{"id":64078,"date":"2023-12-02T03:33:22","date_gmt":"2023-12-02T02:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/?p=64078"},"modified":"2026-06-29T15:14:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T13:14:14","slug":"good-news-stories-from-around-the-world-oct-nov","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/story\/64078\/good-news-stories-from-around-the-world-oct-nov\/","title":{"rendered":"Good news stories from around the world &#8211; Oct\/Nov"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Notable wins in the climate and environmental justice space to inspire us in our fight for a better, greener, and fairer world for all.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Oceans &#8211; Greenpeace crew save humpback whale trapped in fishing gear<\/h3>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"667\" title=\"Humpback Whale in the Great Barrier Reef\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/06\/78b1e1f2-gp1sub1a-1024x667.jpg\" alt=\"A Humpback whale breaches off a reef in the Southern Great Barrier reef on its Southern Migration, Queensland, Australia. Humpback whales travel huge distances from the warm waters of the great barrier reef on the east coast of Australia to icy waters of the southern Ocean off Antarctic.\" class=\"wp-image-54233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/06\/78b1e1f2-gp1sub1a-1024x667.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/06\/78b1e1f2-gp1sub1a-300x196.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/06\/78b1e1f2-gp1sub1a-768x500.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/06\/78b1e1f2-gp1sub1a-510x332.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/06\/78b1e1f2-gp1sub1a.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-element-caption\">Archive shot of a humpback whale.<div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Paul Hilton \/ Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On October 21, the crew of the Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/usa\/news\/greenpeace-arctic-sunrise-ship-crew-saves-humpback-whale-entangled-in-fishing-gear\/\">rescued a humpback whale entangled in fishing gear.<\/a> Entanglement with fishing gear claims the lives of <a href=\"https:\/\/sdgs.un.org\/partnerships\/global-whale-entanglement-response-network-gwern\">over 300,000 dolphins and whales every year<\/a>, making it the leading cause of mortality for these majestic animals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rescue underscored the precarious situation that marine mammals in the high seas face. Governments must urgently ratify the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/press-release\/58486\/historic-un-ocean-treaty-agreed-greenpeace-statement\/#:~:text=We%20praise%20countries%20for%20seeking,to%20real%20change%20at%20sea.\">Global Oceans Treaty<\/a> to ensure the protection of whales and all other marine species.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hong Kong &#8211; Ban on disposable plastic cutlery<\/h3>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" title=\"Plastic Waste from Fast Food Chains in Hong Kong\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/7b85c82b-gp0stspqd-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"For one takeaway meal, 11 pieces of plastics are produced by Cafe de Carol, one of the largest fast food chains in Hong Kong. \n\nGreenpeace urges these big fast-food restaurants should \u2018Do more! Save more!\u2019 - taking the lead of doing more on eliminating single-use plastic utensils by providing effective incentives to customers.\" class=\"wp-image-25015\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/7b85c82b-gp0stspqd-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/7b85c82b-gp0stspqd-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/7b85c82b-gp0stspqd-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/7b85c82b-gp0stspqd-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2019\/10\/7b85c82b-gp0stspqd.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-element-caption\">Plastic waste from a fast food chain in Hong Kong.<div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From April next year, restaurants in Hong Kong <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scmp.com\/news\/hong-kong\/health-environment\/article\/3238414\/hong-kong-ban-throwaway-plastic-tableware-come-force-april-22-next-year-some-lawmakers-said-it-too\">will be banned from giving out throwaway plastic cutlery<\/a>, including plastic straws and stirrers. Hotels and guest houses will not be allowed to supply water in plastic bottles or toiletries in synthetic disposable containers. This piece of good news is a small but significant effort to help stem the plastic tide but further steps have to be taken in order to solve the plastic crisis. Greenpeace, together with millions of our supporters, demand a Global Plastics Treaty that will reduce plastic production by at least 75% by 2040.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hungary &#8211; Lake Neusiedl, a UNESCO World Heritage site, saved from oversized development<\/h3>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" title=\"Protest at Luxury Hotel Construction Site in Fert\u0151 Hans\u00e1g National Park in Hungary\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/77394560-gp1swy97_medium_res-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Greenpeace activists protest at the entrance of Fert\u0151 Part - a construction site where they made a human chain and displayed banners on two-story-high scaffolding - demanding a halt to a government mega-investment project destroying the area\u2019s wildlife at Lake Fert\u0151.\nThe 53-hectare project, named Fert\u0151 Part, would include a 100-room, 4-star hotel, and 26 luxury apartment buildings directly on the waterfront, a car park for 880 cars, a multi-story visitor center, an indoor sports complex with tennis courts and artificial turf football pitches, and a marina for 850 sailing boats and 450 rowing boats.\nBesides Greenpeace, UNESCO, the European Union, the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, and every genuine national and international conservation body agrees that this project should be stopped now.