Positive Shifts: Groundbreaking Discoveries, Landmark Lawsuits, and Soaring Renewables in 2025

Are you concerned about the condition of our planet? Like us as eco-focused reporters, these feelings have become far too recognizable: the weight of climate worry, the sense of climatic despair, and even the fear of an environmental existence threat.

These terms all refer to the same issue: the adverse emotions like stress, fear, anger, and sorrow that arise when facing the truth about our heating planet. Given the constant news reports of people losing their lives or having them devastated due to severe climatic events, it's challenging to avoid the impacts of climate change.

It’s easy to feel helpless and dejected. But as many experts agree, we can use some of those feelings of despair and turn them into action.

At Euronews Green, we understand our crucial part in tackling climate despair. It's essential for us to maintain accuracy and honesty in our coverage without underplaying or glossing over issues. However, alongside this responsibility, we aim to emphasize that there is always reason for optimism.

This is why, for the past three years, we’ve kept track of all the positive environmental news stories throughout the year. Every year we write hundreds of good news stories, from eco-innovations and green breakthroughs to climate wins and feel-good reports on nature.

We aim to carry on with our work and strive to double our figures annually – as this undoubtedly indicates positive progress.

According to climate activist Tori Tsui, she mentions, "The wonderful aspect of engaging in climate action is that everybody can contribute, however they see fit for themselves."

These are this year’s leading uplifting tales – from the minor and community-focused, to the whimsical that brought joy, all the way up to the significant and possibly globally transformative ones.

Should you stumble upon an uplifting tale we've missed, kindly get in touch with us. Instagram or X to share your ideas.

Heartening ecological news from May 2025

Icy depths of the Southern Ocean reveal coral gardens and volcanic vents: Discoveries made by scientists.

Researchers aboard an underwater exploration mission to the South Sandwich Islands close to Antarctica have come back with a wealth of images showcasing never-before-seen sea creatures.

They found coral gardens, hydrothermal vents and many suspected new species while exploring around the island chain, including in the deepest trench in the Southern Ocean.

Indigenous women in India make 'dream maps' to protect lands from climate change

Aboriginal women have conducted surveys and mappings to highlight diminishing resources and areas needing restoration. These efforts led to the creation of so-called dream maps, depicting their villages in envisioned perfect conditions. Among these vibrant designs, the predominant color is vivid green.

'The lost' gecko species believed to have vanished has been found again in South Africa.

Scientists who were airlifted into a hard-to-reach and isolated gorge in South Africa claim to have found a species of gecko that had not been spotted for over three decades and was believed to either be vanished forever or perhaps never truly existed.

Can genuine backing for renewable energy be fostered through community involvement?

The dissemination of misinformation and opposition to renewable energies is hindering Europe’s shift towards green power, frequently driven by unclear intentions.

However, a fresh strategy relying on local participation in wind and solar initiatives might assist in alleviating public worries.

Uplifting ecological news from April 2025

Within the newly established seal rescue center looking after wounded pups in the Netherlands

The World Heritage Centre can accommodate approximately 70 seals simultaneously and features 12 intensive-care units designed for severely injured creatures capable of recuperating in specialized enclosures that provide a tranquil setting.

The newly constructed facility, costing upwards of €40 million funded by local and regional authorities along with various charities, narrates far more than merely the tale of the oceans.

Landmark ruling should encourage more cities to ban fossil fuel ads

A ban on fossil fuel adverts in The Hague has been upheld by a Dutch court, in an “historic ruling” that campaigners hope will embolden other cities to take action.

Last September, The Hague made history as the first city globally to enact legislation banning advertisements that promote fossil fuels, such as petrol vehicles, air travel, and cruise ships.

Researchers claim they have developed methods to quantify the trillions of dollars in climate-related harm inflicted by major fossil fuel companies.

Specialists think this study might strengthen climate legislation and force those contributing to global warming to bear the cost of their actions.

This initiative aims to simplify processes for both individuals and administrations to enforce financial responsibility on corporations, similar to how major tobacco firms have faced consequences.

