This week's top stories
A new study finds that global conservation efforts are reliably bringing species back from the brink. A major review of over 67,000 animal species by the University of Cambridge has found that targeted conservation measures like habitat protection, captive breeding and reintroductions are successfully restoring populations of endangered animals. We are facing an ecological crisis - but it is possible to do something about it. Phys.org
While biodiversity loss is a genuine crisis, it's vital that we celebrate the success stories wherever and whenever we can. It's so hard for a species to improve its conservation status, but with the right effort, we can turn things around.
Ashley Simkins, University of Cambridge
Speaking of, let's look at how conservation efforts are paying off for various large and lovely mammals. After 120 years of conservation efforts, Yellowstone bison are functioning as a single and genetically healthy population of between 4,000 and 6,000 individuals. The official lion count in Gujarat is expected to hit between 900 -1,500 in the 2025 census, up from 674 big cats in 2020. And Kazakhstan is making significant strides in restoring populations of Przewalski’s horse, Turanian tigers, and snow leopards after dramatically expanding its protected natural areas, from 8,690 km² to 309,000 km²
Gavi says it has prevented over 18.8 million deaths since 2000. How does it know? The Vaccine Impact Modelling Consortium projects what a world without vaccines would look like in terms of disease, then compares that to the actual disease burden - the difference reflects vaccine impact. As Gavi only accounts for vaccines it initially helped introduce, the true number of lives saved is likely higher. Gavi
First commercial lunar lander succeeds spectacularly. Blue Ghost, built by Texas startup Firefly Aerospace, has completed a pioneering two-week lunar mission, becoming the first fully successful commercial moon landing. The car-sized spacecraft drilled three feet into lunar soil, captured Earth's magnetic field, collected rock samples, and even photographed a solar eclipse. Our two favourite bits? The lunar sunset photos investigating the mysterious horizon glow and the poetic goodbye message. New York Times 🎁
This was the last message from the spacecraft, about five hours after that sunset:
Nepal has virtually eradicated extreme poverty. In 1995, an estimated 55% of Nepalis lived in extreme poverty, defined as living on less than $ 2.15 per day. By 2023, this figure had plunged to just 0.37% (!) A key factor behind this remarkable decline is a substantial increase in remittances as a result of large-scale emigration. By 2023, remittances accounted for around a quarter of Nepal’s GDP, improving economic growth and lifting many out of poverty. World Bank
First-of-its-kind territory in Colombia will protect Indigenous Peoples in Isolation. The “Territoriality of the Indigenous Peoples in Isolation between the Caquetá and Putumayo Rivers” will span 1,092,849 hectares of remote Amazonian forests that are home to over 600 Amazonian species. The territory includes a strictly-protected intangible zone of 929,502 hectares to guarantee the right of communities to live in isolation. Andes Amazon Fund
Burundi's 'Mothers of Light' are fighting malnutrition, which affects 50% of under-fives in the country. Mamans Lumières are elected at the community level to run nutrition education programs for expectant and new mothers on the importance of a balanced diet. Over 3,000 Mamans have been trained across Burundi, and the stunting rate has declined by 4.9% in the project's provinces, compared to 0.8% in other areas. World Bank
And in more good news for maternal health, two more regions in Pakistan are now maternal and neonatal tetanus-free.
Emissions increased by 0.8% last year…but wait, there’s more. A new International Energy Agency report shows an 0.8% increase in global emissions overall, and that’s disappointing — but it’s not the whole story. The same report also reveals that:
- Renewables accounted for 93% of new power capacity and reached 46% of global generating capacity last year.
- Emissions in advanced economies emissions fell to 50-year lows (down 1.1%).
- Iil fell below 30% of total energy for the first time since the 1970s—an unprecedented shift.
- Perhaps most importantly — economic growth has now decoupled from emissions in the three biggest economies in the world - the United States, Europe, and China.
- And, while developing nations are now the ones driving emissions growth, they're increasingly adopting clean technology, and seem likely to leapfrog fossil fuel dependency.
What does it take to pull off the largest dam removal in the world? When the last of the four dams on the Klamath River was demolished last year, it marked the end of a decades-long fight by tribal nations in Oregon and California to restore the river and one of the West Coast’s largest salmon runs. It's an epic story of an improbable campaign that spanned close to half a century, roped in thousands of people, and came within an inch of collapse several times. Featuring interviews with dozens of people involved, from both sides of the fight, this four-part piece is is well worth the read. Grist
But nothing, not even the Trump administration, can put the PacifiCorp dams back up on the Klamath, or take away the victory that the dam removal campaigners achieved. The precedent has been set: For more than a century, governments and private utilities built dams with impunity, blocking forest streams from the mountains of Appalachia to massive waterways like the Colorado River. Today, Indigenous youth are planning to paddle the full length of the Klamath River for the first time.
Solar and wind installations set to outpace fossil fuels in the United States by 200-to-1 margin over next three years. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is projecting 111.3 GW of new renewable capacity by 2028, while fossil gas will add just 0.45 GW and coal and oil will contract. Despite the political rhetoric, the US has seen extraordinary gains in conservative states — last year, Texas produced almost twice as much wind and solar electricity as California, and now leads the country in solar manufacturing while fossil gas construction has stalled amidst soaring electricity needs.
