Short News
More countries ban cluster bombs
Opposition against cluster bombs is growing. 102 countries now ban the weapons, but they are heavily used in Syria and Yemen. 98% of casualties are civilians.
Better protection of mountains
As of 2017, 49 percent of key biodiversity hotspots in mountainous areas are under protection. In 2000, it was only 39 percent.
Chile gains abortion rights
Women in Chile have now gained the right to abortion if they have been victims of rape, if the foetus cannot survive, or if the woman’s life is in danger.
More people can avoid tobacco
More than half of the world’s population is now better protected thanks to one or more laws against smoking, despite opposition from the tobacco industry.
End of rape marriages
Lebanon, Tunisia, and Jordan have now scrapped a law that previously made it possible for a rapist to avoid persecution by forcing the victim to marry him.
No drilling in coral sea
The Caribbean country of Belize has permanently banned oil exploration in and around its coral reefs.
Fighting deadly kitchen smoke
One million families in Bangladesh have switched to a new type of stove that saves fuel and smokes less. Each year, kitchen smoke kills 78.000 people die.
More jaguars in Argentina
The number of jaguars in Argentina’s coastal forest has doubled since 2005. Cameras placed in nature show that between 71 and 107 jaguars now live in the area.
Millions saved from hunger
In 2016, the World Food Programme helped 82 million people survive hunger. Despite progress in recent years, 795 million people still don’t have enough to eat.
Great green energy growth
The world is now adding more green power each year than new capacity from all fossil fuels combined, though fossil fuel subsidies are still four times bigger.
Ebola stopped again
A new outbreak of Ebola in DR Congo has been stopped before it could spread. Four people died before health workers tracked down and stopped the disease.
An otter chance at life
The southern sea otter was nearly hunted to extinction last century. But thanks to conservation efforts, 125,000 otters now live along the Californian coast.