Cheer Up, Mate.
December 21, 2018 7:40 AM Subscribe
This whole story makes me want to cry. 2018 has been such a horrifically shit year for me and mine, and I'm so, so relieved to read each and every one of these nice factoids.
posted by Sophie1 at 7:58 AM on December 21, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by Sophie1 at 7:58 AM on December 21, 2018 [5 favorites]
Living outside India, so much of the news I get about my homeland tends to be negative or depressing (often justifiably so, so I'm not saying that this is because of bias). Still, it means a lot to see so much good news out of India:
India registered a 22% decline in maternal deaths since 2013. That means on average, 30 more new mothers are now being saved every day compared to five years ago.
India’s highest court struck down a century-old prohibition on homosexual sex, calling the Victorian-era law “irrational, indefensible, and manifestly arbitrary.”
India’s finance ministry announced it would scrap the 12% GST on all sanitary products.
The UNDP released a new report showing that 271 million people in India have moved out of poverty since 2005, nearly halving the country’s poverty rate in one decade.
India also continued the largest sanitation building spree of all time. More than 80 million toilets are estimated to have been built since 2014.
Nine in 10 teenagers in Kenya, Mexico, China, Nigeria and India reported feeling positive about their future.
India increased its already massive 2022 clean energy target by 28%. It plans to add 150 GW of wind and solar in the next four years.
Denmark became the latest country to announce a ban on internal combustion engines. There are now 16 countries with bans that come into effect before 2040 — including China and India, the two biggest car markets in the world.
India’s second most populous state, Maharashtra, home to 116 million people, banned all single use plastic (including packaging) on the 23rd June this year.
India’s environment minister also announced the country would eliminate all single-use plastic by 2022. Oh, and three years after India made it compulsory to use plastic waste in road construction, there are now 100,000 kilometres of plastic roads in the country.
posted by peacheater at 8:05 AM on December 21, 2018 [9 favorites]
India registered a 22% decline in maternal deaths since 2013. That means on average, 30 more new mothers are now being saved every day compared to five years ago.
India’s highest court struck down a century-old prohibition on homosexual sex, calling the Victorian-era law “irrational, indefensible, and manifestly arbitrary.”
India’s finance ministry announced it would scrap the 12% GST on all sanitary products.
The UNDP released a new report showing that 271 million people in India have moved out of poverty since 2005, nearly halving the country’s poverty rate in one decade.
India also continued the largest sanitation building spree of all time. More than 80 million toilets are estimated to have been built since 2014.
Nine in 10 teenagers in Kenya, Mexico, China, Nigeria and India reported feeling positive about their future.
India increased its already massive 2022 clean energy target by 28%. It plans to add 150 GW of wind and solar in the next four years.
Denmark became the latest country to announce a ban on internal combustion engines. There are now 16 countries with bans that come into effect before 2040 — including China and India, the two biggest car markets in the world.
India’s second most populous state, Maharashtra, home to 116 million people, banned all single use plastic (including packaging) on the 23rd June this year.
India’s environment minister also announced the country would eliminate all single-use plastic by 2022. Oh, and three years after India made it compulsory to use plastic waste in road construction, there are now 100,000 kilometres of plastic roads in the country.
posted by peacheater at 8:05 AM on December 21, 2018 [9 favorites]
These are awesome!
I’m especially chuffed about the reduction in HIV, the increase in solar, and the reduction in coal. Those dynamic maps of coal plant closures is environmentally encouraging, though I know there is an economic hardship suffered by each town that loses a plant.
The reduction in plastic bag usage is also very cool. When I was ten years old (mid-70s), it was before the plastic grocery bag came on the scene. In my life, I’ve gotten to see that horrible technology be created, infiltrate stores little by little, take over the whole grocery and retail industry, and now finally see the backlash, when whole nations ban them.
The last item on the list is also encouraging: the projection that they will be able to clean up half of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch within seven years is astounding news!
posted by darkstar at 9:31 AM on December 21, 2018 [3 favorites]
I’m especially chuffed about the reduction in HIV, the increase in solar, and the reduction in coal. Those dynamic maps of coal plant closures is environmentally encouraging, though I know there is an economic hardship suffered by each town that loses a plant.
The reduction in plastic bag usage is also very cool. When I was ten years old (mid-70s), it was before the plastic grocery bag came on the scene. In my life, I’ve gotten to see that horrible technology be created, infiltrate stores little by little, take over the whole grocery and retail industry, and now finally see the backlash, when whole nations ban them.
The last item on the list is also encouraging: the projection that they will be able to clean up half of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch within seven years is astounding news!
posted by darkstar at 9:31 AM on December 21, 2018 [3 favorites]
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/kassycho/important-world-stories-2018
posted by runcibleshaw at 10:43 AM on December 21, 2018
posted by runcibleshaw at 10:43 AM on December 21, 2018
I was gonna make an FPP with this, but let's just pile on in here: Artist illustrates 59 good things that happened in 2018. Turns out it wasn’t all bad!
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 12:44 PM on December 21, 2018
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 12:44 PM on December 21, 2018
I needed this today, thank you.
posted by gryphonlover at 3:58 PM on December 21, 2018
posted by gryphonlover at 3:58 PM on December 21, 2018
If you liked this, take a look at Hans Rosling's book, "Factfulness."
The world is so much better than we tend to think it is. The book is a gem.
(Sorry I can't link, but look it up. Or go page through it in a book store.)
posted by kestralwing at 10:59 PM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
The world is so much better than we tend to think it is. The book is a gem.
(Sorry I can't link, but look it up. Or go page through it in a book store.)
posted by kestralwing at 10:59 PM on December 21, 2018 [1 favorite]
A summary of Factfulness in pictures. But do check out the book!
posted by storybored at 8:46 AM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by storybored at 8:46 AM on December 22, 2018 [1 favorite]
How the world got better in 2018, in 15 charts (Elijah Woolfson, Quartz)
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 6:15 AM on December 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Johnny Wallflower at 6:15 AM on December 26, 2018 [1 favorite]
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But seriously, thank you for posting this.
posted by Etrigan at 7:46 AM on December 21, 2018 [6 favorites]