Short News
Five years of cheaper food
For the fifth year in a row, world food prices continued to drop in 2016. Cheaper staple foods is good news for people in the world’s poorest places.
New method saves vaccine
Countries in Asia have started to give two small injections of polio vaccine instead of one big one. This saves valuable vaccine and offers the same protection.
Fewer sharks in Chinese skies
As the first carrier ever, Air China now bans all transport of shark fins on their planes. This happens to help save the world’s sharks from extinction.
Dutch trains now run on wind power
In the Netherlands, all trains now run on green power from wind turbines. Part of the electricity comes from Scandinavia.
Fewer oil spills from tankers
In the 1970s, each year saw more than 24 spills from oil tankers on average. Today, the number has dropped to an average of 1.8 spills per year.
China bans ivory trade
China has banned trade and crafting of ivory by the end of 2017, in order to help save the world’s elephants. Conservation groups have praised the decision.
Bake for a better climate
A power plant in India has started using a new way to convert CO2 into products such as baking powder. You can have your cake and fight climate change, too.
Aids-medicine doubles in five years
In just five years, the number of HIV infected people with access to medicine has doubled to 18.2 million. The global goal is to stop the disease before 2030.
No more acid rain
The acid pollution of the earth's atmosphere is now almost back to the level of before we really began to pollute. This is because filters on chimneys since the 1970s.
Indonesia protects endangered jungle
The Indonesian President has banned any activity that destroys the country's peatlands, where orangutans and other animals live.
Poland recycles all landmines
As the 158th country Poland has now destroyed all its landmines, many of which were of the type "hand grenade on a stick". They were dismantled and reused for peaceful purposes.
Sales of electric cars booming
In 2010, only 20,000 electric cars were sold worldwide, but in 2015 sales increased to approximately 525,000 electric cars.