Best source for positive climate news?

May 14, 2022 6:11 AM

What is a good source (or the best source) for updates on solutions and mitigation on climate change? Examples: X government instituted a new law that brought carbon emissions down Y percent. B company is planting C new trees. D technology accomplishes E.

I am specifically not looking for a book or a film. I want a source that gets updated regularly. I am also specifically not interested in anything focused on the threat; we’re already looking forward to doom.

posted by NotLost to Media & Arts (11 answers total)

Future Crunch might fit your needs. They’re basically an aggregator of news where things are going right (or in the right direction) in the world. They have a lot of environmental coverage as well as health, human rights, and technology. Australia based but have pretty good world-wide coverage.

The Progress Network is a similar idea, though lighter coverage on the environment.
posted by Ookseer at 6:47 AM on May 14, 2022 [2 favorites]

Best answer: Canary Media's Catalyst and Carbon Copy podcasts are usually pretty optimistic.
posted by rhamphorhynchus at 7:02 AM on May 14, 2022

I find the "accomplishments" page of the Union of Concerned Scientists' webpage pretty pleasing. (Full disclosure: I give them money.). [Caveat: United States-centric.]
posted by heatherlogan at 7:08 AM on May 14, 2022

Best answer: There’s a newsletter called Carbon Commentary like what you want. Typically each one is about ten stories of an interesting project or policy in carbon reduction or capture. The pace has slowed this year, but subscribe in case that changes.
posted by michaelh at 7:09 AM on May 14, 2022

On reddit there's /r/upliftingnews (not primarily climate focused but they get a lot of positive environmental science stories thanks to reddit's nerdy demographic) and /r/climateaction. Just take the links and stay out of the comments.
posted by fight or flight at 7:54 AM on May 14, 2022

https://reasonstobecheerful.world
posted by missmobtown at 7:57 AM on May 14, 2022 [1 favorite]

May I suggest joining Climate Changemakers? It's a community of people who take political action every week to advocate for climate policy in one-hour Zoom sessions. Members have access to a Slack group where good news in the form of "wins & shoutouts" is posted regularly. It was started by Eliza Nemser who specifically wanted an antidote to doomscrolling the news, and gives people a way to take very targeted action to amplify policy priorities and get climate legislation passed. I've found that the actions we take every week are a kind of good news in itself, knowing that so many people are becoming political for the first time to mobilize on this.
posted by oxisos at 8:09 AM on May 14, 2022 [2 favorites]

I donate to Earth Justice, and as a result, I get emails from them about their various legal victories. Whether or not you donate, visiting the websites of various non-profits will inform you of what progress they've made.
posted by coffeecat at 9:54 AM on May 14, 2022

Sometimes the YouTube channel Just Have A Think will cover alternative energy sources and energy storage ideas. In those, sometimes he will mention when and how they are being used already, or compare them against similar ideas that are in use.
posted by Acari at 12:26 PM on May 14, 2022

Response by poster: Thank you for all the good sources!
posted by NotLost at 7:28 AM on May 15, 2022

Grist has the daily newsletter Beacon - "Need a daily dose of good climate news? Subscribe to The Beacon to receive daily updates from Grist on solutions driving us forward"- and the Fix: Solutions Lab section, but their reporting covers the full gamut, threats, mistakes, and the false promises, as well as the hopeful innovative and radical potential. I appreciate their focus on the messy process of political change in particular!:

How one town put politics aside to save itself from fire

The secrets to passing climate legislation — even in red states

(To be totally honest I am wary of the positive climate news that primarily focuses on technological solutions like carbon capture and market fixes like carbon offsetting.)
posted by spamandkimchi at 9:56 AM on May 15, 2022