2024 was a record year for the installation of renewable energy around the world. 92.5% of all new electricity brought online came from clean energy sources, most notably solar and wind power. Get all the details on today's "What's Right with the World".
What's Right: New Zealand on Track for 100% Renewable Electricity
The New Zealand Electricity Authority predicts that by 2040, 100% of their electricity grid will come from renewable energy, a potentially historic milestone. Get all the details on today's "What's Right with the World".
What's Right: Healthy Oceans Despite Overfishing
Despite decades of overfishing, Southeast Asia’s fishing ecosystem has remained consistently healthy, according to a new study out of Hokkaido University in Japan. Get all the details on today's "What's Right with the World".
What's Right: Lowest UK Emissions Since 1872
The United Kingdom’s 2024 emissions fell to their lowest level since 1872. While the pace of emissions cuts would need to accelerate a little bit to reach the UK’s net-zero goal for 2050, this is a promising sign in the fight against climate change. Get all the details on today's "What's Right with the World".
What's right: plastic import ban Thailand
Thailand bans plastic waste imports, tackling toxic pollution, but global treaty delays and enforcement gaps risk continued harm from microplastics and burning waste, experts warn.
What's right: Belgium's ban on disposable vapes
Belgium bans disposable vapes, tackling teen nicotine addiction and environmental waste, while urging the EU to adopt tougher tobacco regulations.
What's right: Hope for the Aral Sea region
From a vanished sea to a desert reborn—discover how bold restoration efforts are bringing hope to the Aral Sea region.
What's right: Redefining economic growth
The UK is redefining economic growth with Gross Inclusive Income (GII), a new measure that includes sustainability, well being, and non-monetary factors beyond traditional GDP.
What's right: Britain's single-use vape ban
The British government has announced a ban on single-use vapes starting next June. The ban is aimed at reducing both environmental damage and the rising use of vapes among children.
What's right: new EU limits for air pollutants
EU environment ministers have approved stricter EU limits for air pollutants, such as harmful gases and particulate matter. This revision of the Ambient Air Quality Directive has been welcomed by environmentalists and public health advocates.
What's Right: California tackles fashion waste
California is about to become the first US state to tackle the fast fashion waste that overwhelms consumers and landfill, by requiring clothing producers to create and fund a recycling system. It shifts the responsibility from consumers to producers.
What's right: from straightened rivers to meandering ones
Restoring rivers to their natural state, removing dams and managing floodplains could help us cope with today's higher flood risk. Various restoration projects are underway across Europe to undo the 'straightening' of rivers and add more curves and trees.
What's right: Bordeaux to ban cruise ships from centre
Bordeaux is moving towards a ban on cruise ships in the city centre. The move comes after complaints that the liners are an eyesore and cause environmental damage.
What's right: woolly mammoth to return?
The de-extinction company Colossal will bring back animals that are extinct starting with a woolly mammoth calf born from genetically modified elephant cells.
What's right: Brazil's Amazon deforestation down by nearly half
Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest slowed by nearly half compared to a year before. It's the largest reduction since 2016, when officials began using the current method of measurement. President Luiz Lula da Silva has pledged that deforestation must be zero by 2030.
Local Matters: Happy Earth Overshoot Day
On 1 August, we reached earth overshoot day. According to Greenpeace Luxembourg, the Grand Duchy could make a major impact to improve the situation worldwide. To get all the details, listen to this week's Local Matters.
What's Right: 80% less plastic bags on UK beaches
The number of plastic bags found on beaches in the United Kingdom has dropped by 80% over the past decade due to the introduction of fees for single-use plastic bags. Get all the details on today's "What's Right with the world".
Residents oppose the Bascharage bypas construction
For years, residents of Bascharage have been opposing the plans of the commune to build a bypass road. The municipality argues that the bypass would keep drive-through traffic out of the city centre. Residents however fear that the road will destroy local forests. Now, they took their fight to court. On Local Matters, Patrizia Arendt, president of the citizens' initiative Bigs, explains why they oppose the infrastructure works.
What's right: a possible answer to destroying Forever Chemicals
A Swiss startup may have the answer to destroying forever chemicals, or PFAS. The company has developed nano particles that can oxidize and destroy the bonds between the molecules that, together, combine to PFAS. The individual parts, or building blocks, are safe to dispose of.
What's right: Why whales become legal persons
Courts across the globe have started granting personhood to animals, rivers and forests - so that their rights can be protected in court. Get all the details on today's "What's right with the world".