\nOne of the banner reads &quot;Hungarian Government Stop Destroying Our National Parks&quot;.\" class=\"wp-image-64080\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/77394560-gp1swy97_medium_res-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/77394560-gp1swy97_medium_res-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/77394560-gp1swy97_medium_res-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/77394560-gp1swy97_medium_res-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/77394560-gp1swy97_medium_res.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-element-caption\">Protest at Luxury Hotel Construction Site in Fert\u0151 Hans\u00e1g National Park in Hungary<div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Bence J\u00e1rd\u00e1ny \/ Greenpeace <\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 29 September, Greenpeace Hungary <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/hungary\/sajtokozlemeny\/10617\/fellelegezhet-a-ferto-pert-nyert-a-greenpeace-a-kormanyhivatallal-szemben\/\">won a legal case<\/a> against a Hungarian government-issued permit for a state-financed tourism project at Lake Neusiedl national park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Construction has been halted and a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/hungary\/blog\/10709\/a-greenpeace-allasfoglalasa-a-ferto-uj-kozbeszerzesi-eljarasarol-elertuk-a-celunk-de-tovabbra-is-figyelemmel-kiserjuk-a-folyamatot\/\">new public procurement tender process has been launched<\/a> for the project that aims to encourage ecotourism. <\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This victory is the result of three years of online and offline campaigning to save the park in cooperation with local civilians, Greenpeace Austria, and Hungarian influencers helping to shine a spotlight on this important issue. Greenpeace Hungary will continue their ongoing legal proceedings and monitor the Lake Fert\u0151 project, until the last construction vehicle leaves the site.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kenya &#8211; Government barred from lifting ban on logging<\/h3>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" title=\"Ecological Banana Farmer in Kenya\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/8b776469-gp0stp75a_medium_res-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"Judith Oruko is one of the banana producers in Lambwe division, Mbita district. She is selling her bananas in Kipasi open market, around 20km from her main home. Every Sunday she walks the distance with her donkeys laden with bananas. She has been doing this to raise money to pay for her children&#039;s education.\" class=\"wp-image-64081\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/8b776469-gp0stp75a_medium_res-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/8b776469-gp0stp75a_medium_res-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/8b776469-gp0stp75a_medium_res-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/8b776469-gp0stp75a_medium_res-453x340.jpg 453w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/8b776469-gp0stp75a_medium_res.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption><div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Peter Caton \/ Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 12 October, the environmental court in Nairobi <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/africa\/en\/press\/54396\/greenpeace-africa-responds-to-reinstatement-of-logging-ban\/?utm_campaign=later-linkinbio-greenpeaceafrica&amp;utm_content=later-38471208&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=linkin.bio\">barred the government from lifting the ban on logging<\/a>&nbsp; but <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/StandardKenya\/status\/1712346610917679258?_ga=2.260808077.1299058835.1701395263-661917755.1698651538\">allowed the felling of 5000 hectares of mature forest.<\/a><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In July, President William Ruto <a href=\"https:\/\/nation.africa\/kenya\/news\/president-ruto-reaffirms-bid-to-plant-15-billion-trees-in-a-decade-4290168\">restated Kenya\u2019s ambitious plan to plant 15 billion trees by the year 2032<\/a> to restore forests and fight climate change. Greenpeace Africa urges the Kenya government to demonstrate this commitment to forests by prioritizing existing forests over hopes for saplings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Romania &#8211; Legal action ends immunity for illegal Romanian coal plants<\/h3>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"684\" title=\"Action at Illegal Coal Power Plant in Romania\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/fd2796c4-gp0str1ld_medium_res-1024x684.jpg\" alt=\"Greenpeace activists peacefully protest against the ongoing illegal operation of the Mintia coal power plant, in Hunedoara county, Western Romania.\nThe activists project messages onto the cooling towers of the plant reading in English and Romanian \u201cOperating illegally for 4 years\u201d and &quot;Romania: 15 illegal coal units&quot;. They are demanding the plant be shut down as it does not have the required environmental permits and has not complied with pollution limits for the past four years.\" class=\"wp-image-64082\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/fd2796c4-gp0str1ld_medium_res-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/fd2796c4-gp0str1ld_medium_res-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/fd2796c4-gp0str1ld_medium_res-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/fd2796c4-gp0str1ld_medium_res-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2023\/12\/fd2796c4-gp0str1ld_medium_res.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-element-caption\">Action at illegal coal power plant in Romania.