The Mazhar Botanic Garden serves as a natural antidote to Cairo’s well-known air pollution problem.

The garden is crucial for safeguarding rare and endangered plants worldwide.

In addition to safeguarding biodiversity, this initiative enhances environmental sustainability through boosted carbon dioxide uptake levels.

The Mazhar Botanic Garden outperforms the Orman Garden when it comes to absorbing pollutants, extracting an amount equal to four times what the Orman Garden removes from Greater Cairo.

Researchers produce power from dropping water specimens

Rain could one day become a source of clean electricity, according to a group of scientists in Singapore.

Their tests have successfully produced energy using water droplets falling inside a tube. They believe this method might serve as a blueprint for extracting greater quantities of electric power from rainfall downpours in years to come.

Researchers capture video of giant squid alive for the first time.

A century since the giant squid was discovered, researchers have captured footage of a living specimen in its natural habitat for the first time, signifying a breakthrough in the study of the ocean depths.

In March, during a research voyage with the Schmidt Ocean Institute, a team embarked on an exploration mission. Falkor (too) The vessel came across the elusive creature close to the South Sandwich Islands, deep within the chilly waters of the south Atlantic Ocean.

The Spanish zoo is assisting senior creatures to grow old with dignity.

At the Barcelona Zoo, a 40-year-old African elephant stretches her foot through the metal barrier as a zookeeper softly cleans the bottom of her hoof. This cherished mammal receives her daily "manicure," complete with pieces of apples.

This therapy is part of the zoo’s tailored senior care program for older creatures unable to return to their natural habitat, reflecting how modern zoos globally are placing greater importance on providing lifetime care.

Lego states that the upcoming plant in Vietnam will produce toys with zero emissions.

Lego opened a $1 billion (€906 million) factory in Vietnam in April that it says will make toys without adding planet-warming gas to the atmosphere by relying entirely on clean energy.

The factory in the industrial area of Binh Duong, close to Ho Chi Minh City, is the first in Vietnam that aims to run entirely on clean energy. Lego says it will do that by early 2026.

World surpasses 40% clean electricity with Europe leading as a 'solar superpower'

Last year, over 40 percent of the world's electricity came from low-emission sources, as reported by Ember, a clean energy research organization. This figure marks a historic high, unbroken since the 1940s when the global power sector was substantially smaller—about 50 times less—and primarily driven by hydroelectricity.

Currently, solar energy is leading in a focused competition to establish a completely clean power grid.

Meet the teenage pair who claimed victory in this year's Earth Prize Europe.

The two teenage laureates from Europe have been announced as the recipients of The Earth Prize 2025 honors due to their revolutionary creation aimed at ensuring cleaner drinking water accessible to everyone.

An 18-year-old named Tomáš Čermák from Czechia and a 19-year-old named Anna Podmanická from Slovakia created a distinctive filtration system dubbed PURA.

They are the pioneers from either Czechia or Slovakia to claim the Earth Prize.

Finland 'on track ahead of plan' for eliminating coal usage

Today’s shutdown of a coal-fired power plant in Finland has pushed the nation close to complete elimination of coal usage – four years earlier than planned.

The power utility firm Helen has formally closed down its Salmisaari facility in Helsinki on April 1st, reducing coal usage to under 1 percent of Finland’s total energy production.

Uplifting ecological news from March 2025

Massive Attack concert made history by slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 98%

Last year, a concert by UK trip-hop collective Massive Attack made history - not for the music, but for its environmental footprint.

The team worked alongside climate experts to organize the concert, setting a new global mark for achieving the least carbon emissions at a musical gathering.

Five trauma-affected lions from the war in Ukraine have found refuge at a long-term sanctuary in the UK.

After an international initiative to ensure their safe relocation, five traumatized lions rescued from the conflict area in Ukraine have adjusted to their new surroundings in England.

