44 Positive Environmental Success Stories — April 2025

The media has an important role to play in combatting climate doom. Therefore, this monthly news round up of positive environmental and climate change news, is designed to spark joy and show that progress is being made. We pick two positive headlines a day, ranging from renewable energy and preservation to eco-innovation, and arrange the articles according to their publication date. We also include some dates related to nature and wildlife for your calendar.

Environmental and Animal Awareness Days In The Next Month

No Mow May (1st — 31st May) encourages people to not mow their law for the month, allowing plants like clover, daisies, dandelions, self-heal and clover will get a chance to flower

World Bee Day (20th May) raises awareness of the vital role of bees and other pollinators in keeping people and the planet healthy

Every Flower Counts (31st May) is a citizen audit to analyse the health check of our lawns at the end of No Mow May

Positive News Round up — Tuesday, 1st April

The Royal Horticultural Society has developed a 'robust lawn' which is designed to support people, pollinators, and pets. (The Guardian)

A 25-year-long conservation program in Ecuador has helped restore wetlands, helped grow new vegetation, and led to an abundance of wildlife. (Good News Network)

Positive News Round up — Wednesday, 2nd April

Flatfish and haddock are some species gathering around offshore wind turbines, showing how these clean energy structures might reshape marine ecosystems. (Daily Climate)

Biodegradable nails are helping to make manicures more sustainable. (Phys)

Positive News Round up — Thursday, 3rd April

A new method for recycling wind turbine blades without using harsh chemicals has allowed researchers at Washington State University to repurpose the materials to create stronger plastics. (Techxplore)

Over the past decade, the amount of waste across Australian coastal cities has decreased by almost 40%. (Phys)

Positive News Round up — Friday, 4th April

If supporting policies are put in place, the UK's solar and battery energy storage sectors could triple their annual contribution to the nation's economy to £5.1bn by 2035. (Edie)

On Tuesday the United Kingdom, generated more than 12.5 gigawatts of electricity from solar power, setting a record high of 12.569 gigawatts equivalent to around four new nuclear power plants. (ITV News)

Positive News Round up — Monday, 7th April

Following Hurricane Helene last summer, dozens of gopher tortoises have survived a perilous sea crossing and are enjoying a new lease of life on a remote stretch of Florida coastline. (The Guardian)

A new report has found that conservation of vulture populations in Southern Africa could have huge economic value. (Mongabay)

Positive News Round up — Tuesday, 8th April

Figures show that clean power sources met more than 40% of the world's electricity demand last year, for the first time since the 1940s. (The Guardian)

According to figures released by Global Energy Monitor, nearly 60 countries have drastically reduced their plans for building coal-fired power plants since the Paris Agreement in 2015. Some of the world's biggest coal users, including Turkey, Vietnam, and Japan, are among those making cuts of 98% or more to their coal-power pipeline. (Carbon Brief)

Positive News Round up — Wednesday, 9th April

Lego has opened a $1 billion (€906 million) factory in Vietnam, hoping to produce their signature pieces without contributing planet-warming gas to the atmosphere. The company aims to use technology such as 12,400 solar panels and an energy storage system to help achieve this. (Euro News)

Following an effective pilot, John Lewis has introduced repair services to all of its UK stores. Customers will be able to drop off handbags for restoration or clothing for repair, which will extend to homeware textile items such as duvets, bedding, and curtains. (Edie)

Positive News Round up — Thursday, 10th April

New York’s largest solar power plant has been approved, which is estimated to be 500 MW. (PV Magazine)

Two Mount Isa locals helped save a lizards' life after its head was stuck inside a drink can. (ABC News)

Positive News Round up — Friday, 11th April

A Japanese study, led by Toko Tanaya, found that combining natural coral reefs with artificial ones could be effective at promoting coral regeneration and disaster prevention. (Mongabay)

As clean power generation surged in March, fossil fuels accounted for less than half of U.S. electricity production for the first time. (Canary Media)

Positive News Round up — Monday, 14th April

Water hyacinth, a native plant to South America, has been found to be effective at removing microplastic from aquatic environments. The new research sheds light on the plant, which has become invasive in waterways around the world, with the Middle East referring to the plant as “water cancer”. (Mongabay)

