Today’s Solutions: January 08, 2025

Global Development

In an increasingly globalized world, international development efforts aim to improve living conditions, equity, and human rights around the world. Our global development section tracks this globalization and reports on specific equitable and sustainable development initiatives.

Manta ray floating underwater among other fish

Historic global agreement protects international waters

For the first time ever, 193 nations have reached a conservation agreement on the High Seas Treaty, which intends to designate 30 percent of international waterways as protected areas by 2030. This pact is essential for the achievement of the Global Biodiversity Framework and represents a milestone Read More...

Human hand is holding Electric Car Charging connect to Electric car

EU bans new gas or diesel vehicle production by the year 2035

The European Parliament adopted a ban on the sale of new fossil-fueled cars and light vehicles by 2035 earlier this month. Following in the footsteps of California and New York, among other U.S. states, the European Union will now be one of the major car markets to compel a move to electric Read More...

King Penguins have a stronghold on Macquarie Island, between Australia and Antarctica.

Australia draws up plans for marine reserve the size of Germany

The Australian government intends to designate a marine reserve in the Southern Ocean the size of Germany, bolstering protections for millions of penguins and seals near Macquarie Island. Tanya Plibersek, the environment minister, stated that the government intends to increase the extent of the Read More...

EU flags in front of European Commission in Brussels

The EU commits to its own “green deal”

The European Union will invest more than $270 billion in its own "green deal" in order to keep up with the United States and China. The growing green economy Many observers interpreted the move as a direct response to the Biden administration's hefty round of green subsidies, which were included Read More...

River flowing through forest in Gabon

Local community in Gabon succeeds in saving ancestral forest from logging

About a year and a half ago, a community in northeastern Gabon embarked on a first-of-its-kind initiative to request the declassification of a logging concession area. As part of the effort, the villagers sought to instead reclassify it as a protected area to safeguard its ecological and heritage Read More...

Gay Pride India.

Openly gay prince turned palace into safe haven for LGBTQ+ Indians

Countries around the world make encouraging and incremental progress toward equality every day. Many countries are banning inhumane practices such as conversion therapy, and some are making restitution to former victims of overturned anti-LGBTQ+ laws. While this is emboldening the fight for equal Read More...

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...

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...

Rainbow lgbtq+ flag next to a flag of the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia with the coat of arms of the city and a European banner.

Slovenia legalizes same-sex marriage and adoption, a first in Eastern Europe

Slovenia made history on Tuesday, Oct 4, by becoming the first country in Eastern Europe to equalize its marriage and adoption rules for same-sex couples after the modification was approved by the country's parliament. The ruling is made as Slovenia's neighboring countries enact new Read More...