<div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Dan Campean \/ Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a landmark victory for environmental protection and governance, Greenpeace Romania and ClientEarth have <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clientearth.org\/latest\/press-office\/press\/legal-action-ends-immunity-for-illegal-romanian-coal-plants-and-prompts-reform\/\">won a four-year legal battle against illegal coal pollution in Romania<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Nearly half of the country\u2019s coal plants were operating permit-free, a major breach of the EU\u2019s Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) \u2013 with no real consequences from authorities or national courts.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response, Romania has reformed its national pollution law and several illegal coal plants have been shut down.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Democratic Republic of the Congo &#8211; Auction of oil blocks postponed<\/h3>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" title=\"DRC oil blocks: petition handover\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/07\/a9e18b54-gp1sy8xb_.jpg\" alt=\"Greenpeace volunteers and staff delivered a petition with more than 100,000 supporters calling on the DRC president to stop the development of new oil and gas blocks in the country.\" class=\"wp-image-54959\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/07\/a9e18b54-gp1sy8xb_.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/07\/a9e18b54-gp1sy8xb_-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/07\/a9e18b54-gp1sy8xb_-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2022\/07\/a9e18b54-gp1sy8xb_-453x340.jpg 453w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><figcaption aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-element-caption\">In July 2022, Greenpeace volunteers and staff delivered a petition with more than 100,000 supporters calling on the DRC president to stop the development of new oil and gas blocks in the country.<div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On 3 November, it was announced that the DRC government\u2019s attempt to auction off oil fields in Congo had to be <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Min_HydroRDC\/status\/1719665091275030785\">postponed<\/a> for the third time.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In July last year, the DRC launched a giant auction of 30 oil and gas fields, threatening local communities and biodiversity in the world&#8217;s second largest rainforest and carbon-rich peatlands. The news of another delay is a great development and DRC activists and their supporters and allies from all over the world have every reason to celebrate, even as they continue their fight.<\/p>\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Belgium &#8211; Climate litigation case victory<\/h3>\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" title=\"Hologram Projection at European Council Summit in Brussels\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/05\/f667b852-gp1stu7v-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"Greenpeace Belgium protested by projecting a hologram demonstration for the first time ever in Brussels in front of the EU Council building. As Covid-19 protective measures are limiting public protest, this virtual march sends the vital signal to European decision makers \u201cBail out people not corporations, we won\u2019t stay quiet! Change the system: invest in people and planet, not polluters\u201d.\" class=\"wp-image-43431\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/05\/f667b852-gp1stu7v-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/05\/f667b852-gp1stu7v-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/05\/f667b852-gp1stu7v-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/05\/f667b852-gp1stu7v-510x340.jpg 510w, https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/05\/f667b852-gp1stu7v.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-element-caption\">Hologram Projection at European Council Summit in Brussels<div class=\"credit icon-left\"> \u00a9 Tim Dirven \/ Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After 9 years of procedure, a <a href=\"https:\/\/climatecasechart.com\/non-us-case\/vzw-klimaatzaak-v-kingdom-of-belgium-et-al\/\">Belgian climate litigation case<\/a> finally got a big victory. After a first <a href=\"http:\/\/rvvx.mjt.lu\/nl2\/rvvx\/mj3lq.html?hl=en\">symbolic win in 2021<\/a>, where the judge held that the Belgium government breached its duty of care by failing to take necessary measures to prevent the harmful effects of climate change but did not rule on binding reduction targets, the Court of Appeal has now <a href=\"https:\/\/www.brusselstimes.com\/belgium\/819198\/federal-flemish-and-brussels-governments-convicted-for-inadequate-climate-policy\">ruled in favour of such binding targets<\/a>. The ruling of the Court of Appeal obliges the different governments in this country to collectively cut CO2 emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Notable wins in the climate and environmental justice space to inspire us in our fight for a better, greener, and fairer world for all.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":54233,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_planet4_optimize_post_is_variant":false,"_planet4_optimize_experiment_name":"","_planet4_optimize_variant_name":"","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"p4_og_title":"","p4_og_description":"","p4_og_image":"","p4_og_image_id":"","p4_seo_canonical_url":"","p4_campaign_name":"","p4_local_project":"","p4_basket_name":"","p4_department":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[100],"tags":[122],"p4-page-type":[59],"class_list":["post-64078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-about","tag-wins","p4-page-type-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=64078"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64078\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":64121,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/64078\/revisions\/64121"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54233"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=64078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=64078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=64078"},{"taxonomy":"p4-page-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/p4-page-type?post=64078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}