In The Right Direction Good news stories at a time of their scarcity

RAINFORESTS BREATHE A LITTLE EASIER

In a move hailed a “major breakthrough for forests,” the EU has approved legislation banning goods linked to deforestation. Businesses will have to show that their products have not contributed to tree loss if they want to sell them within the bloc. The new law will apply to companies selling soy, beef, palm oil, wood, rubber, cocoa and coff ee, plus some derived products like leather, chocolate and furniture.

SPEAKING OF FORESTS…

Expect to see more of them in the UK, where a ‘mini forest’ revolution is gathering pace. Tiny pockets of land across the country are being transformed using a groundbreaking technique that aims to build ecosystems rather than simply plant trees. Earthwatch Europe, an environmental charity based in Oxford, has plans to plant 500 mini forests across the UK by 2030. Other countries have similar ambitions.

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

FIRST FEMALE REFEREES

French referee Stéphanie Frappart made history as she became the fi rst female to offi ciate in a men’s World Cup tournament match.

Female referees Rwandan Salima Mukansanga and Japan’s Yoshimi Yamashita were also due to offi ciate, though they were limited to being fourth offi cials. Meanwhile, three assistant referees, Mexican Karen Diaz, Brazilian Neuza Back and American Kathryn Nesbitt became the fi rst females in their role.

Though many wonder why it took so long, their appearances were milestones for inclusivity in the sport. That it happened in Qatar, where women’s rights are restricted, made it all the more poignant.

“There are some diffi culties [in Qatar] for women,” Frappart told the BBC. “I hope that this World Cup will help them.”

A BRIGHT IDEA!

The French Senate has approved a bill requiring all large parking lots across France to be topped with solar canopies in the next six years. They are predicted to generate as much energy as 10 nuclear reactors. The legislation was approved by France’s upper house in November, and it will come into eff ect in July 2023.

DRUG TESTING TEAM SECURES CHARITY STATUS

The Loop has been saving lives by off ering drug testing at music festivals for years, providing revellers with information about what’s in their substances, along with harm reduction advice – all on an anonymous basis. Recently it also started working in city centres. Its new charity status will enable it to secure more funding and expand its operations.

❛ ❛ I raise up my voice — not so that I can shout, but so that those without a voice can be heard … We cannot all succeed when half of us are held back

Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education campaigner

❛ ❛ What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make

Dame Jane Goodall, British primatologist

LOW-COST RAIL FIRMS INCREASING ACROSS EUROPE

Low-cost rail fi rms are springing up across Europe to tempt passengers away from carbon-heavy fl ights. The latest service, by Spanish operator Iryo, has started running its fi rst all-electric service between Madrid and Barcelona with fares starting from €18. Services to Valencia, Seville and others will follow. According to Greenpeace, replacing the EU’s busiest short-haul fl ights with trains would save 3.5m tonnes of CO2 per year.

MALTA PLEDGES ABORTION LAWS REFORM

The Maltese government has pledged to change the law to allow doctors to terminate a pregnancy if a mother’s life or health is at risk. Malta is currently the only EU nation that enforces a total ban on abortion.

Gynaecologist Isabel Stabile, one of many doctors who challenged the law, told the BBC that it was a “step in the right direction,” but that there “will still not be any provision to terminate pregnancies in cases of rape or incest, or in cases of a fatal, foetal anomaly.”

❛ ❛ Champions keep playing until they get it right

Billie Jean King, tennis legend and gender equality advocate

AT LAST, THE SHARK FIN TRADE REGULATED

At the world’s biggest wildlife summit, 186 nations voted to regulate the global trade in shark fi ns. This adds 60 threatened shark species to the list of creatures protected under Cites – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The measures will apply to the requiem shark family, including tiger sharks, as well as six species of hammerheads, which have been hunted to the brink of extinction for shark fi n soup.