Policy Making
Strong public policy leads to more cohesive, resilient, and sustainable societies. In this section, find out about the latest legislations from around the world aimed at making our world a better place.
In a world-first Brazil rules that Paris Agreement is a Human Rights treaty
The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change adopted by 196 Parties at COP21. The overarching goal is to limit global warming to below two degrees Celsius, and ideally keep it only to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In a world-first, the supreme court of Brazil has declared that the Read More...
These postcards stand up for people with disabilities' rights
It seems it would be simple to respect and protect others' basic human rights, however, there are many situations where a lack of education breaks these vital liberties. This is why postcards covering five rights protected by the Human Rights Act are currently being circulated through England, Read More...
New California law greatly curbs plastic waste
We have written a lot about plastic alternatives you can use and consumer-focused options for reducing plastic waste. Indeed, this is often the focus of efforts to reduce plastic waste. Not enough pressure is put on manufacturers to reduce how much plastic they produce. A new California law, Read More...
India bans single-use plastics
India experiences worse-than-average plastic pollution with single-use plastic water bottles and containers finding their way into streets and important waterways. To rein in this pollution, the Indian government announced from the capital of New Delhi on Friday that it will be imposing a ban Read More...
4 things that keep Canadian traffic fatalities lower than the US
While traffic-related fatalities increased in the United States by 19 percent between 2010 and 2020, Canadian rates declined by about the same amount in that time. Many consider Canada culturally very similar to the US, but when it comes to traffic safety, they have more European attitudes. Here Read More...
5 ways to reduce school shootings
School shootings are a problem that really shouldn’t be a problem. That said, the grim reality is that they happen far too often, especially in the United States. In the wake of a string of deadly and gruesome mass shootings, psychology professor Paul Boxer revisits his research on how to prevent Read More...
After Roe V. Wade, California legislature and citizens jump to help fellow Americans
We decided to revamp this important story with an important update. With the overturning of Roe V. Wade, California is considering a host of reforms to ready itself for the influx of women from other states seeking legal and safe abortions. California’s legislature, care providers, and even Read More...
White House and 11 East Coast states partner to bolster offshore wind power
On Thursday, the White House announced that it will partner with 11 East Coast states to bolster offshore wind energy. This arrangement, called the Federal-State Offshore Wind Implementation Partnership, will help to reach national climate goals of 30 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2030. Read More...
LA may ban the construction of new gas stations
In the face of the climate emergency, officials in Los Angeles are working on policies to stop the construction of new gas stations. Being the second-largest city in America, LA could become the largest city in the world to prohibit new fossil fuel infrastructure. “We are ending oil drilling Read More...
More on beavers and rewilding
We decided to dust off and update this innovative solution to restoring habitats with the most industrious aquatic mammal: beavers. At The Optimist Daily, we’ve written a great deal about the benefits beavers bring to their environment and the importance of restoring their populations in Read More...