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Good News! 15 Good News Stories From 2020 You May Have Missed

7 min read

Inspiring People
Good News! 15 Good News Stories From 2020 You May Have Missed
Source: Unsplash/Johann Walter Bantz

Selected highlights of the annual FutureCrunch list of uplifting and positive news items from 2020 that may have passed you by amid the pandemonium.

Good News Stories From 2020 You Probably Didn’t Hear About

Each year-end, our friends over at FutureCrunch compile a list of 99 Good News Stories from around the world that occurred during the course of the year and may have slipped under your news-gathering radar. The five categories are: 1. Conservation 2. Global health 3. Peace, Safety & Human Rights 4. Living Standards 5. Clean Energy. BrightVibes selected 3 news items from each.

In November, 14 countries, responsible for 40% of the world’s coastlines, signed a new pledge to end overfishing, restore fish populations and stop the flow of ocean plastic in the next 10 years. Each of the countries also committed to making sure all oceans within their national jurisdictions, a combined area roughly the size of Africa, are managed sustainably by 2025.
1. Oceans: In November, 14 countries, responsible for 40% of the world’s coastlines, signed a new pledge to end overfishing, restore fish populations and stop the flow of ocean plastic in the next 10 years. Each of the countries also committed to making sure all oceans within their national jurisdictions, a combined area roughly the size of Africa, are managed sustainably by 2025. Source: Lisa Maree Williams/Getty Images via The Guardian
More than 2 million people in northern India planted over 250 million trees as part of a government plan to tackle climate change, Pakistan announced the creation of 15 new national parks, expanding protected areas from 12% to 15% of the country, and Afghanistan announced the creation of the Bamyan Plateau National Park, its fifth ever protected area, and the second-biggest at 4,200 km², home to the ibex, urial and the Persian leopard.
2. Trees: More than 2 million people in northern India planted over 250 million trees as part of a government plan to tackle climate change, Pakistan announced the creation of 15 new national parks, expanding protected areas from 12% to 15% of the country, and Afghanistan announced the creation of the Bamyan Plateau National Park, its fifth ever protected area, and the second-biggest at 4,200 km², home to the ibex, urial and the Persian leopard. Source: AP News
Global meat production fell by more than 1% in 2020. This came off the back of a decline in 2019 too (there have never been two consecutive years of decline). We’re already at peak pasture, and it now looks like we might be approaching peak pork and beef.
3. Meat: Global meat production fell by more than 1% in 2020. This came off the back of a decline in 2019 too (there have never been two consecutive years of decline). We’re already at peak pasture, and it now looks like we might be approaching peak pork and beef. Source: Bloomberg
The WHO revealed that malaria deaths have reached the lowest level ever recorded, a drop of almost 60% in the last two decades. Take a moment to let this sink in: between 2000 and 2019, 1.5 billion malaria cases and 7.6 million malaria deaths were averted globally.
4. Malaria: The WHO revealed that malaria deaths have reached the lowest level ever recorded, a drop of almost 60% in the last two decades. Take a moment to let this sink in: between 2000 and 2019, 1.5 billion malaria cases and 7.6 million malaria deaths were averted globally. Source: WHO
Africa announced this year that it is officially free from wild polio. 25 years ago the disease still paralyzed more than 75,000 children across the continent every year. Since then, billions of oral vaccines have been provided, preventing 1.8 million cases. It's one of the greatest healthcare success stories of all time, and an extraordinary human achievement.
5. Polio: Africa announced this year that it is officially free from wild polio. 25 years ago the disease still paralyzed more than 75,000 children across the continent every year. Since then, billions of oral vaccines have been provided, preventing 1.8 million cases. It’s one of the greatest healthcare success stories of all time, and an extraordinary human achievement. Source: BBC
There was a major breakthrough in 2020 in the fight against AIDS. A new antiretroviral administered as an injection six times a year was shown to be 89% more effective at preventing HIV in women compared to standard ARVs, which are taken as a daily pill.
6. AIDS: There was a major breakthrough in 2020 in the fight against AIDS. A new antiretroviral administered as an injection six times a year was shown to be 89% more effective at preventing HIV in women compared to standard ARVs, which are taken as a daily pill. “A major, major advance. I don’t think we can overemphasise its importance.” Source: Stephane de Sakutin/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images via NYT
A new report by the Global Peace Index showed that since 2007, the majority of the world’s countries - 113 countries - have reduced their armed forces, 100 have reduced military expenditure and both imports and exports of weapons have reached their lowest levels since 2009.
7. Peace: A new report by the Global Peace Index showed that since 2007, the majority of the world’s countries – 113 countries – have reduced their armed forces, 100 have reduced military expenditure and both imports and exports of weapons have reached their lowest levels since 2009. Source: visionofhumanity.org
The 2020 Global Terrorism Index reported that deaths from terrorism fell for the fifth consecutive year, and that the terrorism situation had improved in 103 countries - the highest number of countries to record a year-on-year improvement since the inception of the index.
8. Terrorism: The 2020 Global Terrorism Index reported that deaths from terrorism fell for the fifth consecutive year, and that the terrorism situation had improved in 103 countries – the highest number of countries to record a year-on-year improvement since the inception of the index. Source: visionofhumanity.org
