{"id":18210,"date":"2023-12-27T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-12-27T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/?p=18210"},"modified":"2023-12-19T16:38:04","modified_gmt":"2023-12-19T16:38:04","slug":"monthly-good-news-16-december","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/monthly-good-news-16-december\/","title":{"rendered":"Monthly Good News #16: December"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Welcome to the last Monthly Good News of 2023!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>December\u2019s MGN works a little differently, as instead of looking at just December\u2019s excellent news from around the world, we\u2019re also taking a look back across the entire year. We\u2019ll see some good news that I didn\u2019t manage to find at the time, as well as a few repeats of my absolute favourite articles from the last twelve months \u2013 which I will re-fact check to ensure that they\u2019re still truthful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before we begin, let\u2019s remind ourselves of the MGN mantras:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>PEOPLE ARE INHERENTLY GOOD AND WANT TO <em>DO<\/em> GOOD<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PEOPLE DO NOT SUCK<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>PEOPLE ARE ALL WE HAVE<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>LOVE IS STORED IN THE PEOPLE<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In case you don\u2019t believe the words, I\u2019d like to set you the homework of reading them six times through, writing them on a Post-It you stick to your bathroom mirror and repeating them aloud twice every time you see them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now! With that out of the way, here\u2019s my round-up of the best news that came out of 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">JANUARY<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Green energy has&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.businessgreen.com\/news\/4062806\/uk-renewables-overtake-gas-uks-electricity-generator-winter#:~:text=Renewables%20has%20overtaken%20gas%20to,2022%20to%2013%20January%202023.\">overtaken gas as the UK\u2019s leading source of electricity<\/a>&nbsp;this winter, sparing the country from an even worse energy crisis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There are already&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/8-countries-are-already-net-zero\">8 net-zero countries<\/a>&nbsp;in the world \u2013 3 of which are confirmed carbon negative<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">FEBRUARY<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Spain passed a law entitling&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.aljazeera.com\/news\/2023\/2\/16\/spain-approves-menstrual-leave-teen-abortion-and-trans-laws\">all workers to paid menstrual leave<\/a>&nbsp;(the first country in Europe to do so) \u2013 with an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.standard.co.uk\/lifestyle\/spain-period-menstrual-leave-british-economy-b1087490.html#:~:text=In%20a%20ground%2Dbreaking%20move,sick%20leave%20off%20every%20month.\">updated June article here<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.birdlife.org\/news\/2023\/02\/14\/press-release-lead-ammunition-finally-banned-from-wetlands-across-the-eu\/#:~:text=As%20of%20today%2C%20the%2015,to%20prepare%20for%20the%20change.\">Lead shots banned for hunting in all 27 EU nations<\/a>, as well as Iceland, Norway and Lichtenstein, due to wildlife pollution.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/the-red-squirrel-population-is-increasing-in-scotland\">Red squirrel populations increase in Scotland<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">MARCH<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>A historic pledge&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2023\/mar\/05\/high-seas-treaty-agreement-to-protect-international-waters-finally-reached-at-un\">to safeguard the world\u2019s oceans<\/a>&nbsp;has been agreed by nearly 200 UN member states that will make 30% of the oceans outside national boundaries into protected waters \u2013 and was <a href=\"https:\/\/oceans-and-fisheries.ec.europa.eu\/news\/win-ocean-high-seas-treaty-signed-united-nations-2023-09-20_en\">signed into effect in September<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ecoasia has <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/ecoasia-has-planted-170-million-trees-to-date-and-counting\">planted 170 million trees to date<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">APRIL<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Brecon Beacons has changed its name to restore its Welsh heritage \u2013 Bannau Brycheiniog \u2013 as the first step in a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/future.bannau.wales\/\">five-year plan to \u2018halt and reverse\u2019 the ravages of climate change<\/a>&nbsp;across the mountains<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The BBC has&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/mediacentre\/2023\/world-service-launches-education-series-for-afghan-children-barred-from-school#:~:text=Search-,BBC%20World%20Service%20launches%20%E2%80%9CDars%E2%80%9D%20%E2%80%93%20the%20first%20multi%2D,BBC%20News%20Afghanistan%20satellite%20channel.&amp;text=BBC%20World%20Service%20is%20launching,for%20young%20audiences%20in%20Afghanistan.