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.
More cities are using beets to beat icy winter roads
Many cities with harsh winters turn to salt to melt ice and make roads safer, but while this helps out drivers, it doesn’t do the environment any favors. Fifteen to 17 million tons of road salt are used on US roadways each winter, contaminating waterways and natural ecosystems while degrading Read More...
UK introduces bill to ban trophy hunt imports
Two years after its introduction, the British government is finally moving forward with a ban on trophy hunting imports. The new law, which bans bringing back trophies from exotic animal hunts, plans to protect 7,000 species threatened by international trade. The law is expected to go before Read More...
The New Yorker who created a vaccine access website is running for office
Back in February, we shared how one dedicated New Yorker, Huge Ma, created an online platform to help residents navigate the complicated Covid-19 vaccination appointment system. Now, Ma is working to make his title of a civil servant more official with his candidacy for New York’s Read More...
US will stop financing fossil fuel projects abroad
The US government has officially halted federal aid to overseas fossil fuel projects. The new policy comes after the US joined nearly 40 other countries in a COP26 pledge to end foreign fossil fuel financing by the end of 2022. The funding change will mean no more US financing for coal plants, Read More...
FEMA will begin screening for potential discrimination in disaster aid denial
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a patchy history. Well known for denying assistance to low-income communities, FEMA appears to be cleaning up its act with a new plan to track who is applying for FEMA aid and, more importantly, who is being turned down. Nearly half of all FEMA Read More...
New York City will allow noncitizens to vote in local elections
For long-time residents of the US who have difficulty acquiring citizenship, elections can be a painful reminder of the difficult road to fully establishing oneself in the US. In an unprecedented move to support those seeking citizenship, New York City has approved a bill that would let noncitizens Read More...
Chile legalizes same-sex marriage
After a decade-long legal battle, Chile’s Congress has officially passed a law to legalize same-sex marriage. Passed on Tuesday, the bill is expected to be signed into law soon by President Sebastian Pinera. The road to marriage equality has been long and arduous in the conservative South Read More...
Paris has an Olympic-sized plan to clean up the Seine
If you stroll through Paris on a warm summer day, you’ll likely see groups of sunbathers and picnickers lounging near the Seine, but you probably won’t see anyone swimming. Waste management and pollution issues have made the river too dirty to swim in, but that may change thanks to a new city Read More...
Canada fast-tracks bill to ban conversion therapy
A bill that would ban the practice of conversion therapy in Canada has been unanimously adopted by the House of Commons, fast tracking it for approval by the Senate. Bill C-4 bans the practice of conversion therapy, which is a harmful attempt to change an individual’s sexual or gender Read More...
WHO proposes global treaty to better address future pandemics
Unfortunately, as the climate crisis progresses and humans continue to infringe on wild animal habitats, the risk of another global pandemic is growing. To address this, the World Health Organization (W.H.O.) has agreed to form an intergovernmental negotiating body to create a legally-binding Read More...