Eco-anxiety and climate doom – these are terms we hear a lot from green journalists – and often feel them.
There are many things to worry about in the climate and nature crisis. But when hopelessness becomes the dominant emotion, apathy can creep in. Three environmental educators were part of the Environmental Educators Network last year. EcoTok, penned This piece is perfect for usHow to deal with eco-anxiety. Christiana Figueres describes it.
The media plays a significant role in combating climate doom. It is our responsibility to be truthful in reporting and not try to downplay or greenwash the reality. But, it’s also our responsibility to show that there is still hope!
As such, 2022 will be part of our An ongoing effort to reduce eco-anxietyWe will be keeping an eye on all positive environmental stories this year, both those of our readers as well as our own.
This article will be kept updated with the most recent news. It could be something small and local or something that made us laugh, or even something huge and potentially life-changing.
If you find a positive, great story that we haven’t covered, please reach out to us via social media. InstagramOr TwitterPlease share your thoughts.
Positive environmental stories starting March 2022
Italian fisherman sinks illegal boats with “other worldly” underwater sculptures
Paulo Fanciulli has been fishing along the wild Maremma coast for more than 40 years. He began to notice signs of illegal trawling in the late 1980s and decided to take action.
With 39 sculptures of Carrera marble, the ‘House of Fish’ sculpture park was created. They grab on the heavy nets used illegally by fishermen and encourage marine wildlife back into the water.
After 15 years of living in a train carriage, this tiger family is starting a new chapter.
A family of four tigers was abandoned by the circus and spent years living in cramped train carriages in Argentina. They had never felt grass under their feet or walked on the ground.
After being discovered in 2021 by authorities, a team made up of veterinarians and wildlife experts from Four Paws International spent many months trying to relocate them.
After a 70-hour journey, they arrived at their new home, LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary, South Africa. They’ll be closer to their natural habitat than they have been for years, maybe even the first time.
Panama adopts new law that grants nature the ‘right of existence’
Panama’s groundbreaking new legislation gives nature the “right of existence, persistance and regeneration.” This means that parliament will now have the responsibility to evaluate the impact of its laws on the natural environment.
The country joins Chile, New Zealand and Chile, which all have granted nature legal protection through their constitutions and the courts.
This billionaire wants Australia’s coal-fired power plants to be purchased – in order to shut them down
Climate change is often a topic that has a negative reputation for billionaires. Mike Cannon Brookes, Australia’s third richest man, is trying to change this.
He is frustrated with the Australian government’s disregard for climate change and is trying to purchase three of the country’s remaining coal power stations. The plan is to do the impossible by closing them down permanently and replacing them with renewable energy.
UN signs landmark plastic pollution treaty with UN: ‘Most important environmental deal since Paris’
After they agreed to establish the first global plastic pollution treaty, government officials blew the whistle in what the UN Environment Agency called “the most significant environmental agreement since the Paris accord”.
While the details of this final, legally binding agreement are still being worked on, they could have significant ripple effects on the economies and businesses all over the world. It is expected to be completed by 2024.
Positive environmental stories starting February 2022
China opens the first vertical forest city to residents
We love Stefano Boeri, an Italian architect. His latest project in China is another example of biophilic design at its best.
The forest city will absorb about 20 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, while releasing approximately 10 tonnes.
The buildings are simply stunning.
Blasting bananas in light could lead to more eco-friendly biomass
It’s a long headline but we will try to keep it short. It turns out, that renewable energy can be instantly created by zapping banana peels under a powerful lamp.
This is a wonderful and bizarre discovery. It’s our favourite at Euronews Green. You can also do it with coffee beans, corn cobs, and coconut shells.
Arnold Schwarzenegger wants ‘to eliminate pollution’
The actor, who was a Republican politician and environmentalist, pledged to “terminate the pollution.”
The green movement has celebrity backers, but it’s nice to have support from both sides.
Positive environmental stories starting in January 2022
Still, bleached coral reefs can provide nutrition
Although coral reefs around the world have been affected by rising sea temperatures that have led to widespread bleaching, it turns out that these ghostly white tropical islands still provide rich sources of micronutrients.
This doesn’t mean that we should stop trying for coral bleaching prevention events, but it does suggest that there is still hope where the damage has been done. This is good news especially for coastal communities who rely on coral reefs for their food.
The greenest European city offers free public transport and bee-friendly highways
Tallinn is a great example of what we can learn. Because of its innovative and modern approach towards sustainability, Tallinn is set to become the European Green Capital in 2023.
Tallinn was once home to many polluting industries. This is what makes it so impressive. It is a shining example of how it is possible to make positive changes and hopefully a model for other cities across Europe.
Students designed a floating house to help people avoid flooding.
This is a great example of innovation resulting from crisis. Although the original reason for the invention remains troubling, students involved in this project created something truly remarkable.
They can provide shelter for at most six weeks and can be used to store food, water, and sanitation products in resilience programmes.
This tiny Mexican fish was saved from extinction
There is something compelling about this. Any story that has to do with a species returningFrom the brink. Although it is terrible that things reached this point, it also shows there is always hope, even if the worst outcome seems likely.
This case is quite fascinating. This tiny tequila splitfin was lost to the wild in 2003 because of human activity. However, thanks to the efforts made by conservation centres, colonies of this freshwater species are now thriving again.
A fleet of drones are part of an Australian start-up that fights deforestation
While the climate crisis is the most prominent issue, the biodiversity crisis deserves our attention. This is why this company’s project that combines AI and drones is so great. It’s a quicker, more cost-effective way to fight deforestation.
However, it doesn’t cause the problems often associated with tree-planting schemes. This method is intended to improve the ecosystem’s health, while avoiding monocrops or non-native species.
Virtual or hybrid conferences could be a significant mitigation of climate change
It was shocking to discover that the global conference industry (pre-pandemic), produced twice as many greenhouse gas emissions than the entire United States. It is a highly polluting sector. However, a recent study revealed that the planet could benefit from more hybrid and online events.
According to the 2021 IPCC Report, we have 8.3-9.7 years before we exceed the 1.5℃ global warming limit. Researchers believe that moving conferences online could extend this deadline by about 1.5 years.
After the discovery of pristine coral reefs in Tahiti, oceanographers rejoice
Diving in the waters off of Tahiti’s tropical coastline, marine researchers uncovered one of the largest coral reefs ever found. It is also unaffected, unlike many other coral reefs.
Even though they make up only 0.1% of the ocean’s floor, coral reefs house 25% of all marine life.
It’s easy to see how this is so great news.
Solar-powered bikers are busting illegal wildlife poachers from South Africa
This incredible story combines two areas that are of great interest to many of us involved in the climate movement: protection of nature and clean energy.
Rosie Frost, our journalist spoke with the incredible Swedish company behind the initiative in order to learn more.
This article will be updated regularly with the most recent positive environmental stories and breakthroughs around the globe. If you have an idea we haven’t covered please let us know. TwitterOr Instagram.
