Hope For The Planet

Amazon deforestation in Brazil was halved between 2022 and 2025--experts expect it to hit the lowest level on record this year. Compared to the policies of the previous regime, an area the size of Wales was saved from clear-cutting. #goodnews

We are mostly on target to meet the goal of protecting 30% of the Earth's land by 2030--we're already at around 20% of land protected and following through on existing commitments will get us to 27%. #goodnews

For the first time in history, fewer than half of the new cars sold globally were gas cars. This is largely credited to the sharp increases and overall instability of oil prices over the past months. EV sales were in a slump at the beginning of 2026, but they are now up 35% globally. #goodnews

The Devil's Hole pupfish, one of the rarest fish in on Earth, looked to be in a hopeless situation last year when earthquakes disrupted their food supply. After captive-bred fish were released into the wild and conditions improved, this year's count shows that the population has nearly doubled.

The US Department of Energy attempted to fabricate an energy "emergency" to keep coal plants operating (at the cost of hundreds of millions of dollars) after their planned retirements. Courts blocked this order due to the lack of emergency in another blow to US coal. #goodnews

Turkmenistan has the worst methane leaks in the world. After receiving alerts from the UN's Methane Alert and Response System, Turkmenistan took action to stop eight of some of its worst leaks. While this is a first step, mitigation efforts there seem to be increasing and making steady progress.

We now have rigorous pooled data showing that even without active restoration efforts, cleared rainforest can rebound to 75% of their former species composition and 90% of species diversity within just thirty years. #goodnews

In August, a Przewalksi's horse was born on the steppes of Kazakhstan for the first time in two centuries. The species became extinct in the wild in the 1960s, but has now been reintroduced to several countries in their native range thanks to decades of conservation work. #goodnews

A new analysis looked at when various green technologies should become self perpetuating. Solar and wind have already passed these tipping points in some locations and we could reach widespread tipping points for clean energy, heating, and transportation in only 2-8 years with supportive policies.

For a long time it was considered "common sense" that it would never be possible to electrify heavy freight trucks. Last year, sales of medium and heavy duty electric trucks grew by 86%. #goodnews

The total kakapo population has reached 325 birds after a hugely successful breeding season that added 90 new chicks. This is the first time the population has been over 300 birds since recovery efforts first started 75 years ago. #goodnews

According to a new report, in the US heat pump sales have already overtaken gas furnaces and are about to overtake traditional air conditioning units as well. Heat pumps are now installed in 46% of new build housing as well. #goodnews

It took the world over 60 years to reach the first terawatt of solar energy--but getting from the second to the third terawatt took only 18 months. Estimates have us reaching 9 terawatts in 2036 but solar growth has outpaced past estimates at every turn. #goodnews

Cooking over fuels like charcoal and firewood causes around 850,000 premature deaths every year in sub-Saharan Africa and makes up 45% of the region's carbon emissions. A recent addition of $900 million brings the funding commitment to increase clean cooking access to around $3.1 billion. #goodnews

In Cambodia, a rapid response team is helping to save some of the world's largest and most critically endangered fish when they end up as bycatch. Conservationists helped successfully release 92 giant fish in the last year after local communities called their 24 hour hotline for help. #goodnews

In 2013, Oregon created a pollinator task force to reduce bee deaths from harmful pesticide application practices. The state has not had any confirmed bee deaths from pesticides since 2020 and their rate of commercial hive collapse is 10% lower than the national average. #goodnews

Due to falling battery costs and cheaper operation, electric rickshaws and motorbikes are taking off in India. Around 70% of the three-wheeled vehicles sold in India in 2025 were electric. #goodnews

A new report affirms that Indigenous lands are so effective at carbon storage and biodiversity protection due to the knowledge and stewardship of the people that inhabit them. #goodnews

Over 10 years Mozambique has gone from nearly completely wiped out megafauna to reintroducing 39 white rhinos, 22 black rhinos, and 16 other species like elephants, hyenas, leopards, and zebras. #goodnews

Advances are rapidly increasing the energy output and affordability of geothermal energy. The new geothermal process used at the Newberry Volcano in Oregon produces ten times more energy than a traditional geothermal plant while requiring less than half the water and well drilling. #goodnews

A conservation nonprofit recently purchased a tract of land next to Great Smokey Mountains National Park, adding 600 acres to the protected park. The forest and wildlife habitat on the property will now be preserved for future generations rather than at risk of development. #goodnews

While 97% of China's electric ships are ferries, they are rapidly increasing their electric cargo ship capacity as well. Between 2022 and 2025 the number of electric cargo ships in use in China jumped from four to 42. #goodnews

After they were wiped out in the 1920s, efforts to restore Eurasian bison to Azerbaijan began in 2012, and the first 12 bison were released back into their native habitat in 2019. Now only seven years later, 25 wild born calves have been added to the Azerbaijan population. #goodnews

Scientists used a research AI to analyze over 45,000 coral reef observations to find places where reefs were more likely to survive higher ocean temperatures. The model predicted at least 64,000 square miles of reef would be able to survive rising ocean temperatures into 2050 and beyond. #goodnews

