Archive of Human Genius

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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  • Small German town with polluting coal plant in the distance
    2023 C.E. December 11

    E.U. approves German state aid for early closure of coal plants

    The European Commission has agreed that Germany should be allowed to pay the energy giant RWE some €2.6 billion in state aid for the early closure of coal power stations. Under German law, no more electricity is to be produced from coal from 2038 onward. However, this new agreement moves the date forward to 2030.


  • Furnace flames
    2023 C.E. December 9

    Massachusetts becomes first U.S. state to approve phase-out of natural gas as a source for residential heating

    According to Inside Climate News, Massachusetts is the first state to take such a clear step to phase out natural gas, but it likely won’t be the last. At least 11 other states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington — as well as Washington, D.C. — have ongoing regulatory cases that are exploring the future of natural gas.


  • ITER Fusion Reactor. Tokamak. Thermonuclear Experimental power plant. Industrial zone with power station atomic energy production. 3D Render
    2023 C.E. December 8

    Japan completes and begins operating world’s largest fusion reactor

    The reactor, dubbed JT-60SA, represents the latest testbed for a potentially transformative source of renewable energy harvested from atoms fusing together under immense pressure and incredibly high temperatures — without risking a nuclear meltdown.


  • Pills spilling out of pill bottle
    2023 C.E. December 7

    U.S. sets policy to seize patents of government-funded drugs if price deemed too high

    "We'll make it clear that when drug companies won't sell taxpayer funded drugs at reasonable prices, we will be prepared to allow other companies to provide those drugs for less," White House adviser Lael Brainard said on a press call.


  • Holding $100 bills
    2023 C.E. December 6

    Biden administration forgives another $4.8 billion in student loan debt for 80,300 borrowers

    The Biden administration has now cancelled an unprecedented $130 billion in student debt for more than 3.6 million Americans, offering much-needed relief to low-income families across the country.


  • Factory rooftop
    2023 C.E. December 5

    Over 60 countries pledge to slash emission from cooling sector

    Conventional cooling, such as air conditioning, is a major driver of climate change, responsible for over seven per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. If not managed properly, energy needs for space cooling will triple by 2050, together with associated emissions.


  • Depiction of cancer cells
    2023 C.E. December 5

    Once-a-day pill for stubborn cancer delivers a 62.5% positive response

    In the first trial, at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center in Australia, CRC patients receiving just divarasib had a 35.9% positive response rate, which was considered extremely promising.


  • Rainforest scene
    2023 C.E. December 2

    Brazil launches $204 million drive to restore Amazon rainforest

    Brazil's national development bank BNDES has launched the Arc of Restoration program to restore degraded or destroyed woodland amounting to 23,160 square miles - an area nearly the size of Latvia - in the Amazon rainforest by 2030. It also seeks to capture 1.65 billion tons of carbon from the atmosphere by 2030.


  • Coal pollution
    2023 C.E. December 2

    The U.S. and six other nations commit to unabated coal phase-out

    At the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, the U.S., Czech Republic, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Iceland, Kosovo and Norway in formally joining the alliance, which was launched in 2017 by the U.K. and Canada. The new members have committed to not developing new unabated coal power plants and phasing out existing unabated coal plants.


  • unset at Mont des Arts - Brussels | Belgium
    2023 C.E. December 1

    Belgian court of appeals has ordered the country’s government to cut emissions faster

    In a powerful victory for climate campaigners, the Brussels court of appeal ordered Belgium to cut its planet-heating pollution by at least 55% from 1990 levels by 2030. By 2021, Belgium had cut its emissions by just 24%. The court rejected arguments that Belgium’s impact on the climate crisis was limited by its small size.


  • Small German town with polluting coal plant in the distance
    2023 C.E. December 11

    E.U. approves German state aid for early closure of coal plants

    The European Commission has agreed that Germany should be allowed to pay the energy giant RWE some €2.6 billion in state aid for the early closure of coal power stations. Under German law, no more electricity is to be produced from coal from 2038 onward. However, this new agreement moves the date forward to 2030.


  • Furnace flames
    2023 C.E. December 9

    Massachusetts becomes first U.S. state to approve phase-out of natural gas as a source for residential heating

    According to Inside Climate News, Massachusetts is the first state to take such a clear step to phase out natural gas, but it likely won’t be the last. At least 11 other states, including California, Colorado, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington — as well as Washington, D.C. — have ongoing regulatory cases that are exploring the future of natural gas.


  • ITER Fusion Reactor. Tokamak. Thermonuclear Experimental power plant. Industrial zone with power station atomic energy production. 3D Render
    2023 C.E. December 8

    Japan completes and begins operating world’s largest fusion reactor

    The reactor, dubbed JT-60SA, represents the latest testbed for a potentially transformative source of renewable energy harvested from atoms fusing together under immense pressure and incredibly high temperatures — without risking a nuclear meltdown.


  • Pills spilling out of pill bottle
    2023 C.E. December 7

    U.S. sets policy to seize patents of government-funded drugs if price deemed too high

    "We'll make it clear that when drug companies won't sell taxpayer funded drugs at reasonable prices, we will be prepared to allow other companies to provide those drugs for less," White House adviser Lael Brainard said on a press call.


  • Holding $100 bills
    2023 C.E. December 6

    Biden administration forgives another $4.8 billion in student loan debt for 80,300 borrowers

    The Biden administration has now cancelled an unprecedented $130 billion in student debt for more than 3.6 million Americans, offering much-needed relief to low-income families across the country.


  • Factory rooftop
    2023 C.E. December 5

    Over 60 countries pledge to slash emission from cooling sector

    Conventional cooling, such as air conditioning, is a major driver of climate change, responsible for over seven per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. If not managed properly, energy needs for space cooling will triple by 2050, together with associated emissions.


  • Depiction of cancer cells
    2023 C.E. December 5

    Once-a-day pill for stubborn cancer delivers a 62.5% positive response

    In the first trial, at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center in Australia, CRC patients receiving just divarasib had a 35.9% positive response rate, which was considered extremely promising.


  • Rainforest scene
    2023 C.E. December 2

    Brazil launches $204 million drive to restore Amazon rainforest

    Brazil's national development bank BNDES has launched the Arc of Restoration program to restore degraded or destroyed woodland amounting to 23,160 square miles - an area nearly the size of Latvia - in the Amazon rainforest by 2030. It also seeks to capture 1.65 billion tons of carbon from the atmosphere by 2030.


  • Coal pollution
    2023 C.E. December 2

    The U.S. and six other nations commit to unabated coal phase-out

    At the COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai, the U.S., Czech Republic, Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Iceland, Kosovo and Norway in formally joining the alliance, which was launched in 2017 by the U.K. and Canada. The new members have committed to not developing new unabated coal power plants and phasing out existing unabated coal plants.


  • unset at Mont des Arts - Brussels | Belgium
    2023 C.E. December 1

    Belgian court of appeals has ordered the country’s government to cut emissions faster

    In a powerful victory for climate campaigners, the Brussels court of appeal ordered Belgium to cut its planet-heating pollution by at least 55% from 1990 levels by 2030. By 2021, Belgium had cut its emissions by just 24%. The court rejected arguments that Belgium’s impact on the climate crisis was limited by its small size.



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