\">launched a new show to teach Afghani children<\/a>&nbsp;barred from schools \u2013 girls, especially \u2013 from home. As of October, the UN is calling the show a <a href=\"https:\/\/icmglt.org\/bbc-show-is-a-lifeline-for-afghan-girls-un-says\/\">\u201clearning lifeline\u201d<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Germany introduced new laws for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/germany-introduces-new-set-of-laws-for-100-renewable-energy\">100% renewable energy by 2030<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/japans-greenhouse-gas-emissions-have-fallen-to-a-record-low\">Japan\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen<\/a> to a new record low<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Parksville, Canada, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/this-canadian-city-is-paying-residents-to-plant-trees\">paid residents to plant more trees<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/the-ozone-layer-is-healing-and-on-track-to-meet-targets\">The Ozone Layer is healing<\/a> and on track to meet targets<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">MAY<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-latin-america-65433284\">Six Indigenous reserves have been created so far in Brazil<\/a>, out of a pledged fourteen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bournemouth University <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bournemouth.ac.uk\/research\/research-action\/artificial-rockpools\">installed 114 artificial rock pools in 2020<\/a> and has confirmed that all became inhabited with a total 65 different species, including a protected native oyster<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>California planning to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/california-planning-to-sell-no-more-gas-cars-by-2035\">sell no more gas cars<\/a> by 2035<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/first-tasmanian-devil-to-return-to-the-wild-gives-birth-to-three-babies\">First Tasmanian Devil to be rewilded<\/a> gave birth to three babies<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">JUNE<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/wwf-mexico-survey-reveals-monarch-butterfly-count-is-up-35\">Monarch butterfly count is up 35%<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.walesonline.co.uk\/news\/wales-news\/rare-sighting-minke-whale-coast-27165472\">Minke whales return to Cardigan Bay in west Wales<\/a> for the first time in over a decade<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A subterranean carbon sink made entirely of fungi has been discovered to pull down <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/news\/fungi-stores-third-carbon-fossil-fuel-emissions-and-could-be-essential-reaching-net-zero#:~:text=5%20June%202023-,Fungi%20stores%20a%20third%20of%20carbon%20from%20fossil%20fuel%20emissions,essential%20to%20reaching%20net%20zero&amp;text=The%20vast%20underground%20network%20of,emissions%2C%20according%20to%20new%20research.\">more than a third of global CO2 emissions each year<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">JULY<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/global-renewable-energy-could-have-its-largest-ever-annual-increase\">Global renewable energy could have its largest-ever annual increase this year<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>London-based Gipsy Hill brewery created <a href=\"https:\/\/gipsyhillbrew.com\/carbon-negative\">the world\u2019s first offset-free, carbon negative pint<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Scientists find <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/lifeandstyle\/2023\/jul\/15\/scientists-find-vital-missing-ingredient-for-healthy-vegan-diet-algae\">vital missing ingredient for healthy vegan diet<\/a> \u2013 algae<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">AUGUST<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The Ocean Cleanup organisation <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/latest-ocean-cleanup-removes-856-973kg-of-trash-from-the-ocean\">prevented around 850,000kg of trash<\/a> from entering the Caribbean Sea<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodnewsnetwork.org\/india-becomes-fourth-nation-to-touch-down-on-the-moon-in-mission-to-study-its-south-pole\/\">India became the fourth nation to touch down on the moon!<\/a> And the <em>first <\/em>nation to touch down on the South Pole!<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The US President has officially <a href=\"https:\/\/www.whitehouse.gov\/briefing-room\/statements-releases\/2023\/08\/08\/fact-sheet-president-biden-designates-baaj-nwaavjo-itah-kukveni-ancestral-footprints-of-the-grand-canyon-national-monument\/\">safeguarded tribal territories surrounding the Grand Canyon<\/a> by adding them to a list of more than 130 protected sites<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">SEPTEMBER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>New glass type, LionGlass, is set to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/new-glass-type-cuts-co2-emissions-by-almost-50\">slash carbon emissions during the manufacturing process<\/a> by almost 50%<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/green\/2023\/09\/07\/2000-white-rhinos-put-up-for-auction-will-be-released-as-part-of-worlds-biggest-rewilding-\">200 white rhinos put up for auction will be released as part of the world\u2019s biggest rewilding project<\/a> \u2013 it was actually 2000 white rhinos, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2023\/dec\/01\/sold-2000-captive-southern-white-rhino-destined-for-freedom-across-africa-aoe\">here is the December update<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/green\/2023\/09\/24\/this-homegrown-tree-planting-scheme-wants-to-tackle-carbon-offsettings-greenwashing-proble\">A UK carbon offsetting scheme is tackling the greenwashing problem by having you plant the trees yourself<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">OCTOBER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hydrogenfuelnews.com\/hydrogen-fuel-cells-chicken\/8561357\/\">Chicken feathers can replace \u2018forever chemicals\u2019 in renewable hydrogen fuel cells<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/uk-news\/2023\/oct\/16\/hull-allow-right-to-grow-unused-council-land-uk-first\">Hull is set to allow a \u2018right to grow\u2019 scheme<\/a> on unused council land to let people grow