Scientists in China have developed a more efficient form of solar desalination that uses 47.4% less energy than alternatives. After the first year of testing, the scientists believe that at scale it would be able to desalinate water more cheaply than producing bottled water. #goodnews

California is offering no-cost, zero emissions appliances (ex. induction stoves, heat pumps) and efficiency upgrades (ex. smart thermostats, LED lights, better insulation) to low income households through a new program--improving carbon emissions, affordability, and indoor air quality. #goodnews

Over the last ten years, green economy companies have regularly performed about 12% better than the rest of the market--if considered their own industry, they would be the third largest in the world. #goodnews

The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems recently broke their own previously held solar panel efficiency record with a new solar panel design with 34.4% solar module efficiency. #goodnews

Four leatherback sea turtle nests were found in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore during this year's nesting season, which is the same number of nests that were discovered in total from 2015-2025. #goodnews

This trend is not limited to the UK, EV sales are up 39% in Germany, 85% in Italy, and 93% in France. #goodnews

For the first time, more electric vehicles were sold in the UK than gas cars over a 12 month period #goodnews

In the early 2000s a drug used to treat cattle caused Asian vulture populations to crash--by over 99% for some species. After twenty years of drug regulation, vulture safe zones, and conservation breeding centers, vulture populations have stabilized or in some cases fully recovered. #goodnews

There are now so many rooftop solar panels in Pakistan that they make up 1/5th of the country's total energy supply--all just from private families installing panels on their own homes. #goodnews

An international sustainability coalition set up test farms to provide coffee farmers in Uganda with the resources to apply regenerative agricultural techniques to their local farming conditions. The results have led to better yields, healthier soil, and more stable income for farmers. #goodnews

Colombia recently passed a law to enhance its ability to trace cattle that have been grazing on illegally deforested land. "Conservation groups said if the law works as intended, the country could make unprecedented progress in the fight against illegal deforestation." #goodnews

A new battery project in California is now the first in the country that can discharge stored, clean energy for up to eight hours at a time. The longer discharge time is a crucial next step in meeting 24 hour energy needs with clean power. #goodnews

Lack of access to refrigeration increases the risk of food waste on farms with unreliable electricity. Several African companies are solving this problem with solar-powered cold rooms. One company estimates that their services have reduced food spoilage from 50% to around 2%. #goodnews

Recent analysis of satellite data shows that mangrove forests--once considered the world's most threatened ecosystem--are no longer in decline and in fact the global coverage of mangrove forests has been increasing over the last 16 years due to restoration and natural habitat expansion #goodnews

When the turquoise dwarf gecko became a focus of the illegal pet trade, it's estimated that around 15% of the wild population was removed it just 5 years. Scientists worked to get the species legal protection and they bounced back to their pre-collection population numbers. #goodnews

French Polynesia has now protected 30% of their ocean from any extractive industry, making them the largest contributor to the 30x30 goal to preserve 30% of the Earth's habitat by 2030. The protected area is more than 2x the size of France. #goodnews

Twenty three North Atlantic right whale calves were born during the 2026 calving season--the most calves recorded in almost two decades. #goodnews

A recent study found Scottish seabed ecosystems can see a dramatic rebound after receiving trawling protections. These protected areas had three times as much marine life and twice as many species present after 10 years. Undisturbed seabed ecosystems can also function as carbon sinks. #goodnews

Bottom trawling has been banned in an area off the Sussex Coast supporting rare chalk reef and sandstone reef ecosystems. With this new law, nearly 30% of inshore waters around Sussex are protected from trawling. #goodnews

The new Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing will be the largest in the world when it opens, covering 10 lanes of traffic. California is also planning five smaller crossings, three over Interstate 15. These crossings help connect wildlife habitat and decrease vehicle collisions. #goodnews

Some really good climate anxiety tips from excellent leaders and activists in the space! While this is a complicated issue that can't be addressed with a single list, hopefully this can direct you to good resources to use in the future #climateanxiety

Germany has a legal commitment to fully phase out coal energy by 2038, but is currently on track to phase coal out by 3032 based on market factors alone. #goodnews

Collectively, the Global South is showing up the rest of the world in transitioning to renewable energy. One in five Global South countries have already overtaken the Global North in electrification and renewable adoption. #goodnews

One quarter of all new car sales in 2025 were EVs (electric vehicles) and current trends indicate that 28% of new car sales will be EVs in 2026. EV trends are even stronger in some regions, with EVs projected to reach around 60% of new car sales in China this year. #goodnews

Shanghai is moving towards operating a zero-waste circular economy. Household recycling is up to 45% due to mandatory sorting requirements and industrial recycling is nearing 98%. Recycled items include everything from aluminum to kitchen waste to industrial and medical waste. #goodnews

Scientists have developed a new solar-powered form of desalination that collects waste salt in solid form rather than releasing it as brine. This not only avoids the high energy expenditure of traditional desalination, but also means useful minerals can be harvested from the waste salt #goodnews