Positive News

Last week, the Biden Administration signed executive orders to expand two national monuments in California. In Southern California, the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument was expanded by more than 100,000 acres, increasing its size by almost a third. And up in Northern California, the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument welcomed the inclusion if the 13,696 acre Molok Luyuk, or Condor Ridge, enabling the Patwin Tribe to co-steward this region of incredible biodiversity. 🌄🏞️ | Source: Los Angeles Times

Bangladesh has reported a record number of eggs from the internationally vulnerable olive ridley turtle — twice as many many as the amount tallied just four years ago — thanks to comprehensive conservation and awareness campaigns among fishers and beachgoers in the southeastern district of Cox's Bazar. 🐢 | Source: Mongabay

A recent analysis by energy think tank Ember reveals that more than 30% of the world's electricity is now generated from renewable sources, with solar and wind capacity more than doubling since the Paris Agreement was signed in 2015. ⚡ | Source: euronews

Microbial life was discovered 13 feet below the Atacama Desert, the driest place on the planet! This finding suggests that similar conditions on Mars could support life, challenging notions not only about terrestrial desert biodiversity, but also the potential for extraterrestrial life. 🦠🏜️| Source: The Guardian

The Goldman Environmental Prize marked its 35th anniversary by honoring seven environmental leaders, including Murrawah Johnson, a First Nations woman. She co-led a pivotal legal battle in Queensland, Australia, successfully halting a major coal mine project endorsed by mining magnate and politician Clive Palmer. 🚫⛏️ | Source: The Guardian

Research shows that 66% of conservation projects improved biodiversity compared to no action through activities such as protected areas and sustainable ecosystem management, invasive species control, and habitat restoration. 🪸🌳 | Source: Science X

In a groundbreaking agreement, the government of British Columbia has formally recognized the Haida Nation's ancestral rights to 200 islands off Canada's west coast, a landmark acknowledgment of Aboriginal land ownership. 🌊 | Source: DW

The European Union has committed €3.5 billion to support sustainable fisheries and combat marine pollution through a series of new initiatives in several EU countries. 🐟💰 | Source: DW

Indigenous leaders from New Zealand, Tahiti, and the Cook Islands have signed an unprecedented agreement granting whales and dolphins the status of legal persons. This groundbreaking move is expected to push national governments to implement more robust protections for the diminishing populations in the region. 🐋 ✊ | Source: NYT

Driven to near-extinction by hunting in the early 20th century, populations of koalas are increasing in southeastern Australia! With improved tree cover, wallabies and koalas are likely migrating from nearby Victoria, reviving active populations in an area where the species were thought to be locally extinct. 🐨🌳 | Source: ABC News