The world’s largest database of good news and social change milestones from throughout human history
We are building the world’s largest database of social change milestones, from the first fire to today’s good news. Change is not only possible, it has happened consistently throughout human history. Filter by era, country, topic, actor, source, and more.
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Era
- Tomorrow (2025 C.E. - ???)
- Today (2017 C.E. - 2024 C.E.)
- Post-modernity (1945 - 2016 C.E.)
- Modernity (1500 - 1945 C.E.)
- Post-classical (500 - 1500 C.E.)
- Civilization (3000 B.C.E. - 500 C.E.)
- Agriculture (10000 - 3000 B.C.E.)
- Prehistory (250000 - 10000 B.C.E.)
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2021 C.E. November 5
Four Latin American countries join forces to form huge marine reserve
Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, and Costa Rica announced the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, a fishing-free corridor that will cover more than 200,000 square miles.
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2021 C.E. November 4
HPV vaccine cutting cervical cancer by 87% in the U.K., shows new study
Cancer Research UK described the findings as "historic", and said it showed the vaccine was saving lives.
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2021 C.E. November 4
105 countries pledge to cut methane emissions by 30% by 2030
The Global Methane Pledge announced at COP26, commits signatories, including the US, Japan and Canada, to reducing their overall emissions by 30% by 2030, compared with 2020 levels.
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2021 C.E. November 4
Benin becomes the first West African country to legalize abortion
Before, abortion was only permitted if the pregnancy endangered the life of the pregnant woman, was the result of rape, or was conceived in an incestuous relationship.
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2021 C.E. November 3
Senate confirms Beth Robinson, the first out lesbian U.S. circuit court judge
Robinson has been an associate justice on the Vermont Supreme Court for the past ten years, where she also made history as the state’s first out LGBTQ supreme court justice.
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2021 C.E. November 3
Germany to return Mayan ancient artifacts to Guatemala and Mexico
The historic objects were discovered last year in the state of Saxony-Anhalt. The owner says he bought them at a flea market in Leipzig in 2003 not knowing where they came from.
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2021 C.E. November 3
More than 100 countries pledge to end deforestation by 2030 at COP26
In the first major deal to come out of the COP26 climate talks, more than 100 countries have pledged to halt and reverse deforestation by 2030. The signatories hold more than 85% of the world's forests.
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2021 C.E. November 2
World leaders promise to end deforestation by 2030
The countries who signed the pledge - including Canada, Brazil, Russia, China, Indonesia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the U.S. and the U.K. - cover around 85% of the world's forests.
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2021 C.E. November 2
Cape Verde’s sea turtle conservation efforts prove to be a resounding success
According to the West African country’s environment ministry, last year’s nest numbers are at nearly 200,000, a huge leap from the 10,725 nests accounted for in 2015.
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2021 C.E. November 2
MIT-designed project achieves major advance toward fusion energy
A new superconducting magnet breaks magnetic field strength records, paving the way for practical, commercial, carbon-free power.
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2021 C.E. December 10
Developers cancel Oregon pipeline and natural gas export terminal
The $8 billion, three-foot-wide, 229-mile-long pipeline would have carried methane-based gas from Canada to the Oregon facility where it would have been shipped to international markets.
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2021 C.E. December 10
Scotland ends all coal power
Scotland has marked the end of its coal-powered history by demolishing the huge chimney at its last remaining coal plant at Longannet in Fife.
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2021 C.E. December 10
Nevada becomes first U.S. state to recognize gay marriage in state constitution
Nevada voters overturned an 18-year-old ban on same-sex marriage, making the state the first to enshrine gay couples’ right to marry in its constitution.
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2021 C.E. December 9
Humanity achieves 59% decline in deaths of children under five since 1990
The progress may be the result of related efforts like improved nutrition, housing, water, sanitation, education, and financial security, as well as the availability of health services worldwide.
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2021 C.E. December 9
Canada bans conversion therapy
As of January 7, 2022 it will be a crime punishable by up to five years in prison to cause another person to undergo conversion therapy.
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2021 C.E. December 9
United Arab Emirates is adopting a 4.5-day work week and a Saturday-Sunday weekend
The extended weekend comes as part of the UAE government's efforts to boost work-life balance and enhance social wellbeing, while increasing performance to advance the UAE's economic competitiveness.
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2021 C.E. December 9
United Airlines logs first-ever commercial flight powered entirely with biofuels
Made up of fats, cooking oils, and grease produced by the company World Energy, this "Sustainable Aviation Fuel" is said to emit 80% less carbon dioxide than traditional fuels.
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2021 C.E. December 8
Wind becomes largest source of electricity for first time in Turkey
Turkey has prioritized the security of its energy supply as one of the central pillars of its energy strategy, leading to efforts to boost investments in the clean energy sector.
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2021 C.E. December 8
Countries with regulations against industrially produced trans fats tripled over the past year
Forty countries now have best-practice trans fat elimination policies in effect, protecting 1.4 billion people from this deadly food compound, according to new WHO report.
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2021 C.E. December 7
12 international donors pledge $1.5 billion to support protection of the Congo Basin forests
The 500 million acres of forests may be the last significant land-based tropical carbon sink in the world, making the forests vitally important in the global fight against climate change.