastoma, the most aggressive and lethal brain tumor. The results mirror those in 10 pet dog patients suffering from brain tumors, as well as results from preclinical mouse models. The breakthrough will now be tested in a Phase 1 pediatric clinical trial.
India’s Cochin International becomes world’s first fully solar-powered airport (2015 C.E.)
Cochin International, in the state of Kerala, transformed a patch of land previously reserved for cargo handling into a 12-megawatt solar plant. This energy source – now featuring more than 46,000 solar panels – provides all the power the airport needs and even generates surplus for the state. Costing less than $10 million USD, the project likely recouped all development costs within the first five years of operation.
For first time ever, India generates half of its energy from non-fossil fuel sources (2030 C.E. ???)
Through massive investments in solar and wind energy generation and aggressive decommissioning of coal-fired power plants, India reaches its ambitious 2030 renewable energy targets on time, becoming a global renewable energy leader in the process.
These milestones have been added to the Archive of Human Genius, our database of social change milestones – past, present & future.
