Good Governance
What does good governance look like? In this good news section, we share international examples of good governance, from efforts directed at the protection of civil rights to initiatives aimed at the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.
South Africa enacts historic climate change act
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM South Africa enacted its first Climate Change Act, a comprehensive law that aims to tackle climate change by limiting greenhouse gas emissions and mandating municipal adaptation plans. The act seeks to connect South Africa's climate efforts with its Read More...
Ecuador's historic court ruling grants Quito's Machángara river the right to not be polluted
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On July 7th, an Ecuadorian court ruled that pollution violates the rights of the Machángara River, which flows through the country's capital, Quito. This decision, hailed as "historic" by environmental campaigners, highlights Ecuador's progressive approach Read More...
Namibia High Court lifts ban on gay sex, a win for human rights
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Namibia's high court has overturned a statute that criminalized gay intercourse, a huge victory for LGBTQ+ campaigners. This ruling is a watershed moment in the quest for equal rights throughout Africa, where progress has been uneven in recent years. A Read More...
Denmark to pioneer CO2 tax on farms in a global first
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Denmark, a major pork and dairy exporter, is slated to become the first country to impose a carbon dioxide tax on livestock emissions beginning in 2030. This daring step intends to dramatically cut the agricultural sector's carbon footprint while also Read More...
Air pollution down 40%: a look at a pedestrianized Paris
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Paris will seem very different from how it did ten years ago when the Summer Olympics roll around this summer. Since 2014, Mayor Anne Hidalgo has led a substantial makeover in Paris aimed at reducing vehicle dependence and encouraging greener urban living. Read More...
Shasta Tribe finally reclaims ancestral lands long buried by Klamath River Reservoir
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a historic effort, the Shasta Indian Nation stands to regain nearly 2,800 acres of ancestral grounds buried by the Copco I dam on the Klamath River. This important return coincides with California Governor Gavin Newsom's apology to the state's tribes, Read More...
Claudia Sheinbaum becomes Mexico's first female president
Claudia Sheinbaum has been selected as Mexico's first female president, winning by a landslide. Preliminary results from Mexico's official electoral authority show that the 61-year-old former mayor of Mexico City received between 58 percent and 60 percent of the vote, outperforming her primary Read More...
Big Oil to pay for climate change damages in Vermont
Vermont became the first state in the United States to enact legislation mandating fossil fuel companies to pay for climate change-related losses. This unprecedented legislation comes after a string of disastrous weather disasters, including severe floods last summer, that wreaked havoc on the Read More...
Free period products for remote Indigenous communities in Canada
A new federal effort aims to reduce period poverty in Canada's northern and remote Indigenous communities. According to recent polls, one in every five Canadians struggles to buy period supplies, and the problem is considerably more severe for Indigenous people living in remote locations. According Read More...
Free diapers for Medicaid families opens a new frontier in public health
Set to make history, Tennessee will offer free diapers to Medicaid families, making it the first state in the US to do so. This effort, just approved by federal officials, is set to begin in August. Following closely, Delaware gained similar government approval to expand a trial program that Read More...