A lot of things went right this year. Almost none of them made the news.

Origen: 66 Good News Stories You Didn’t Hear About in 2023

Global Health
1. A record number of countries eliminated diseases this year
2. Progress in the fight against cancer
3. Malaria vaccines started arriving in Africa
4. New therapies reshaped how obesity is treated
5. Some bright spots for maternal and child health
6. We’re winning the war on AIDS
7. Uncelebrated progress on smoking
8. Childhood vaccinations got back on track
9. Polio and Guinea Worm are so close to eradication
10. A recovery in the fight against tuberculosis
11. Breakthroughs on new medicines
12. A turning point for cervical cancer
13. CRISPR gene-editing came of age

Clean Energy
14. The greatest year ever for clean energy
15. Solar installations changed our climate future
16. China’s carbon emissions are likely to start falling next year
17. A green manufacturing boom in America
18. Europe knocked years off its decarbonisation timeline
19. The clean energy revolution ramped up in many countries
20. No signs of an electric vehicle slowdown
21. Battery technology made some big leaps forward
22. We found plenty of raw materials for the transition
23. Geothermal had a breakout year
24. America and Europe got serious about transmission
25. BYD became the biggest electric carmaker in the world
26. Europe and America got serious about methane
27. Finance fled from coal, gas and oil
28. The outlook for shipping and steel improved

Economic and Social Justice
29. Global poverty reduction is back on track
30. Suicide rates are falling
31. More girls are getting an education
32. More children are getting fed at school
33. Crime plummeted in the United States
34. The world moved closer to a fairer international tax system
35. Progress on water, sanitation and hygiene
36. Many countries passed laws protecting women
37. Menstrual and reproductive rights advanced
38. Reproductive rights activists fought back in America
39. More girls got a chance at childhood
40. Lots of other bright spots for education
41. Some good news for LGBTQ rights
42. Tolerance became legally enshrined in many countries
43. Access to electricity increased
44. The United States pulled off an economic miracle
45. A decline in childhood stunting
46. Other, uncelebrated human rights victories
47. Most places in the world are safer than they used to be

Environmental Conservation
48. The greatest conservation victory of all time
49. Another great year for river and lake restoration
50. One of the largest ever declines in deforestation
51. A lot to celebrate for indigenous conservation
52. Debt for nature swaps ramped up
53. Cities went green
54. Europe passed new laws to protect the environment
55. The United States wasn’t too far behind
56. A banner year for ocean protection
57. Some big wins for animal rights
58. Island restoration showed what’s possible
59. A lot of new areas were protected
60. Tree planting and reforestation efforts continued
61. There’s less plastic than we think in the sea
62. First Nations in North America notched up some big wins
63. Some bright spots on mangroves
64. The largest ever commitment to water conservation
65. Over 100 countries now have plastic bans
66. Endangered species that are recovering