Good News

A welcome break from the other news

The news can be discouraging these days. As the American government continues to gut climate and environmental protections, permit mining, drilling and logging in national parks and sacred lands, it’s good to know that many other countries are working hard to preserve and protect the natural environment.

Here are a few examples to brighten your day.

Each year, the Goldman Environmental Prize is awarded to grassroots environmental champions from around the world. In 2026, all six winners are women. Their activism focuses on open pit mining, fracking, carbon emissions, oil drilling, mining remediation and the impact of human-caused wildfires on endangered species. In each of these areas, the winners have changed environmental policies not just within their own countries but have established precedents that will have an impact around the world. You can read their stories here.

In Canada, the government has announced a new plan to double land and marine conservation by 2030. This will include new national parks and wildlife areas as well as new marine protected and conserved areas across Canada’s three oceans.

Earlier this year, the High Seas Treaty became legally binding, requiring all signing countries to strengthen global ocean protection and mitigate climate breakdown. Out of 198 UN member countries, 145 have signed the treaty (including Canada and the United States) and 89 have ratified it. By signing the agreement, countries are committed to ratifying it and moving forward with action. Check to see if your country is on the map.

The UN has also announced that renewable energy sources have reached a positive tipping point. Solar and wind power are now cheaper than the lowest-cost fossil fuel. Solar power is 41% less expensive and wind power is 53% cheaper globally than coal, oil and natural gas. The UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, suggests we are at the dawn of a new energy era. With a focus on green energy, the sources are no longer influenced by the decisions of a few.

“There are no price spikes for sunlight. No embargoes on wind.”

~ Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary General

Photo: J Wise

And in Japan, another source of energy has been harnessed. No wind turbines, no solar panels, no fossil fuels. It’s called osmotic power and it’s created by the pressure where fresh water and salt water meet. In Fukuoka, Japan, a new power plant uses this system to power 220 local households. As this process is being expanded, researchers are also developing systems to convert CO₂ into synthetic fuel, with a plan for partial implementation by 2030. Two new forms of energy from sources that are always present, steady and dependable.

Glimmers of hope and potential for a brighter, sustainable future for all of us.

---