A male African lion named Rori along with three lionesses—Amani, Lira, and Vanda—arrived in March at the Big Cat Sanctuary following a lengthy 12-hour trip via road and ferry. The cats previously lived temporarily in various locations including zoos and wildlife sanctuaries across Belgium before their relocation.

Renewables stepped up to meet surge in energy demand from rising temperatures in 2024

Extremely high temperatures observed globally played a crucial role in boosting yearly carbon dioxide emissions by 0.8 percent, totaling 37.8 billion tons.

However, the installation of solar and wind power, along with nuclear energy, electric vehicles, and heat pumps since 2019 now stops about 2.6 billion tonnes of CO2 annually, as stated by the IEA. This amount represents 7 percent of worldwide emissions.

Further positive developments highlighted in the report show that the growing availability of low-emission energy sources met the majority of the rise in worldwide electricity needs during 2024.

Researchers stationed in Antarctica witnessed a massive iceberg breaking away. This is what they discovered in its aftermath.

Large sea spiders, icefish, and octopuses are some of the unexpectedly plentiful species that researchers have discovered in an area of ocean previously hidden under ice.

An international team onboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Falkor (too) research vessel were on a trip around Antarctica earlier this year, studying “the interface between ice and sea” when a rare opportunity suddenly opened up.

On January 13th, an enormous chunk of ice known as A-84, comparable in size to Chicago, detached itself from the George VI Ice Shelf. This shelf is one of many vast floating glaciers connected to the Antarctic Peninsula’s icy expanse.

Electric vehicles poised to cut Europe’s CO2 emissions by 20 million tonnes this year.

One out of every five newly purchased vehicles within the European Union this year will emit no exhaust fumes whatsoever. So, how did we arrive at this point? According to an evaluation conducted by the advocacy organization Transportation & Environment (T&E), the significant increase in electric car adoption is expected to reduce carbon dioxide levels across Europe by approximately 20 million metric tons this year.

This is akin to the pollution produced by eight coal-fired power stations and signifies one encouraging development in an industry famously challenging to electrify.

How a Fish Doorbell in the Netherlands Is Aiding Migration

The 'fish doorbell' season commenced once again on March 3rd, marking its fifth consecutive year. This particular setup features a live feed through cameras, enabling observers to notify the lockkeeper at the Weerdsluis lock about fish queuing up to migrate upstream, thus prompting them to operate the gate.

Linda Voortman, an Alderman from Utrecht, mentions that every year the fish doorbell garners great excitement among the citizens of the city and well beyond.

"Indeed, last year saw nearly three million distinct visitors contributing to the passage of thousands of fish through the Weerdsluis gates in Utrecht," states Voortman.

Researchers uncover new insights into how sea otters help save underwater forests.

It's widely recognized that sea otters contribute to the abundance of kelp forests by consuming sea urchins, which otherwise feed extensively on these plants. However, researchers were perplexed by how the effect of otters on kelp populations—especially around island shores in Southern California and British Columbia—differed from place to place.

New findings reveal that the extent to which sea otters affect the rate at which kelp forests regenerate relies on the other species they engage with.

Czechia's €1 million dam constructed at no cost by beavers

Earlier this year, a family of beavers grabbed international attention when they constructed their own dam precisely at the spot where officials were intending to build one in Czechia. This unexpected move ended up saving taxpayers approximately CZK 30 million (€1.2 million) that was earmarked for the project. Despite previous delays due to bureaucratic hurdles, the beavers swiftly resolved the issue overnight.

These hardworking creatures are making significant contributions throughout Europe, with England sanctioning their release into the wild back in February. Yet, how do they determine where to construct their dams?

Uplifting ecological news from February 2025

Researchers in Hawaii are teaching 'appetite-driven' sea fungi to consume ocean plastics.

In a world dependent on plastics, the lengthy breakdown times pose a significant issue. However, researchers from the University of Hawaii may have discovered an answer: marine fungi.

Scientists at the University of Hawaii (UH) in Mānoa consider this "a promising and mostly unused" approach for eliminating plastic pollution from our lands and waterways.

