Good Climate News Roundup
Because I Think We All Need It Right Now
I don’t know about you all, but I’m carrying around a deep sinking feeling in my stomach and am on the verge of crying just about all the time. Oh because, you know, democracy is on the line in just one week and I’m quite honestly not feeling terribly optimistic about it (even though I’ve declared “I’m only doing optimism”).
This all made me think back to a conversation I had with a friend recently who told me her favorite post of mine was a Positive News Roundup at the end of last year. And you know what, I think we could all use a little bit of good news just to distract ourselves even for a moment, so I’m not going to wait for the end of the year for this one. And also think about all the good things that are happening and have happened.
With that, here’s the good news…
Salmon are returning to the Klamath River Basin for the first time since 1912
Dams were built all along northern California and southern Oregon’s Klamath River between 1911 and 1962 which immediately blocked salmon from returning to spawning grounds upstream. Salmon are not only important to the river ecosystem, but they are an essential cultural resource to the tribes whose traditional land is along the river. After years of advocacy and protest from the Klamath tribes, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a $500 million dam removal project in 2022. The removal of four of the dams along the river was completed at the end of August, restoring the Klamath river to its historic free-flowing state and giving salmon access to more than 400 miles of river. And in mid-October, the first salmon since 1912 to be seen far upstream in Oregon were spotted. This is a huge win for Indigenous justice and, therefore, for climate justice.
Having written some stories about dams and fish passage for a client (here, here, and here) I’ve become interested in dam removal and what that means for ecosystems and so I’ve been following this project since it was approved in 2022. It’s an incredible feat of engineering and what makes it so exciting is, if done correctly, how quickly the ecosystem can restore itself. As the largest dam removal in the U.S., this is a historic undertaking that I hope will be the first of many.
Youth in Hawai’i make history with successful lawsuit against Hawai’i DOT
In my last positive news roundup, I wrote about the success of Montana youth’s lawsuit against the state and that the next one down the line was Navahine v. Hawaiʻi Department Of Transportation. In this suit, 14 youth sued the state’s DOT because of their part in higher greenhouse gas emissions that thus violate their constitutional right to “live healthful lives in Hawai’i now and into the future.” And guess what, the youth won! On June 20, 2024, the youth plaintiffs along with Hawai’i Governor Josh Green and DOT Director Edward Sniffen announced in a joint press conference that they had reached a historic settlement. The lawsuit was an act of asking their government to embrace the concept of kuleana (responsibility) and meet the state legislature’s goal to “decarbonize Hawai’i’s economy and achieve a zero emissions transportation sector by 2045. Hawai’i’s leadership heard youth voices, and responded, backed by the judiciary.” While they are just getting started on what’s next, this is an exciting example of how the government can work with the people and not against them and an example of the power youth have to make meaningful change.
Also: If you happen to be able to make it, there will be an update on what’s next Today, Oct 29th at 5pm Eastern Time – You can register here.
Ecuador’s codifying the “Right of Nature” is an example of Indigenous justice leading climate action
In 2008, the country of Ecuador took a huge step in forest protection–and the protection of Indigenous communities–and codified “Rights of Nature” (RoN) into its Constitution. And then in 2022, a constitutional court extended these protections to nonhuman animals. A recent Yes! Magazine story by Peter Yeung takes readers to Ecuador’s Amazon rainforest to see RoN in practice and that the protection is actually holding. The entire concept of RoN comes from the Indigenous peoples of the region who advocated and protested for years to establish the protection. “The movement is rooted in the common Indigenous belief that nature—from the Andean mountains to Amazonian rivers right down to a single soldier ant—is a system to which human beings belong and with which they must harmoniously coexist,” writes Yeung. “The legal theory argues that these ecosystems and species have intrinsic rights that should be protected in the same way as those of humans.” It’s yet another example of Indigenous justice being one of the strongest and most enduring forms of climate action. This in particular has inspired a global movement to impart rights on nature.
The American Climate Corps is an important 0pportunity for young people to take climate action
As a returned Peace Corps volunteer, I find the establishment of the American Climate Corps such an incredible way for the U.S. government to provide a way for young people to take climate action that could have a really positive impact. While admittedly, I think Peace Corps has some kind of imperialistic roots wrapped in paternalistic relationships between higher-income and lower-income countries, there’s something beautiful that does happen when volunteers are placed in communities abroad. For me it was less about what I ended up doing than the cross-cultural relationships built. I think the ACC is different in that it is about doing and is able to harness the idealism, the agility, the adaptability, and the action-oriented approach of the younger generations who know that the work must be done now. I’m excited to see what comes from this new cadre of young climate leaders and doers.
Where to Find Positive News All Year Round
It’s not always easy to find the good news about climate when you’re just consuming regular news content. So here are a few places where you’ll be guaranteed to get your fix of positive news whenever you need a pick-me-up:
The League of Conservation Voters has a monthly Good Climate News Roundup
Yes! Magazine is dedicated to solutions journalism which means they’re focusing on what works and what can impact change.
The Daily Climate has a whole Good News section that features positive climate news from across the internet.
Grist’s Climate Solutions section also brings you great solutions journalism
Read Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s new book What if We Get it Right?: Visions of Climate Futures
What else is getting you excited about climate solutions? Tell me (us!) because I really need some good news hitting me in my face right now!