Good News

Our top 5 good news stories of 2020

Because we could all use a little more cheer.

We can all agree that 2020 was a challenging year.


Good news feels hard to come by lately. And when you work in environmental news, it can seem even more rare.

Yet, the year was not without progress (yes, seriously!). Check out five good news stories from our newsroom that you may have missed below.

1. A Northeast US climate initiative has had a major side benefit—healthier children

Researchers estimate a climate effort in the Northeast U.S. helped the region reduce toxic air pollution and avoid hundreds of asthma and autism cases, preterm births, and low birth weights.

2. Roadmap points Europe toward safer, sustainable chemicals

EU Commission releases ambitious strategy for getting hormone-disrupting chemicals out of food, products, and packaging.

3. Solar power on the rise at US schools

Report finds an 81% increase in K-12 schools using solar power over the last 5 years.

4. Pittsburgh’s Black farmers work to grow a new future

A small group of new farmers have seeded a movement to change the local food industry.

5. Derrick Z. Jackson: A Rhode Island city gets serious about climate justice

In its climate action plan, Providence, Rhode Island, is giving frontline residents' health equal billing with carbon reduction. Other cities should pay attention.


Banner photo: Ebony Lunsford-Evans, owner of FarmerGirlEB in Pittsburgh, helps a customer. (Credit: Brian Cook)

A river running through a canyon surrounded by mountains.

The brawl over the Colorado River is about more than water

The lifeblood of the West is drying up — and scrambling state and local politics.
 a horse pulling a cart.
Credit: E. Diop/Unsplash

Climate change is worsening conflict between Africa's farmers and nomadic herders

Tension between farmers and herders has long been a fact of life in West Africa, but climate change is ramping it up.
a large amount of containers are stacked on top of each other.

EU gets tough on carbon border tax on heavy industry, vows to protect domestic producers

European producers of steel and aluminium will face higher CO2 emissions costs, but the European Commission wants to channel part of the revenues of the EU's carbon border tax to help heavy industries decarbonize.

a duck swimming in a pond polluted with oil.

Months after oil blast, a Black Louisiana town still awaits help

Federal and state officials have sued the company behind the blast, but residents say the case won’t bring relief to their town.
Portrait of President Donald Trump with American flag in background.

The year the US doubled down on critical minerals

In 2025, the list of metals became a top priority under President Trump. But what even are they?

Exterior of NCAR, National Center For Atmospheric Research
Photo credit: jenlo8/ BigStock Photo ID: 333253774

Trump administration to dismantle National Center for Atmospheric Research

The Trump administration announced plans to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, citing concerns about “climate alarmism.”
Two workers in blue hazmat suits walking towards coal-fired power plant with sign in foreground warning "toxic danger."
Credit: Getty Images For Unsplash+

As Trump promotes coal, no respite for communities choking on the industry's dust

David Jones Jr. and his wife live a few hundred feet away from a large coal terminal where dust from mountainous, uncovered coal piles has blown over the community day after day for decades.

From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

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