Beyond Bad News: Environmental Wins You May Have Missed
It’s no secret that environmental protections in the United States have been eroding at a striking pace.
The Trump administration has made deregulation a centerpiece of its agenda — repealing power plant climate pollution limits, overturning vehicle emissions standards, pushing to open federal lands to private development, and dramatically scaling back enforcement of existing environmental laws. Legal actions against polluters have recently dropped to record lows, and just last month, the administration announced plans to clear-cut nearly 2 million acres of old-growth forest in Western Oregon. More recently, a California oil pipeline has been reopened despite a standing court order and lack of state regulatory approval following a devastating 2015 pipeline rupture and oil spill.
The onslaught of bad news makes it easy to miss the hopeful stories and incremental progress brewing in the background. Environmental wins persist — at home and on the global stage — community by community, courtroom by courtroom, species by species.
Here are some recent stories that deserve your attention. Keep reading to learn what you can do to support more good news.
Protecting Land & Forest
Indigenous activists force Brazil to protect the Amazon.
The Tapajos, Madeira, and Tocantins Rivers in the Brazilian Amazon are home to 14 Indigenous territories and countless communities whose food, livelihoods, and cultural identity are inseparable from the land and water. In 2025, Brazilian President Lula signed a decree privatizing stretches of all three rivers — opening them to destructive dredging for corporations like U.S.-based Cargill — without consulting the Indigenous communities who would be directly impacted. What began in late January 2026 as a blockade of around 50 Indigenous protesters at Cargill's grain terminal in Santarém grew to a mass resistance of nearly 2,000 people from four river basins over 33 days. In response, on February 23rd, the government revoked the decree. It was an exemplary demonstration of collective power — and a rare win against one of the largest private companies in the United States. "What won today was life," said the Tapajos and Arapiuns Indigenous Council. "The river won, the forest won, the memory of our ancestors won." Learn more.
A historic Mayan forest alliance takes shape - with caveats.
In late 2025, Mexico, Guatemala and Belize announced plans to create the Great Mayan Jungle Biocultural Corridor — a 14-million-acre reserve spanning three countries that would become the second largest in the Americas, behind only the Amazon. Formalized through the Calakmul Declaration, the agreement includes concrete commitments to combat illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, arson, and illegal hunting. Guatemala is making the largest land contribution, encompassing 27 existing protected areas, and President Arévalo has already declined to renew the contract of a petroleum company that had been operating for 40 years in a Guatemalan reserve. The three governments agreed to establish both an environmental council and an Indigenous advisory council that seeks to give local communities a voice in governing the reserve. The announcement was welcomed cautiously by environmental groups, as it came at the same meeting where leaders discussed expanding Mexico's Maya Train — a controversial rail line already criticized for slicing through jungle habitat — into Guatemala and Belize.
Wins on the Water
The High Seas Treaty enters into force.
On January 17, 2026, after nearly two decades of negotiations, a landmark international agreement began governing the high seas — the vast international waters covering nearly half the planet's surface. For the first time, there is a legally binding framework to establish marine protected areas and regulate human activity in these shared waters. Think of it as the ability to create national parks in the ocean — restricting or managing industrial activities like fishing, shipping, and mining — while requiring environmental impact assessments for any new activity in international waters. The treaty enables the global community to work toward protecting at least 30% of the ocean by 2030 — a critical goal for migratory sharks, rays, sea turtles, whales, and seabirds.
Courts defend salmon in the Pacific Northwest.
Courts defend salmon in the Pacific Northwest. The Columbia River Basin was once the world's greatest salmon-producing river system, but decades of dam operations have pushed some wild runs to the brink. Half of historical Snake River salmon populations have already been lost, and the southern resident orcas that depend on Chinook salmon as their primary food source are endangered alongside them. On February 26, 2026, a federal judge in Portland ordered changes to operations of eight dams on the Columbia and Snake Rivers to reduce that harm, requiring dam operators to spill water over the dams 24 hours a day from March through mid-November — including continuous fall and winter spill that has never been required before. The ruling came after the Trump administration abandoned a landmark 2023 agreement that had committed $1 billion to salmon recovery and tribal clean energy projects. Yakama Nation, the Nez Perce Tribe, and Washington state all joined as allies in the case. As Judge Simon wrote, salmon are "the beating heart and guaranteed resource protected by treaties with several Native American tribes" — and the fight to save them continues.
A legal win for clean water and endangered species.
A legal win for clean water and endangered species. In 2016, the EPA quietly relaxed the amount of cadmium allowed in freshwater — nearly tripling the permissible concentration — without consulting other federal wildlife agencies as required by the Endangered Species Act. More than 29 states and tribes adopted the weakened standard. On March 3, 2026, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck it down, ruling that the EPA was required to consult with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service before issuing guidance that would foreseeably be adopted by states nationwide. Cadmium is a cancer-causing metal released into the environment primarily through fossil fuel combustion, and it bioaccumulates in fish tissue — moving up the food chain into the bodies of sturgeon, sea turtles, salmon, steelhead, orcas, and the people who depend on healthy waterways. The ruling compels the EPA to revisit its guidance under stricter scrutiny, with real implications for water quality standards across the country.
Clean Energy Momentum
Wind and solar overtake fossil fuels in Europe.