Kazakhstan joined an international protocol on the abolition of the death penalty, the 88th nation to become a signatory, which fulfils a fundamental right to life and human dignity. The country's head of state, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, quoted Kazakh poet and philosopher Abai, stressing the need for “love, compassion, bold actions, deeds and thoughtfulness.”
9. Capital Punishment: Kazakhstan joined an international protocol on the abolition of the death penalty, the 88th nation to become a signatory, which fulfils a fundamental right to life and human dignity. The country’s head of state, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, quoted Kazakh poet and philosopher Abai, stressing the need for “love, compassion, bold actions, deeds and thoughtfulness.” Source: Astana Times
New research this year showed that during the 2000s and 2010s, the global Gini coefficient dropped by 15 points and the earnings share of the world's poorest half doubled. The reason this feels so surprising is that most of us hardly ever read journalism written by people from Asia, Africa and South America.
10. Global Inequality: New research this year showed that during the 2000s and 2010s, the global Gini coefficient dropped by 15 points and the earnings share of the world’s poorest half doubled. The reason this feels so surprising is that most of us hardly ever read journalism written by people from Asia, Africa and South America. Source: Uppsala University
UNESCO reported that since 1995, the proportion of girls receiving primary and secondary education has increased from 73% to 89%. In actual numbers, that's an extra 180 million girls in school compared to a generation ago (and three times more women are also now enrolled in universities). Reminder - educating girls and empowering women is the single most effective way to combat climate change.
11. Girls’ Education: UNESCO reported that since 1995, the proportion of girls receiving primary and secondary education has increased from 73% to 89%. In actual numbers, that’s an extra 180 million girls in school compared to a generation ago (and three times more women are also now enrolled in universities). Reminder – educating girls and empowering women is the single most effective way to combat climate change. Source: UNESCO
A new study showed that air quality in Europe has improved dramatically in the past decade. Thanks to the implementation of better environmental and climate policies, around 60,000 fewer people died prematurely due to fine particulate matter pollution in 2018, compared with 2009. For nitrogen dioxide, the reduction is even greater; premature deaths have declined by about 54%.
12. Air: A new study showed that air quality in Europe has improved dramatically in the past decade. Thanks to the implementation of better environmental and climate policies, around 60,000 fewer people died prematurely due to fine particulate matter pollution in 2018, compared with 2009. For nitrogen dioxide, the reduction is even greater; premature deaths have declined by about 54%. Source: EEA
Carbon emissions fell by 2.4 billion tons, or 7%, the largest drop ever recorded. The decline was most pronounced in the United States (-12%) Europe (-11%) and India (-9%). It’s important not to be triumphalist: these reductions have come at the expense of a great deal of human suffering. But we can welcome the result, even if we abhor the way in which it has been delivered.
13. Carbon Emissions: Carbon emissions fell by 2.4 billion tons, or 7%, the largest drop ever recorded. The decline was most pronounced in the United States (-12%) Europe (-11%) and India (-9%). It’s important not to be triumphalist: these reductions have come at the expense of a great deal of human suffering. But we can welcome the result, even if we abhor the way in which it has been delivered. Source: Global Carbon Project via DW
The size of the global coal power fleet fell for the first time ever in 2020, with more plants shutting down than starting operations. Sweden and Austria became the second and third European countries to exit coal altogether, India said it would stop importing thermal coal in the next four years, Pakistan and the Phillipines said they would no longer approve new coal plants, and Bangladesh put 28GW of coal on the chopping block - more than Australia's entire capacity.
14. Coal: The size of the global coal power fleet fell for the first time ever in 2020, with more plants shutting down than starting operations. Sweden and Austria became the second and third European countries to exit coal altogether, India said it would stop importing thermal coal in the next four years, Pakistan and the Phillipines said they would no longer approve new coal plants, and Bangladesh put 28GW of coal on the chopping block – more than Australia’s entire capacity. Source: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images Via The Guardian
Between June 2019 and June 2020, the average cost of electricity for onshore wind fell by 9% to $44/MWh, and by 4% for utility scale solar, to $50/MWh. The cost decline for lithium-ion battery packs was even more impressive - they fell to $137 per kWh in 2020, an inflation-adjusted decline of 13% since 2019. Clean energy is now the cheapest form of new energy for three quarters of global GDP.
15. Electricity: Between June 2019 and June 2020, the average cost of electricity for onshore wind fell by 9% to $44/MWh, and by 4% for utility scale solar, to $50/MWh. The cost decline for lithium-ion battery packs was even more impressive – they fell to $137 per kWh in 2020, an inflation-adjusted decline of 13% since 2019. Clean energy is now the cheapest form of new energy for three quarters of global GDP. Source: Bloomberg
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99 GOOD NEWS STORIES FROM 2020 BY FUTURECRUNCH

There’s been so much loss, grief and heartbreak in 2020 that the kind folks over at FutureCrunch felt it almost wrong to be compiling their traditional annual list of good news. Things can and do fall apart, and this year it felt like they really did. Amazing as it may seem however, there were also big wins for conservation, living standards, peace, safety and human rights, clean energy, and yes, even global health. The reason you didn’t hear about them is because good news doesn’t sell advertisements or generate clicks, and that was more true in 2020 than ever before. Check out all 99 good news stores from 2020 here.