'People aiding people': Unsung tree surgeons step up during storms that disrupt electricity supply

Referred to as the storm of the century, Storm Eowyn brought unprecedented wind speeds of up to 184 km/h, capturing global attention. It reached its zenith by cutting off power to an astounding 750,000 households. The western region of Ireland suffered the most damage from this tempest.

Arborists stepped in to save the day, removing fallen trees, trunks, logs, and branches to enable emergency teams who arrived from across Europe to assist the ESB in reinstating electricity for Ireland.

Activist aims for 48 consecutive hours of tree-hugging to encourage others to embrace nature.

Truphena Muthoni tried to set a new world record with a tree-hugging marathon. The 21-year-old embraced one tree in a public park located in central Nairobi, Kenya, for nearly two days straight.

The Kenyan shared her desire to establish this connection so that people can better grasp how nature influences positive mental well-being.

Hugging trees has served as an act of protest for environmentalists for nearly 300 years, and surprisingly, there are now global championships dedicated to this hobby.

India has doubled its tiger numbers within ten years thanks to conservation initiatives.

A study revealed in early February that India had nearly tripled its tiger numbers within a bit more than ten years. This achievement was accomplished through anti-poaching measures, safeguarding habitats, securing sufficient prey for tigers, mitigating conflicts between humans and wildlife, and enhancing the livelihoods of people residing close to tiger zones.

During the early 2000s, specialists warned of the imminent extinction of tigers. However, in the past 25 years, this iconic creature of India’s heritage has experienced an impressive resurgence.

Uplifting ecological tales from January 2025

How the Arctic tundra is safeguarding seeds for coming generations

Nestled past the Arctic Circle, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault stands tall within a former coalmine and holds seed samples of fruits and vegetables from every corner of the globe.

Last year witnessed the largest influx of gene banks and new additions to the seed vault’s collection, with more than 6,297 crop varieties stored. This indicates that collaborative efforts in seed preservation are thriving as never before.

How the Scotch whiskey sector is unintentionally addressing overfishing

The passion for seas sparked an individual to develop a eco-friendly substitute for Omega-3 supplements meant for people as well as farm-raised fish.

Earlier, Omega-3 depended on wild fish, depriving coastal communities of essential nutrition. This approach also tackles an issue within Scotland’s biggest sector.

Whisky wastewater usually ends up in the ocean, but the company MiAlgae uses nutrient-rich byproducts to create dried algae powder through a giant renewable-powered fermentation process. This is then used as aquafeed for farmed fish and pet food.

Tile tossing: The sustainable activity sweeping through the Netherlands

The Dutch have developed a national sport centered around tile-whacking to assist in making the Netherlands 'climate-resistant'.

Tile-whipping — known as 'tegelwippen' — involves locals attempting to clear the maximum number of paving stones from their gardens. This effort aims to transform urban areas into greener, more natural environments. It also helps alleviate strain on drainage infrastructure.

Successful groups get a gold-colored spade, with rewards for the 'top performer of the month'.

How deaf educators put tricky climate change terms into sign language

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh aimed to make sure that a new generation could join in discussions about climate change.

This was no mean feat, but British Sign Language has now expanded its vocabulary to include terms such as greenhouse gases, carbon footprint, and sustainability.

'Press on': 74-Year-Old Anti-Whaling Activist Paul Watson Keeps Fighting

Upon his release from jail and under the supervision of the French government, Paul Watson—the initiator of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, an organization known for its direct-action approach to marine preservation—spoke with Euronews Green at the start of January.

In 1974, Watson started his efforts to protect whales and pointed out that today, very few countries continue whaling. He noted that Norway, Iceland, and Japan remain as the sole exceptions. This has led him to become progressively more optimistic regarding the outlook for these magnificent creatures.

Therefore, Watson ought to be, just like Euronews Green does. reported Regarding numerous observations of the stunning humpback whales made by residents along the UK coastline — this is probably because humpback whale numbers have significantly rebounded during the last fifty years following the implementation of whaling prohibitions.