Businesses including Centrica, National Gas, JCB and Heidelberg have backed plans to create a UK-wide network of low-carbon hydrogen infrastructure. (Edie)

Positive News Round up — Tuesday, 15th April

Royal Mail has reduced its use of domestic flights by half, claiming that the move will mitigate 30,000 tonnes of CO2 a year while still meeting customer demand for next-day deliveries. (Edie)

According to CareEdge Advisory & Research, India's rooftop solar capacity is set to increase from 17 GW in fiscal 2025 to 30 GW by fiscal 2027, driven by 33% annual growth led by the commercial and industrial segment. (PV Magazine)

Positive News Round up — Wednesday, 16th April

By making vegetarian meals the default in public hospitals, New York City is cutting emissions and saving money. (Canary Media)

New seasonal heat-pump rates from the state's three major electric utilities will allow nearly 3 million Massachusetts households to start saving money on heating next winter. (Canary Media)

Positive News Round up — Thursday, 17th April

The belief that birdsongs evolve as a result of age, population dynamics and movement of the birds has been confirmed by a new study. (Mongabay)

EU researchers have developed robots that could change the way we recycle electronic waste, helping both the environment and the economy. (Techxplore)

Positive News Round up — Friday, 18th April

A new report from Cox Automotive shows that almost 300,000 EVs were sold in America in the first quarter of the year, an 11% increase from the same period in 2024. (Canary Media)

Kalimullah Khan from India has created a giant mango tree with each branch growing a different variety of fruit, there are 300 of them! (Good News Network)

Positive News Round up — Monday, 21st April

State-Endangered Bobcats have gained a Wild Sanctuary in New Jersey thanks to a non-profit organization. (Good News Network)

Research is being conducted on the south coast of England to assess the efficiency of pulling carbon dioxide out of seawater rather than the atmosphere. (Daily Climate)

Positive News Round up — Tuesday, 22nd April

Conservationists are trying to save a rare dragonfly from extinction by introducing it to a remote part of Cumbria. (The Guardian)

Birds Eye has announced plans to roll out two new solar-powered refrigerated trailers in the UK, in a bid to reduce its logistics emissions. (Edie)

Positive News Round up — Wednesday, 23rd April

University of Bath's new research shows that Greater London's clean air policies are improving the cities' environment as well as delivering significant public health and economic benefits. (Phys)

Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) have been found to act as ecosystem engineers, researchers have found. Their burrowing activity, which has previously been recognised for aerating soil and providing shelter for other wildlife, also accelerates biodiversity recovery in burned forests. (Mongabay)

Positive News Round up — Thursday, 24th April

The oldest-known oystercatchers ever recorded in Britain have clocking up at least 41 and 43 years on the mudflats of the Wash, UK. (The Guardian)

Despite some policy gaps, new research has revealed that global wind power installations reached an all-time high in 2024, with 117 gigawatts of new capacity added. (Edie)

Positive News Round up — Friday, 25th April

Plans for a £3 billion pumped storage hydro (PSH) project near Loch Ness in Scotland have moved closer to becoming reality. (Edie)

Sun-Ways has turned on a removable solar plant on a working railroad line in western Switzerland. (PV Magazine)

Positive News Round up — Monday, 28th April

A Dutch court has upheld a ban on fossil fuel ads in The Hague, with campaigners hoping the decision will encourage other cities to take action. (Euro News)

Glacier, backed by Amazon, has raised $16 million in a Series A funding round to expand its robot recycling fleet. (TechCrunch)

Positive News Round up — Tuesday, 29th April

In the first quarter of 2025, India installed 7,782 MW of solar power capacity. (PV Magazine)

After 50 years, the trout population in one of the largest lakes in the United States has been restored to historic numbers. (Good News Network)

Positive News Round up — Wednesday, 30th May

The first three months of 2025 saw the strongest first quarter for more than a decade, with 57,000 certified rooftop solar installations in the United Kingdom. (PV Magazine)

Conservation groups count glow-in-the-dark caterpillars and chrysalises, which are difficult to spot in the daylight. (The Guardian)