The headlines are consistently lacking heartening or hopeful news. Turning to the climate section offers no avail, and often presents challenges or setbacks to environmental progress. However, it’s not all bad! Sure, it is mostly bad, but last year offered a few positive events in the environmental and climate policy world. Breakthroughs were both big and small, so heading into 2026, I chose 6 significant stories from last year that offer hope for humanity and our planet.
Ratification of a global ocean treaty!
The UN-led High Seas Treaty is probably the most impressive positive environmental news of 2025. The treaty is the world’s first to both protect and conserve marine biodiversity in international waters. It was adopted in 2022, but was ratified in September 2025 and will enter into force this January. It is a landmark decision for safeguarding food security and establishing ocean sanctuaries. Ireland was one of the first countries to sign the agreement, the first ‘dedicated global treaty on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biodiversity’, according to Oceanographic Magazine. The agreement governs use of the high seas and the deep seabed, and with the high seas comprising half the surface area of the planet, the treaty is a historic achievement.
Green sea turtles are no longer endangered!
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced in October that green sea turtles are now classified as a “least concern” species! A Global Marine Turtle Conservation expert called it “a major win for turtle conservation and proof that coordinated action can reverse populations at risk of extinction.” The green sea turtle has faced threats for decades like habitat loss, climate change, illegal wildlife trade, and more. The species faced a 48 to 67 per cent decline throughout the 20th century, according to the IUCN. Their reclassification is a major milestone and a win for global conservation.
The end of new oil and gas exploration in the UK!
In November, the United Kingdom ended new exploration for oil and gas in the North Sea. The UK is now the largest economy in the world, and the first G7 country, to end new fossil fuel exploration! Existing UK fields will continue to produce until they run out or production is stopped. Science is clear on the harmful effects of fossil fuels, and while this is just the beginning, this decision is a major step forward for eventually ending fossil fuel production and marks a pivot towards renewables.
Renewables beat traditional energy sources for energy expenditure!
In the first half of 2025, renewables overtook coal as the world’s biggest source of electricity, according to global energy think tank Ember. Worldwide, solar power has been the largest source of new electricity for three years in a row. While the US and EU were still relying on fossil fuels, developing countries and China added significant new solar and wind capabilities. A report by the International Renewable Energy Agency found that 90 per cent of renewables are cheaper than fossil fuels; in other words, renewable energy is now more cost effective for generating electricity! While not a perfect solution, renewable energy sources require far less harmful extraction than fossil fuels.
Salmon returned to their historic habitat in a Californian river!
After 4 four hydroelectric dams were removed in California in 2024, reports have shown that salmon have returned to their traditional habitats in the Klamath River. How amazing is that! A manager of the program for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said: “There are salmon everywhere on the landscape right now.” Further north into the Klamath River basin, reports from Oregon have sightings of salmon in tributaries where the fish haven’t been seen in more than a century. After decades of activism and years of negotiating, the final removal of the dams in 2024 was the largest dam removal project in American history. A spokesperson for a California fishing nonprofit stated that “the river came back to life almost instantly, and fish returned in greater numbers than anyone imagined”.
Expansion of Glen of the Downs Nature Reserve!
In a story a little closer to home, the County Wicklow park expanded by 100 acres of land! 2025 marked a meaningful progress for the National Parks and Wildlife Service, as the state increased the reserve by 68 per cent. Over time, the park will convert areas used for commercial timber forestry into native woodlands using local seed sources, a sustainable move by the Irish Government. The nature restoration project is expected to take up to a century, but at least it’s starting now! The expansion will increase the biodiversity of the hundreds of species that live in the woodland area. Tánaiste Simon Harris said that the expansion of the reserve is “fantastic news for nature and for the people of Wicklow”.
Consistent hard work pays off in every aspect of life, including conservation and sustainability. While 2025 was one of the hottest years on record, there were still positives to have come from it. Humanity can and should have hope, and bear witness to progress through measurable change. While it seems the world is descending daily into deeper chaos, it is vital to find possibility and to recognize small victories, like salmon once again being able to swim up a river they used to call home. As architects of the 2015 Paris Agreement said: “humanity was only ever as doomed as it believed itself to be.”
