Good News for Humankind

The world’s latest milestones for climate, justice, freedom, peace, health, and more

November 25 – December 7 2024 C.E.

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Hi beautiful people,

The murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson this week, presumably by a disgruntled customer or employee, shook me.

On one hand, health insurance CEOs are among those I have the least respect for. In my mind, the health insurance industry and the healthcare industry as a whole in the U.S. is an absolute travesty of justice. My family alone has been subjected to endless hours fighting for obviously necessary coverage for our newborn children; nearly always met with a complete lack of decency and competence. How many millions around the country have died or lived lives of needless suffering and indignity due to the industry’s greed?

On the other, even the most callous CEOs deserve a world free from violence, just like the rest of us. More than that, murders like this endanger countless others, emboldening people to inflict violence on those they disagree with or who have slighted them.

This week’s events shook me so much because they bring up many strong, conflicting feelings. Honestly, some part of me is kind of thrilled, hoping this might catalyze a true reckoning. And then another part of me is disgusted with that part. And then another part of me is terrified that vigilante justice will become the norm and sew widespread terror.

Through all of that, what’s coming through most clearly is that what I want is a world free from violence. However, it must be said: today’s health insurance industry in the U.S. is itself a form of white-collar violence just as heinous and unacceptable as cold-blooded murder on the street. Everyone on this planet deserves healthcare systems that actually intend to care for them. We are not getting that, and it is killing us.

I will not resort to violence to get my point across. But I do intend to be a lot less polite about it moving forward. Will you join me?

Love, Peter

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Calendar

• ​GET S*** DONE: Anti-Procrastination Work Group​ on Monday, December 9 at 12:30-2pm PT (online)
• ​Bellingham Men’s Circle​ on Monday, December 16 from 6-8pm PT (in-person)

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​Indonesia aims to phase out all coal-fired and fossil fuel power plants by 2040​

Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto has announced his country will seek to phase out all coal-fired and fossil fuel power plants by 2040, pairing the goal with a target to build over 75 GW of renewable energy capacity over the same period. This brings forward Indonesia’s goal of retiring coal-fired power plants from 2056 to 2040. As the world’s fifth-largest operator of coal-fired power capacity at 52.3 GW, Indonesia’s promise to transition completely away from coal could serve as a pivotal step towards global decarbonization if implemented as planned.

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​Australia passes social media ban for children under 16​

Australia has approved a social media ban for children aged under 16 after an emotive debate that has gripped the nation, setting a benchmark for jurisdictions around the world with one of the toughest regulations targeting Big Tech. The law forces tech giants from Instagram and Facebook owner Meta to TikTok to stop minors logging in or face fines of up to $32 million USD. A trial of methods to enforce it will start in January with the ban to take effect in a year.

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​Cervical cancer deaths are plummeting among young women in the U.S.​

Every year, thousands of American women die of cervical cancer. However, from 1992 to 2015, the number of deaths due to cervical cancer among U.S. women under the age of 25 fell steadily from each three-year period to the next, dropping roughly 75% altogether over that span. The sharp decline in cervical cancer deaths is likely due, at least in part, to the widespread introduction of the HPV vaccine in 2006.

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​Solar power booms in Pakistan​

Sky-high power prices are fueling a massive solar buildout in Pakistan. Solar is gaining traction on farms and factories after the government cut electricity subsidies, causing prices to spike. In many places, electric bills cost more than rent, and blackouts are common. Panels purchased in 2024 amount to 17 GW of capacity, enough to raise Pakistan’s total power capacity by a third.

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​Turkmenistan to join global wildlife trade convention CITES​

The Central Asian nation is set to join the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) beginning in 2025. Home to many charismatic and widely traded species, such as the Persian leopard, snow leopard, peregrine falcon and markhor goat, this move is a step toward regulating the legal wildlife trade and preventing the illegal trade in Turkmenistan and the whole of Central Asia.

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​Indonesia begins operating its first-ever utility wind farm​ (2018 C.E.)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo inaugurated the 247-acre Sidrap Wind Farm in Sindereng Rappang Regency, South Sulawesi, in July 2018. It immediately became the largest of its kind in Southeast Asia and among the first major non-hydro renewable energy projects in the world’s fourth most populous nation. The farm produces 75 MW of electricity and can power up to 70,000 households.

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​Indonesia decommisions its last-ever coal-fired power plant​ (2039 C.E.)

As of 2024, Indonesia was the world’s fifth-largest operator of coal-fired power capacity. At that time, Indonesia had nearly 10 GW of new coal-fired capacity already under construction, a further 5 GW in various early stages of development, and zero megawatts retired since 2000. However, its ambitious 2024 plan to phase out all coal-fired power plants proved a key turning point, catalyzing a rapid succession of coal plant closures. By 2039, Indonesia closed its last remaining plant, a major milestone in humanity’s mission to net-zero carbon emissions.

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These milestones have been added to the ​Archive of Human Genius​ – our database of social change milestones – past, present & future.