We can be overwhelmed by all the sad news that we are bombarded with from the mainstream media. However, there are lots of good things going on in the world. Here are a few websites that cover these and below are also a selection of some good news for this week.
The Good News Network, Good News England, The Good News Post, Positive News, The Optimist Daily, Our World in Data
As American aid to Ukraine has fallen, Europe has stepped up to keep support flowing. In 2025, the Nordic and Baltic states — despite representing just 8% of the GDP of tracked European donors — provided 33% of military aid, helping offset the evaporation of American support. Kiel Institute
The war in Iran has pushed Asia toward solar, not coal. Fears that disruptions from the war would drive Asia back to coal are overstated. Even a worst-case scenario would add only about 100 million tonnes to a 9 billion-tonne coal market, equivalent to the impact of a weather swing. Instead, higher electricity prices and faster permitting are accelerating rooftop solar adoption across the region, reinforcing a structural shift away from fossil fuel dependence. Bloomberg
The clean energy industry is taking the gloves off in the United States. After losing federal subsidies under the Trump administration, US renewable energy firms are shifting from advocacy to direct political spending. Backed by wealthy investors, the new campaigns aim to reshape support by emphasizing jobs, domestic manufacturing and lower costs, signalling an industry that is now willing to compete in the same political arena as fossil fuels. NYT
Renewables hit a record share of US electricity, overtaking fossil gas
Renewables generated over a third of US electricity in March 2026 for the first time, surpassing gas as wind and solar reached a record 26% combined share. The milestone reflects rapid structural growth, especially in solar, while coal fell to just 12%, one of its lowest levels on record. Ember
Electric vehicles won every major category at the 2026 World Car Awards, from urban and luxury to performance and design. The clean sweep suggests EVs are now the benchmark for quality, efficiency and desirability across segments, even as protectionism slows access to the best global models in some markets. CleanTechnica
China just launched a nationwide healthcare insurance system for people with disabilities, with a three-year target to cover its entire population. The reform scales up pilots that began in 2016, sets a roughly 0.3% contribution rate from employers, individuals and government subsidies, and promises the same benefits in rural and urban areas. Reuters
U.S. opioid overdose deaths have fallen by nearly half from their 2023 peak. According to CDC data, annual opioid overdose deaths dropped from almost 84,000 in June 2023 to about 43,000 by October 2025, a reversal that spans all racial groups after years of harm. Some states, including North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania have seen declines of more than 50%. The shift reflects stricter border controls, wider naloxone access and more treatment, but also a huge amount of local volunteer work: grassroots groups have spent years handing out overdose-reversal kits, training neighbours, staffing drop-in centres and building trust with people often missed by formal services. WaPo
Brazil is embedding environmental enforcement into its financial system. A new rule now requires banks to check if rural loan applicants have any deforestation on their farms using satellite imagery. If bank managers detect any clearing since 2019, farmers applying for government-funded rural credit must show proof of deforestation permits to get their loans approved. Reuters
Marine life rebounds off Vancouver Island after decades of loss
The waters off Vancouver Island are witnessing a striking ecological return. In north-eastern British Columbia, annual humpback sightings have risen from just seven in 2003 to more than 115, while sea otters, once hunted to near extinction, now number about 8,200. Recovering seal and sea lion populations are also drawing more orcas, a reminder that protection can rebuild entire food webs. Financial Times
And finally, in Romania’s Tarcu Mountains, European bison are proving that rewilding can change an ecosystem, not just save a species. The animals were once driven to near-extinction in Europe by hunting and habitat loss, but in areas where they have been reintroduced since 2014, researchers have found plant biomass and diversity are up by about 30%. That makes the comeback of Europe’s largest land mammal more than symbolic: a species nearly erased from the continent is now helping rebuild richer, more resilient grassland and forest-edge habitat. Ecoticias