For the first time ever, wind and solar panels generated more electricity than fossil fuels across the European Union in 2025 — 30% of EU electricity compared to 29% from coal, oil and gas. Experts are calling it a structural energy tipping point, not just a symbolic one: renewables are no longer an alternative, they are becoming the backbone of Europe's energy system. Low-carbon sources — renewables and nuclear combined — now supply 71% of EU electricity, and coal's share fell to a record low of 9.2%. The transition hasn't been without friction — political pushback has weakened some CO2-cutting measures, and an EU deal with Trump to increase purchases of U.S. energy has raised questions about Europe's long-term trajectory. But the direction of travel is clear.
Climate accountability laws spread across U.S. states.
For years, fossil fuel companies have profited while states and cities bear the costs of climate damage — flooded streets, heat-related illness, crumbling infrastructure. Vermont and New York are pushing back, passing "climate superfund laws" that require large fossil fuel companies to pay into funds that help states protect residents. These dollars will fund climate-resilient housing, restored wetlands, air conditioners in schools, and more. The laws are already under attack from Trump's Department of Justice, but legal experts argue the administration's own rollback of federal climate authority may actually undercut its case. Connecticut, Maine, Rhode Island, New Jersey and Illinois are considering similar bills. Meanwhile, New York City became the first American city to launch a congestion pricing program, charging drivers $9 to enter Manhattan's central business district during peak hours. In the first six months, traffic dropped 11%, accidents fell 14%, and particulate pollution — a leading risk factor for premature death — dropped 22% across the affected area.
France bans "forever chemicals”.
PFAS — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — don't just threaten human health. They seep into soil and groundwater, accumulate in wildlife, and have been detected everywhere from Mount Everest to deep-sea ecosystems. On January 1, 2026, France became one of the first countries to ban them. This prohibits the production, import, or sale of PFAS-containing products where safer alternatives exist — including cosmetics, clothing, and ski wax — and mandating expanded testing of drinking water. France isn't alone: several U.S. states including California have already banned PFAS in cosmetics, Denmark is moving to ban them in clothing by mid-2026, and the EU is studying a broader ban. The momentum suggests France's law may be less an outlier than an early signal of where the world is heading.
Animal Welfare Wins
Mexico bans dolphin shows.
In June 2025, the Mexican Congress passed a nationwide ban on the use of dolphins in shows, therapy, entertainment, research, and any activity unrelated to conservation — along with a prohibition on captive breeding. The legislation came after years of campaigning by animal welfare organizations who documented the chronic stress, abnormal behaviors, and diseases suffered by dolphins confined to artificial tanks. Mexico joins Costa Rica and Chile as one of only three Latin American countries to take this step, and advocates hope it sets a precedent for other countries.
Indonesia ends elephant riding.
In a major win for animal welfare, Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry issued a binding directive at the end of 2025 requiring all conservation and tourist facilities to cease elephant riding activities nationwide. Facilities that fail to comply risk having their operating permits revoked. Mason Elephant Park in Bali — one of the last venues offering elephant rides — halted the practice in January 2026 after receiving official warnings. The shift reflects a growing global expectation that tourism should be humane, prioritizing observation and education over exploitation. Learn more about why elephant riding is unethical.
U.S. funding package delivers for wildlife.
In January 2026, Congress passed a federal funding package that quietly delivered a string of wins for animal protection — in a rare show of bipartisan agreement. Attempts to strip Endangered Species Act protections from gray wolves and grizzly bears were defeated. Wild horses and burros were shielded from slaughter, with $144 million in program funding preserved. The EPA was directed to develop non-animal alternatives to vertebrate chemical testing. And enforcement of the Big Cat Public Safety Act — which restricts private ownership of lions, tigers, and other big cats — was strengthened. It's part of a broader pattern: animal protection has emerged as one of the few policy areas where lawmakers on both sides of the aisle continue to find common ground. Learn more.
What You Can Do
Give to environmental nonprofits.
Environmental nonprofits receive less than 2% of total charitable dollars in the U.S. Consider increasing giving to organizations doing legal, on-the-ground conservation work — groups like Earthjustice, Columbia Riverkeeper, Center for Biological Diversity, and the High Seas Alliance are winning real fights in courtrooms and on the water.
Support Indigenous-led efforts.
Many of the wins above were led or supported by Indigenous communities. Seek out and fund organizations centering Indigenous sovereignty in environmental work — including Amazon Watch and Rainforest Action Network.
Explore impact investing.
Consider shifting investments out of conventional funds and into private vehicles that put capital to work in the real economy — renewable energy, regenerative agriculture, sustainable forestry, cooperative enterprises, and community lending. Humanize Wealth specializes in helping clients align their investments with their values — and the future they want to build.
Choose ethical wildlife tourism and community-based ecotourism.
Skip venues that profit from captive animal entertainment and seek out responsible, observation-based wildlife experiences instead. When possible, choose tourism operators that are locally owned and managed — keeping economic benefits in the community while protecting the ecosystems that make those experiences possible.
Stay informed — and share good news.
Progress is easy to miss when bad news dominates. Sharing stories like these helps sustain the collective energy that makes change possible. For more on converting hope into action, check out our earlier post A Time for Hope in Action.