Happy Thursday 👋

Here are the impactful insights that I have for you today:

• The Group of Negative Emitters  setting the goal to remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they emit 🌍
• Ireland set a new daily wind energy record 💨 
• Let’s raise awareness about the conservation and diversity of non-human primates 🐒
• And more… 💚

Do you know what’s better than a country aiming to reduce their CO₂ emissions?

A country that commits to becoming a negative emitter! So that they capture more carbon than they produce!

And while some countries at the COP28 in the UAE actively try to keep our dependency on fossil fuels, there are three notable ones that have formed a Group of negative Emitters: Denmark, Finland, and Panama 💚

I love their commitment, so let’s have a closer look at it next!

🌍 Denmark and Finland Lead the Charge to Become ‘Negative Emitters’

1️⃣ The big picture: At the COP28 climate talks, Denmark, Finland, and Panama have formed the Group of Negative Emitters, setting an ambitious goal to remove more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than they emit. Panama has already achieved this with its vast forests acting as carbon sinks. Finland and Denmark aim to reach this goal by 2035 and 2045, respectively. Their strategies include cutting emissions, especially in the energy sector, expanding forests, and investing in carbon capture and removal technology.

2️⃣ Why is this good news: This initiative represents a significant shift in climate action goals, moving beyond carbon neutrality to actively reducing atmospheric carbon. The approach of these countries is multifaceted, combining emission reductions with natural solutions like forest expansion and technological innovations like carbon capture. While carbon capture technology is still in its early stages and faces challenges in terms of cost and scalability, it holds promise for effectively reducing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

3️⃣ What’s next: The road to becoming negative emitters is challenging, especially for countries like Denmark, which lack vast forest resources and must rely more on technology. Additionally, there’s a need for global cooperation, particularly in supporting developing countries through technology transfers and financing to reduce emissions. The success of these nations in becoming negative emitters could set a precedent for other countries to follow, potentially leading to a more aggressive and effective global response to climate change.

Related: Join the race to become a net negative emitter of carbon emissions with one of the 19 Best Carbon Offsets!

📢 More Good News…

💨 Ireland set a new daily wind energy record:

• Recently, wind contributed over 70% of Ireland’s total electricity demands in a single day.
• Ireland is only one of the two countries that is expected to hit their 2030 offshore wind targets (Poland being the other one), as per the COP28 Global Offshore Wind Update.
• Already in 2022, Ireland ranked 3^rd in the world when it came to its share of electricity generated by wind power.

⭐ Shimmering golden mole thought extinct found over 80 years after last sighting:

• De Winton’s golden mole species, last sighted in 1937, has been found alive in South Africa. 
• The scientists sought signs of the elusive mole by collecting over 100 soil samples from various locations. They then examined these samples for environmental DNA (eDNA), which comprises DNA remnants from the animal, such as excretions, skin cells, and hair, left in its surroundings.
• Since then, four more populations of De Winton’s golden mole have been discovered.

👩🏾‍🤝‍🧑🏽 Historic ruling in Ecuador returns ownership of ancestral land to the Siekopai people:

• For the first time, Ecuador has recognized an Indigenous population’s right to “possess a territory that has been declared a protected area.” Additionally, this ruling can serve as a precedent for other Indigenous communities that are trying to regain control of their land.
• The legal system in Ecuador has acknowledged the rightful ownership of 42,360 hectares in Pë’këya to an Amazonian community.
• The judges have ruled that the ministry “failed to fulfill its obligations to guarantee the rights of the Siekopai Nation” and have ordered the ministry to issue a public apology. The formal expression of regret will take place within the Siekopai territory. 

🐒 Event of the Week: International Monkey Day

👉 Do you know that today, December 14, is International Monkey Day? This event raises awareness about the conservation and diversity of non-human primates, such as monkeys.

1️⃣ The big picture: This day was originally created and made popular in 2000, when art students Casey Sorrow and Eric Millikin wrote “Monkey Day” on a friend’s calendar as a joke. However, the holiday quickly gained popularity and now serves as a lighthearted platform to promote animal rights and the need to protect primates and their natural habitats.

2️⃣ Why is this important: International Monkey Day may have initially been created as a joke. But it’s an unfortunate reality that these highly intelligent and social creatures are in danger due to poaching and habitat loss, the two greatest threats most animals face nowadays. Roloway monkeys in Africa, for example, are now rated as Critically Endangered. Surveys between 2004 and 2008 suggest that the roloway monkey may have been eliminated from at least two forest areas in the last dozen years. 

3️⃣ How can you get involved: Aside from “monkeying around”, some ways that you can participate in today’s International Monkey Day is to set up a fundraising event or donate to charities for monkeys. As always, you can promote the conservation of monkeys and primates all over the world by using the hashtags #InternationalMonkeyDay or #AnimalRights.

In addition, you can check out the organizations below that are fighting to protect monkeys and improve animal rights worldwide:

• 9 Best Charities for Protecting Monkeys
• 9 Best Animal Rescue Charities
• 21 Best Charities for Helping Farm Animals
• 9 Best Charities to Symbolically Adopt a Wild Animal in Need

📜 This Week in History

👩🏻‍💼🏅 December 14, 1985: Wilma Mankiller became the first woman ever to serve as chief of a major Native American tribe when she was sworn in as principal chief of the Cherokee Nation. She spent much, if not all of, her life fighting for the rights of Native Americans and initiated numerous projects aimed at greater development of the Cherokee communities in Oklahoma.

👨🏻🏛 December 15, 1907: Oscar Niemeyer was born in Brazil. He later studied architecture at the National School of Fine Arts in Rio de Janeiro. His designs contributed to the development of modern architecture in Latin America, and Niemeyer became a co-winner of the 1988 Pritzker Prize.

👩🏻📘 December 16, 1775: Jane Austen was born. Her works, including “Pride and Prejudice,” “Sense and Sensibility,” “Emma,” and others, are considered classics of English literature. Additionally, her books are often celebrated for their understanding of human nature and exploration of the societal norms and constraints of her time.

💭 Quote of the Week

“The happiest people I’ve ever met, regardless of their profession, their social standing, or their economic status, are people that are fully engaged in the world around them. The most fulfilled people are the ones who get up every morning and stand for something larger than themselves. They are the people who care about others, who will extend a helping hand to someone in need or will speak up about an injustice when they see it.”

― Wilma Mankiller; Native American leader, activist, author, first woman chief of a major tribe, and medalist of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998

Share the news with your friends to make a bigger positive impact on the world and society!

Stay impactful 💚