their own produce<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/books\/2023\/oct\/17\/most-libraries-to-provide-warm-banks-again-this-winter\">Libraries in the UK to become \u2018warm hubs\u2019<\/a> again this winter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goodnewsnetwork.org\/10000-native-oysters-released-on-homemade-reef-off-englands-coast-to-filter-pollutants-block-storms\/\">10,000 mature, native oysters were released<\/a> into a newly created reef in the UK<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The UK backed the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/environment\/2023\/oct\/30\/uk-backs-suspension-of-deep-sea-mining-in-environmental-u-turn\">suspension of deep-sea mining<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">NOVEMBER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/youtuber-mrbeast-builds-100-wells-in-africa\">Youtuber MrBeast built 100 wells in Africa<\/a> \u2013 an estimated 500,000 people will directly benefit from this clean water<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hakaimagazine.com\/news\/cryopreserved-corals-can-now-have-babies\/\">Cryo-preserved corals have been able to grow and have babies<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The first ever <a href=\"https:\/\/www.onlygoodnewsdaily.com\/post\/first-ever-transatlantic-flight-with-renewables\">transatlantic flight with renewables<\/a> happened<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">DECEMBER<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In Wales, an adventure-leisure company has partnered with the NHS to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.positive.news\/society\/husky-therapy-tackle-mental-health\/\">provide canine-led therapy to offenders on a mental health unit<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Nearly 200 nations have agreed to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/science-environment-67679734\">\u201ctransition away from fossil fuels\u201d<\/a> at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, in what is being hailed as a \u201clandmark\u201d agreement<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.zsl.org\/news-and-events\/news\/oryx-downlisted-conservation-success\">scimitar-horned oryx has come back from extinction<\/a> after conservationists\u2019 hard work<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2023\/nov\/30\/very-sweet-milestone-kiwi-chicks-born-in-wellington-for-first-time-in-a-century\">Kiwi chicks have hatched in Wellington, New Zealand<\/a>, for the first time in over 150 years<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/english.elpais.com\/international\/2023-11-30\/historic-ruling-in-ecuador-returns-ownership-of-ancestral-land-to-the-siekopai-people.html\">Ecuador returned over 40,000 hectares of jungle to the Indigenous tribe of the Siekopai people<\/a>, who were expelled from the land in 1941<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-asia-67574710\">Nepal registered its first same-sex marriage<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A mole that hasn\u2019t been seen since 1937 <a href=\"https:\/\/edition.cnn.com\/2023\/12\/01\/world\/de-winton-golden-mole-rediscovered-c2e-scn-spc-intl\/index.html\">has been rediscovered<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/dominica-introduces-increased-protections-for-sperm-whales\">Dominica has increased protections for sperm whales<\/a> by introducing the first ever whale reserve, spanning just under 800 square kilometres<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Around <a href=\"https:\/\/www.happy-headlines.com\/blog-posts\/30-000-hectares-of-caribbean-moonscape-island-granted-as-protected-area\">30,000 hectares of the Caribbean \u2018Moonscape\u2019 Island and its surrounding areas<\/a>, have been named a protected area, now to be known as the \u2018Redonda Ecosystem Reserve\u2019<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s it. That\u2019s the good news. Go do your homework and store up all the good feelings to carry you through the rest of the holiday period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Happy New Year, I&#8217;ll see you in 2024 \u270c<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Welcome to the last Monthly Good News of 2023! December\u2019s MGN works a little differently, as instead of looking at just December\u2019s excellent news from around the world, we\u2019re also [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":331329,"featured_media":18222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4138,66],"tags":[334,366,3822,3994,2014],"class_list":["post-18210","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-monthly-good-news","category-sustainability-engagement","tag-canterbury-christ-church-university","tag-cccusustainability","tag-good-news","tag-positive-news","tag-sustainability"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"authorName":"Bethany Climpson","featuredImage":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/669\/2023\/12\/406895499_2375882805955638_8559465609783255591_n-1.jpg","postExcerpt":"Welcome to the last Monthly Good News of 2023! December\u2019s MGN works a little differently, as instead of looking at just December\u2019s excellent news from around the world, we\u2019re also [&hellip;]","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18210","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/331329"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18210"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18210\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18218,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18210\/revisions\/18218"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18210"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18210"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/sustainability\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18210"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}