Today’s Solutions: January 12, 2025

Climate Action

What is Climate Action? Climate Action is humanity's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance our planet's resilience against climate change. From adaptation to mitigation, at The Optimist Daily you will learn about the most recent positive news stories and solutions targeting climate change and other environmental issues.

Bristol college students and schoolchildren carrying climate change placards and signs are pictured taking part in a climate change protest

For the first time ever young people have a "seat at the table" at COP27

This year's United Nations Climate Change Conference in Egypt, more commonly referred to as COP27, is the first ever to give children an official platform: the Children and Youth Pavilion. Considering how young activists like Vanessa Nakate and Greta Thunberg have led the climate campaign in Read More...

Solar panels on the parking lot near a supermarket on a sunny day in Avignon, Provence, France. Electricity and shade for cars at the same time.

France mandates that all large parking lots be outfitted with solar panels

Last week, the French Senate passed legislation mandating the installation of solar panels on all new and current parking lots with room for at least 80 vehicles— an enormous boost for solar power. Doubling solar and wind energy The new provisions are part of French President Emmanuel Macron's Read More...

Team volunteers with many plants in a planting campaign for climate protection.

Eco-anxiety and grief part II: how to cope

Part one of this two-part series discussed the differences between ecological grief and eco-anxiety, two relatively new terms used in reference to the feelings of sadness and distress that are related to the climate crisis. Now, let’s dive into how we can face them. How to cope with Read More...

Group of activists with banners protesting to save earth. Men and women rebellions doing a silent protest over global warming and pollution.

Eco-anxiety and grief part I: the differences

Environmentalists have warned about climate change's effects for decades, and in light of the COP27 conference in Egypt, climate change is certainly on many people's minds and hearts. Increasingly intense wildfires and other weather events, deforestation, food shortages, species extinctions, and Read More...

Wind Turbines Windmill Energy Farm

Could wind turbines capture CO2 while generating clean energy?

Wind turbines have long been one of the primary sources of clean energy. While they have not been without controversy over the years, they are widely acknowledged as a planet- and people-friendly answer to climate change when compared to other green energy sources. Soon, they may be able to Read More...

Young asian woman at solar power station

6 reasons to be optimistic about COP27

This year, the effects of the climate crisis have become even harder to deny – from flooding in Bangladesh and Pakistan to soaring temperatures in the UK – it’s clear that there is a lot on the line as we prepare for another crucial climate conference. From November 6 to 18, Egypt will Read More...

Mobile phone with webpage of 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) on screen in front of logo. Focus on center of phone display.

Climate justice is intrinsic to COP27’s success. Here’s how to address it

The Conference of the Parties (COP) in Egypt this year is crucial. In Glasgow last year, countries pledged increased climate financing and committed to raising their goals, but in the end, fell short of the 1.5 degree Celsius global warming limit. COP27 is an opportunity to fix that problem Read More...

A purebred Samoyed dog wrapped in a blanket lies on the bed

Tips to keep your heating costs low this winter despite rising prices

This winter, Americans are expected to pay the most for home heating in a decade.  The National Energy Assistance Directors Association estimates that the average U.S. household will pay 17.2 percent more for heating costs—$177 more—than last year, which already saw record-breaking Read More...

Solar panels installed on the roof in South Australia

Australian study reveals a low-cost strategy for recycling solar panels

A new study has proposed a low-cost method of recycling solar panels to help handle the growing volume of retired photovoltaic (PV) cells expected by the end of the decade. A team from the University of New South Wales published a paper last week outlining a process for collecting and extracting Read More...

Wind farm, Wind turbines and curvy road on the hill, Green ecological power energy generation.

For the first time ever, Greece meets energy demands with 100% renewables

The other week, Greece celebrated an exciting milestone! All of the country’s electricity needs were met by renewable energy for the first time, as stated by the country's independent power transmission operator IPTO. Greece’s transition to renewable energy Renewables accounted for 100 Read More...