Climate anxiety is very real, but these good news stories from 2024 prove there is hope for our planet.
ADVERTISEMENTEco-anxiety, climate doom, environmental existential dread – as green journalists, we see these terms used a lot – and often feel them ourselves.While there’s a lot to be worried about when it comes to the climate and nature crises, we must not lose hope – because hopelessness breeds apathy.The media has an important role to play in combatting climate doom. It’s our job to be truthful and accurate in our reporting, not trying to downplay or greenwash the situation. But it’s also our job to show that there is hope.In 2023, as part of our ongoing effort to tackle eco-anxiety (both that of our readers and our own), we kept track of all the positive environmental news throughout the year. We racked up over 200 stories of eco-innovation, green breakthroughs and climate wins – more than double the number in 2022 and a sure sign of momentum.In 2024, we”ve seen the good news keep on coming, as renewable power soars, vulnerable ecosystems gain rights, and climate protocols start to pay dividends.Here are the year’s top positive stories from including the small and local, the silly that made us smile and the enormous and potentially world-changing.If you come across a great, positive story that we haven’t covered here – please reach out to us on Instagram or X to share your ideas.Positive environmental stories from December 2024Can beehives help humans and elephants co-exist? A simple nature-based solution is keeping the peaceA nine-year study found that elephants in Kenya will avoid beehive fences – a simple structure where live beehives are strung together between posts – as much as 86 per cent of the time.In societies where populations continue to grow, these findings could offer a powerful nature-based solution to safeguard livelihoods and wildlife habitats alike.Montana Supreme Court locks horns with Republicans over landmark climate rulingA landmark climate ruling that found a US state was violating residents’ constitutional right to a clean environment has been upheld in another victory for the young plaintiffs.Last year, Montana’s District Court ruled in favour of the 16 activists, now aged 7 to 23. The judge agreed that the policy the state uses in evaluating requests for fossil fuel permits – which does not take into account greenhouse gas emissions – is unconstitutional.State officials pledged to try and overturn the “groundbreaking” decision on appeal. But on Wednesday, justices at Montana’s Supreme Court upheld it 6-1.Mission rewilding: Scotland and Wales are trailblazing Europe’s nature restorationRewilding initiatives are already seeing success in the UK, as Scotland bids to become the world’s first ‘rewilding nation’, led by a coalition of more than 20 organisations under the Scottish Rewilding Alliance.Meanwhile, the only rewilding group of its kind in Wales has begun crowdfunding for a bold rewilding
Lun. Gen 6th, 2025
