Politics
Having a difficult time finding positive news about national and global politics? Search no further! From public policy to positive leadership to democracy efforts, find the latest good news stories in the world of politics at The Optimist Daily.
Spain formally recognizes animals as sentient beings
Spain joins nations like the UK and Brussels in passing an animal welfare law that recognizes animals as sentient beings, meaning that the country will no longer consider pets and wild animals as “objects." Spain’s Congress of Deputies passed the new legislation, which received majority Read More...
New York City bans the use of fuel-burning systems in new construction
Following in the footsteps of green cities like San Francisco, New York City voted last week to pass a bill that will ban fuel-burning systems, like stoves and heaters, from all new construction. A huge source of emissions and indoor air pollution, gas stoves are being replaced with electric models Read More...
Pittsburgh will become a dark sky city in 2022
Anyone who lives in a big city knows that stars are a rare sight due to light pollution, but that may soon change in one American metropolis. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania has announced that it will become a dark sky city in 2022, joining others like Tucson and Sedona in Arizona, and Fulda in Germany in 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...
Tokyo becomes biggest city in Japan to recognize same-sex partnerships
In March of this year, we shared the news that in Sapporo, Japan, the district court ruled that the government’s failure to recognize same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, which was viewed as a symbolic victory and a huge step forward for the LGBTQ+ community in Japan. Now, more steps have 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 Zealand's new law prevents tobacco addiction in future generations
According to New Zealand’s Ministry of Health, between 4,000 and 5,000 people die every year in the country from smoking-related illnesses. Even though there’s been a significant decrease in the country’s adult smoking population (down to 13.4 percent of the population from 18.2 percent in 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...
Italy’s generous subsidies are driving a wave of green home upgrades
Homes account for 11.5 percent of Italy’s greenhouse gas emissions, but fortunately, the country’s green “superbonus” scheme is encouraging record numbers of residents to make sustainable upgrades to their homes and businesses. Under the program, the Italian government will pay an Read More...