Researchers convert waste into batteries capable of powering the electrical grid.

Researchers have found a method to transform formerly discarded industrial waste into a crucial material for batteries that might energize our future.

Identified by researchers from America’s Northwestern University, these redox flow batteries utilize a chemical process to shuttle energy back and forth through electrolyte fluids.

These solutions might serve as incredibly useful options for storing energy at the level of an electrical grid, aiding in mitigating the fluctuations between periods of low and high production from wind and solar sources.

Tiny British island is now home to the world’s most remote EV charger

St Helena, part of the British Overseas Territories, has set up the globe’s remotest public electric vehicle charger in its capital city, Jamestown.

Supported by the Norwegian firm Easee and the Japanese automaker Subaru, this pilot project aims to enhance electric vehicle infrastructure. The expectation is that better facilities will encourage residents of the island to abandon gasoline and diesel cars in favor of EVs.

Italy, Albania, and the UAE reach agreement to jointly develop renewable energy sources.

Three countries signed a clean energy cooperation deal that means they will share wind and solar energy across the sea.

The UAE is providing its technological know-how to advance Albania’s renewable energy sector. A portion of the power generated through these new methods will subsequently be transmitted to Italy using an undersea cable spanning the Adriatic Sea.

Researcher dismissed for declining to travel gets financial reimbursement

Adhering to your principles ultimately pays off, as demonstrated by the Italian climate scientist Dr. Gianluca Grimalda, who lost his job after declining to board an aircraft upon returning from a research expedition.

To adhere to his principles of cutting down greenhouse gases by steering clear of air travel and opting for slower modes of transportation, the researcher gained widespread attention online after sharing his journey at the beginning of 2024.

Grimalda initiated legal action over wrongful termination, and an agreement was reached in January. Out of the severance package, €75,000 will go towards supporting initiatives focused on environmental conservation and combating climate change as well as promoting climate activism.

Sheep as partners for solar panels: Why they're ideal companions for photovoltaic systems

Referred to as nature’s top lawn mowers, US farmers are beginning to recognize the advantages of using sheep at solar panel sites.

Agrivoltaics, known for utilising land beneath solar panels effectively, has shown advantages such as grazing sheep and various livestock, cultivating crops, and even maintaining beehives under the array structures.

Euronews Green highlights several European initiatives that have long been at this task—offering a range of advantages.

Dutch court mandates reduction of nitrogen pollution by 2030

A Dutch court decided that the authorities were not adequately tackling extremely high levels of nitrogen oxide contamination, primarily stemming from agriculture and transportation, in a lawsuit initiated by Greenpeace.

Nitrogen contamination deteriorates soil quality and unintentionally nourishes trees, grasslands, and resilient species, thereby increasing their vulnerability.

This represents a major victory since nitrogen pollution ranks as the third strongest contributor to human-induced biodiversity decline, following habitat destruction and greenhouse gas emissions.

Workers from the oil and gas industry will receive assistance in finding environmentally friendly job opportunities in the UK.

The UK is aiding oil and gas employees transition into renewable energy roles by offering them a 'skills passport.' This tool enables those from the fossil fuel sector to make well-informed choices regarding their career paths and futures.

Studies show that approximately 90 percent of fossil fuel workers possess skills applicable to the shift towards clean energy.

The UK government has declared that regional skill investments totaling nearly £4 million (€4.7m) will assist individuals in transitioning to careers in clean energy sectors.

Solar power surpasses coal as European Union makes history with new energy records

Last year, solar generated more electricity than coal did for European Union nations, signaling a significant turning point in the relentless advancement of renewable energy sources.

The European Union's shift towards electric power has progressed more swiftly than anticipated, with solar-generated renewables accounting for 11 percent of the EU’s electricity in 2024. This milestone surpassed even the most pessimistic projections, pushing coal—a dirtier fossil fuel—below the 10 percent mark.

To find more positive stories about the environment from last year, take a look at everything covered by Euronews Green. positive environmental stories from 2024.