What went right this week: the ancient beast ‘back from the dead’, plus more

Almost half of global electricity demand will be met by renewables by 2030, according to fresh analysis by the International Energy Agency (IEA). 

In its latest report, the IEA forecast renewable power capacity to surge over the coming decade, with global additions on course to equal the current power capacity of China, India, the EU, and US combined. Solar alone is forecast to account for 80% of the increased capacity. 

However, the IEA said that the growth still falls short of the target set at the COP28 climate summit, where nearly 200 governments pledged to triple renewable capacity by 2030. The good news, said the IEA, is that meeting that target is entirely possible if governments act now, including by bringing down high financing costs for green energy in developing nations.

Despite the rapid rollout of renewables, emissions continue to rise. “Meeting international climate goals would require not only accelerating the rollout of renewable power, but also significantly speeding up the adoption of sustainable biofuels, biogases, hydrogen and e-fuels,” said the IEA. In other words, rapidly retiring fossil fuels. 

Image: Mariana Proenca

Pakistan has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, a milestone described as “a monumental achievement” by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide. The disease spread from person to person through contaminated fingers or flies that have come into contact with the eyes of an infected person.

Antibiotics and improvements in sanitation helped Pakistan defeat trachoma, which is endemic in parts of Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Meanwhile, Brazil has also conquered a debilitating disease. Lymphatic filariasis – a parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes – causes pain, severe swelling, and serious disability, and had persisted in Brazil. Until now. The distribution of anti-parasitic drugs, vector control, and strong surveillance have helped Brazil eliminate it as a public health problem, the WHO confirmed.

“Eliminating a disease is a momentous accomplishment that takes unwavering commitment,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director general.

Image: Naeem Ad

Conservationists have cautiously welcomed the Australian government’s decision to create a vast new marine reserve in the sub-Antarctic. 

A 300,000sq km extension of the existing Heard Island and McDonald Islands marine reserve was signed off on Monday. It means that Australia now protects 52% of its oceans – more than any other nation. 

The region covered by the new park is a hotbed of biodiversity, home to marine life found nowhere else on Earth. But while the move to protect it was welcomed by conservationists, many question why some key habitats were omitted. 

“It’s good, but not great,” said Fiona Maxwell, national oceans manager at the Pew Charitable Trust, which campaigned for the extension. “The marine park will ensure the bulk of the waters around these islands will be free from mining and new, damaging pelagic fisheries. 

“[However], the government has decided to leave important undersea canyons, highly biodiverse seamounts, and the Williams Ridge outside of sanctuaries.” This, added academics from the University of Western Australia, was a “missed opportunity”. 

Image: Heard Island. Credit: Tristannew

Three iconic species have been reintroduced to an Australian national park more than a century after they were driven out by invasive predators. 

Twenty western quolls, 20 bettongs and 100 bilbies (pictured) were released into Sturt national park, New South Wales, where they were abundant before European settlers introduced cats and foxes, which drove them out. 

Now the marsupials are back amid efforts to create “safe havens” for them. The return of the western quoll is particularly exciting for conservationists as it’s a top predator and should help to “restore the desert ecosystem”. 

“Seeing their tracks in the red sand for the first time in around a century and radio tracking them daily to check their survival has been a thrill,” said Dr Rebecca West, principal ecologist at the University of New South Wales, which led the project. “So far, they are surviving well.”

The safe zones have some cats in. The aim is to teach the marsupials how to live alongside them, which research from South Australia suggests is possible. 

Image: UNSW Sydney/Richard Freeman

Hundreds of babies have begun to be tested for more than 200 rare genetic conditions as part of a world-leading study in England.

The Generation Study aims to screen around 100,000 newborns, enabling potentially hundreds of babies to benefit from earlier diagnosis and treatment. It involves the whole genome sequencing of blood samples, typically taken from the umbilical cord after birth. Expectant parents will be informed about the study during pregnancy, and will be able to take part if they want to. 

Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of the UK’s National Health Service, said: “Diagnosing rare conditions in newborn babies at the earliest opportunity through genomic testing could be truly life-changing for families – it has the potential to give thousands of children the chance to access the right treatment at the right time, giving them the best possible start to life.” 

Image: Pixels

A proposed shakeup of workers’ rights in the UK could “improve the working lives of million”, the country’s trade union body has said.

On Thursday, the government presented a raft of policies aimed at boosting worker rights, including introducing rights for paternity, parental and bereavement leave on day one, and abolishing “exploitative” zero-hours contracts.

Reforms proposed in the Employment Rights Bill are still being thrashed out and it’s unclear how some will work. Firms have expressed concerns about the plans and some trade unions claim they have been watered down, with one claiming there are “more holes in it than Swiss cheese”.

However, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) welcomed the bill. “While there is still detail to be worked through, this bill signals a seismic shift away from the [last government’s] low pay, low rights, low productivity economy,” it said.

The proposed reforms are not expected to take effect for 18 months and are subject to amendments.

Image: Mostafa Mahmoudi

Cyclists rejoice – there are now more than 400km of bike lanes in London. 

That’s according to Transport for London (TfL), which said that the milestone was reached this week after it completed eight new cycleways in the capital. The city’s cycle network, it added, has quadrupled since 2016.

The news coincided with research showing road deaths in the capital have fallen by 30% in a decade, compared to a nationwide average of 7%.   

It’s not just London’s cycle network that has grown. Research published in 2023 showed that the number of bike journeys made in the city had increased by 20% since 2019. 

“Transport for London is prioritising designing our city in a way that enables everyone to move around more freely,” said Oli Ivens of Sustrans, an active travel charity.  

“We trust that this will inspire people to shift everyday travel to walking, wheeling and cycling, and in the process forge closer connections with our neighbours and reduce traffic to create a better environment and more sustainable society for everyone.”

Image: TfL

In a world first, adverts plugging high-carbon products, including cars and flights, will be banned in The Hague from next year. 

Other cities have made similar moves, without going quite so far. In the UK, Edinburgh and Sheffield banned adverts for high polluting products on council-owned hoardings. Toronto, Canada, is among the other cities looking to restrict the ads.

“If you want to get rid of fossil fuels, you stop advertising that promotes fossil fuel use,” said Femke Sleegers of the Dutch campaign group Reclame Fossielvrij. “The Hague is showing that it can be done through local law. This decision can have a snowball effect worldwide.” 

Image: Dustin Bowdige

The closest living relative to a species that went extinct in Europe 400 years ago is coming ‘back from the dead’ in Scotland. 

The muscular, long-horned tauros is a close relative of the ancient aurochs – a mega-herbivore which for millennia played a vital role in shaping landscapes and boosting biodiversity across Europe. It was driven to extinction by hunting and habitat loss. 

Now the rewilding charity Trees for Life aims to turn back the clock by introducing a herd of tauros to its 4,000-hectare Dundreggan estate near Loch Ness in 2026. 

Tauros have been ‘back-bred’ to genetically replicate aurochs as closely as possible – a process aided by the first sequencing of the aurochs’ complete genome in 2011. 

“Introducing the aurochs-like tauros to the Highlands … will refill a vital but empty ecological niche, allowing us to study how these remarkable wild cattle can be a powerful ally for tackling the nature and climate emergencies,” said Steve Micklewright, chief executive of Trees for Life.

Tauros have already been released elsewhere in Europe, including Spain (pictured) and the Netherlands.

Image: Rewilding Spain

Ever doubted how much difference one person can make? Then take heart from the new issue of Positive News magazine. 

Out this week, it celebrates “rock star” rewilders whose individual actions are changing the fortunes of specific species. It’s one of many uplifting stories in the latest mag, which also features a poetry pharmacy and the far-right leader who quit hating.   

“It’s a reminder of the good that can happen when we lean in to something we connect strongly with,” said editor-in-chief Lucy Purdy of the new issue, which you can buy here.

Image: Positive News
Main image: UNSW Sydney/Richard Freeman