For the here and now, wind and solar are proven technologies with mature supply chains and a shorter construction timeframe, which explains why developers, utilities, and energy consumers continue to prefer them regardless of the idiotic “drill, baby, drill” bluster.
See also: fossil gas manufacturing in Australia has collapsed, with prices tripling and new units unavailable until 2028-2029. The replacement? Giant solar farms with eight hour batteries, which have emerged as the preferred power solution, with DC-coupled solar-battery systems now enabling 24/7 industrial operations at competitive costs. Meanwhile, New Zealand's grid has reached 88% renewable electricity, driven entirely by economics, without government incentives. Planned projects are expected to double annual output capability to 5,000 GWh—enough to replace all remaining thermal generation by 2040. That’s right, with no government money necessary, New Zealand’s on track to achieve 100% renewable electricity by 2040.
WHO Africa region records a steep decline in TB. The 2024 WHO Global Tuberculosis Report found that deaths from TB in the region fell by 42% between 2015 and 2023, while cases declined by 24% over the same period - South Africa led the way with a 50% reduction. Improved detection across countries helped identify 1.9 million cases in 2023 (up from 1.4 million in 2020), raising treatment coverage from 55% to 74%. WHO AFRO
Mexico City changes bullfighting rules to preserve the spectacle but save the bulls: The biggest bullfighting city in the largest bullfighting country in the world is making a change to its centuries-old custom: from now on bullfighters will only be allowed to use capes (no swords!) and fights will be capped at 15 minutes. The shift is designed to protect the bulls while retaining the spectacle (and livelihoods!) of those that rely on the games. Mexico News Daily
Solar technology has led to a new era of vaccine storage in Malawi, where gas- and battery-powered fridges once left health workers struggling during frequent power outages and fuel shortages. Connected to solar panels, Solar direct-drive (SDD) refrigerators store energy as ice, maintaining the required 2-8 degrees Celsius for vaccines. With support from Gavi and UNICEF, Malawi has now replaced all existing older fridges with SDD versions. Gates Foundation
Paralyzed man stands again after pioneering stem cell spinal treatment. In a world-first trial, two of four paralyzed men regained significant mobility after receiving injections of neural stem cells. The most dramatic recovery enabled its recipient to stand independently: “that person is now training to walk.” Another man regained motion in his arms and legs. Larger trials are in the works, but researchers thus far report no serious side effects. Nature
What has changed for girls in 30 years? A lot. Since 1995, we’ve seen:
- A 39% decrease in out-of-school girls globally.
- The number of adolescent girls giving birth nearly halved.
- Illiteracy in adolescent girls also nearly halved.
- Female genital mutilation rates halved in FGM-heavy countries like Burkina Faso and Liberia.
Give some of the credit to the UN's Beijing Platform for Action, a comprehensive blueprint for gender equality which in 1995 was endorsed by 189 countries. UNICEF
Progress
On 12th March, 40 countries made a first-ever joint statement addressing children’s fundamental right to protection from corporal punishment, which is still legally permissible in over 125 states worldwide. The statement, led by Costa Rica and Kenya, encourages remaining states to prohibit and eliminate corporal punishment of children in all settings. End Corporal Punishment
In Kenya, a Gates Foundation grant has helped provide financial independence to hundreds of women while preventing infections from syringe reuse. In 2021, Gates provided a $4 million grant to Kenyan medical device manufacturer Revital Healthcare to begin manufacturing auto-disable syringes in Africa. Revital Healthcare has an 80% female workforce and is producing 300 million auto-disable syringes annually to improve vaccine safety in Africa. Gates Foundation
England rolls out Europe’s first take at home tablet for active multiple sclerosis. The NHS has expanded access to the tablet cladribine for patients with relapsing-remitting active MS. Previously for severe cases only, cladribine requires just 20 days of treatment across four years, which will give MS patients more freedom by significantly reducing hospital visits. NHS England
Marriage equality gains steam in Japan after a ban on gay marriage was ruled unconstitutional for ninth time. The Nagoya High Court said that gay couples existed long before the establishment of legal marriage, and that recognising same-sex relationships is a fundamental legal interest connected to personal dignity. Public support for gay marriage has grown from 40% to 70% since 2021. Washington Blade
Spain grants single parents same paid leave as couples. Solo parents in Murcia will now be able to request 32 weeks of paid leave after the regional court affirmed that newborns require the same care and attention “regardless of the family model into which they were born.” Last November, a constitutional court ruling barred discrimination against babies born into single-parent families, which currently make up a tenth of all families in Spain. NYT
In 2024, the United Nations Population Fund provided $139 million worth of contraceptives, saving countries $752 million in reduced health-care costs for pregnancy, delivery and post-abortion care. This potentially averted 9.9 million unintended pregnancies, prevented 224,000 maternal and newborn deaths, and 2.97 million unsafe abortions. UNFPA
Breast cancer death rates are set to decrease for European women in all age groups under 80. Researchers predict that breast cancer death rates will fall by 4% in the EU, compared to 2020, and 6% in the U.K. Between 1989 and 2025, more than 370,000 breast cancer deaths were averted in EU countries, largely due to improvements in screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Euronews
Breaking free of tropical diseases has never before sounded this good. Performance poet Che Joy bridges language and culture to amplify the voices of the over half a billion people in sub-Saharan Africa currently living with neglected tropical diseases. Through a mixture of English and French, Joy encourages communities to demand an end to this cycle of neglect.