40 Positive Environmental Success Stories — February 2026

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

The Big Plastic Count – (9th March to 15th March) The Big Plastic Count is the largest plastic investigation in the United Kingdom where thousands of schools, households, community groups and businesses across the UK come together to count their plastic waste.

The Great British Spring Clean – (13th March – 29th March) The Great British Spring Clean is Keep Britain Tidy's annual national clean-up.

Earth Hour – (28th March 2026) Earth Hour is a global initiative initiated by the World Wildlife Fund. This event encourages people, communities, and businesses to turn off unnecessary lights for one hour on the last Saturday in March. It's a sign of respect for the environment.

Positive News Round up — Monday, 2nd February

According to the official data published on the ENTSO-E Transparency Platform, Bulgaria added 1,416 MW of solar power last year. (PV Magazine)

A field of wheat become the world’s largest living photograph. (Positive News)

Positive News Round up — Tuesday, 3rd February

Truphena Muthoni, a young Kenyan environmentalist, has established a Guinness World Record (GWR) by embracing a tree for 72 hours. (Mongabay)

Ads for meat and fossil fuels have been prohibited in Amsterdam. (Plant Based News)

Positive News Round up — Wednesday, 4th February

Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) reported that the country's cumulative solar capacity reached 1.49 GW by the end of 2025. (PV Magazine)

Organizations can facilitate the recovery of threatened species by collaborating with farmers to reestablish traditional grazing management on wildflower meadows through targeted conservation efforts. (Happy Eco News)

Positive News Round up — Thursday, 5th February

In 2025, electric vehicles (EVs), solar power, and other clean-energy technologies were responsible for over one-third of the expansion in China's economy, as well as over 90% of the increase in investment. (Carbon Brief)

Last year, The Ocean Cleanup, a Dutch nonprofit organization that is dedicated to the removal of plastic from marine environments, removed over 25 million kilograms of waste from global waters. (The Optimist Daily)

Positive News Round up — Friday, 6th February

New data released by Italian grid operator Terna and elaborated by the national PV association Italia Solare indicates that Italy deployed 6,437 MW of new PV capacity in 2025. (PV Magazine)

Scotland will now mandate the installation of swift bricks in all new buildings, a significant victory for conservationists and wildlife enthusiasts. This initiative is intended to reverse the rapid decline of swifts and other endangered cavity-nesting birds. (The Optimist Daily)

Positive News Round up — Monday, 9th February

For the first time in at least a century, a gray wolf has been found in Los Angeles County. (Yale E360)

A French company is adapting vans to utilise abandoned train tracks. (Euro News)

Positive News Round up — Tuesday, 10th February

The UK has awarded a contract for 4.9GW of solar power in the countries latest renewable energy auction. (Edie)

Among the 190 contracts for renewable energy projects, the government has awarded a subsidy to the largest onshore windfarm in England in a decade. (The Guardian)

Positive News Round up — Wednesday, 11th February

Last year, Colombia added 333.87 MW of new solar photovoltaic (PV) capacity. (PV Magazine)

A binding target has been approved by the European Parliament to reduce net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 90% by 2040 in comparison to 1990 levels. (Edie)

Positive News Round up — Thursday, 12th February

According to a recent report, hydro and wind power were the primary sources of electricity production in Portugal last month. (Euro News)

The ecological decline of the Yangtze River in China, which has persisted for seven decades, is beginning to show signs of recovery as a result of a comprehensive fishing ban. (PV Magazine)

Positive News Round up — Friday, 13th February

The annual solar installations in India surpassed 30 GW for the first time in 2025. (PV Magazine)

Following decades of decline, the capercaillie, one of Britain's most endangered birds, could be showing signs of recovery. At RSPB Abernethy, their population has increased by 50%, from 20 males in 2020 to 30 in 2025. (The Guardian)

Positive News Round up — Monday, 16th February

Brazil is to target creating 107 GW of solar by 2035 under a new energy plan. (PV Magazine)

A secret network of underwater fiber optic cables has the potential to provide unparalleled new insights into the lives of some of the most elusive and threatened sea creatures in the world. (Positive News)

Positive News Round up — Tuesday, 17th February

Vienna is swapping asphalt for trees, bike lanes, and public seating, helping make the city cooler and more liveable. Additionally, the scope challenges the long-held assumption in urban planning: that cars should always come first. (Optimist Daily)

Retired batteries from electric vehicles are helping to bolster the energy grid in Texas. (Inside Climate News)

Positive News Round up — Wednesday, 18th February

Malaysia has enacted an immediate and total ban on the import of electronic waste, or e-waste, to prevent illegal dumping and corruption tied to waste management. (Optimist Daily)

Another wild beaver has been spotted living at Norfolk nature reserve. (The Guardian)

Positive News Round up — Thursday, 19th February

ACME Solar Holdings has signed 25-year 190 MW wind-solar hybrid power purchase agreement (PPA) with Solar Energy Corp. of India. (PV Magazine)

UC Santa Barbara scientists have managed to create a liquid solar battery which stores sunlight as heat. (Optimist Daily)

Positive News Round up — Friday, 20th February

AI-guided robot fleets are being developed by EU researchers to replace the hazardous and unsanitary task of locating and removing marine litter from the sea floor. (Phys)

A giant tortoise population has returned to Floreana Island for the first time in more than 180 years, marking the commencement of the most extensive restoration effort ever conducted on the Galápagos Islands. (Good News Network)

Positive News Round up — Monday, 23rd February

Electric buses are currently passing the brutal cold-weather test in Wisconsin, proving that electric buses can run through cold winters. (Grist)

Farm Africa's regenerative agriculture initiative has resulted in increased harvests and healthier soils for Kenyan smallholders. (Positive News)

Positive News Round up — Tuesday, 24th February

The total installed PV capacity in Argentina increased by approximately 810 MW in 2025, bringing it to 2,483 MW. (PV Magazine)

The cumulative solar capacity of Poland reached 24.8 GW by the conclusion of 2025. (PV Magazine)

Positive News Round up — Wednesday, 25th February

Climate advisors have stated that Scotland's plans to implement its First Carbon Budget (2026-2030) are largely “credible,” with only a small amount of risk. (Edie)

Collectively, businesses in renewable energy industries and other low-carbon sectors generated £77bn in turnover in 2024, which is £8.1bn more than the previous year. (Edie)

Positive News Round up — Thursday, 26th February

The Welsh Government has passed new legislation that mandates Ministers to establish the country's first legally binding targets for the conservation and restoration of nature. (Edie)

India installed 7.1 GW of rooftop solar in 2025, a rise of up 122% from 3.2 GW in 2024. (PV Magazine)

Positive News Round up — Friday, 27th February

In addition to providing subsidies for on-farm and off-farm solar technologies, the British retail giant Marks & Spencer (M&S) will also assist its cotton suppliers in India in the restoration of nature on their land. (Edie)

Batteries have replaced the diesel backup at a wastewater plant in New York. (PV Magazine)