It can sometimes feel that climate change – and the negative consequences that come with it – are inevitable.
But there are many people, companies and volunteer organisations who are doing their bit to fight climate change. And it is those combined efforts which means that the battle could be won.
Here are some positive environmental stories which demonstrate that our planet could still be saved.
1: California’s response to record wildfires? Shift to 100% clean energy.
Legislators are determined to fight the climate change that’s ravaging their state and they are putting their words into action. California state lawmakers passed a bill which amps up targets to 50% renewables by 2026, 60% by 2030, and 100% from “renewable energy resources and zero-carbon resources” by 2045.
2: Scientists are preparing to begin Great Pacific Garbage Patch cleanup. The ambitious project will involve a massive floating barrier which aims to collect up to five tonnes of plastics every month.
3: New Zealand has set a target to plant one billion trees over the next ten years in an effort to fight climate change, provide habitats for native species and enhance natural landscapes.
The plan has been boosted by an additional $240NZ million in funding from the government.
4: Our efforts to reduce the use of harmful gases has had a positive impact on the ozone layer – it has been proven that it is now shrinking. NASA scientists have directly linked the global ban on chemical chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) to 20pc less ozone depletion during the Antarctic winter than there was in 2005.
5: The introduction of the 5p plastic bag tax in the UK has resulted in the number of disposable carrier bags given out by the seven biggest supermarket chains decreasing by 86% overall. In total, 13 billion plastic bags have been taken out of circulation in the past two years, and with proposals to double the tax to 10p, the positive impact on the environment is expected to grow.
Alone these projects won’t be enough. But combined with thousands of other projects, both large and small, which are happening right now across the world, we are moving in the right direction towards preserving our planet.