This week has been rich with positive news: Australians have been granted the “right to disconnect,” Parisians voted to increase parking rates for SUVs, a study found that quitting smoking reduces cancer risk at any age, indigenous people around the world reported similar levels of happiness as wealthy people in western nations, a project has been launched in Scotland to rediscover the country’s “lost” native pinewoods, and the EU plans to be the world’s “first carbon neutral continent.”
The “right to disconnect” is now a reality in Australia, allowing employees to ignore messages from their employers after working hours, and including provisions to boost employee rights in the gig economy and for truck drivers. Spain and France already have similar legislation, but corporations have criticized the measures, claiming they are an overreach by the government that would impact competitiveness.
Parisians have voted to increase parking rates for SUVs, meaning drivers of these vehicles face paying €18 per hour to park, compared to €6 for regular cars. The French city of Lyon is moving ahead with its own version of the initiative, while politicians in German cities have also suggested similar measures. The move comes after research revealed that carbon emissions from the global SUV fleet outweigh those of most countries.
A study comprising medical data from nearly 3 million Koreans has found that quitting smoking cuts the risk of lung cancer by 42% within 15 years, compared to those who continued smoking. Smaller falls of 27%, 20%, and 14% were recorded for liver, colorectal, and stomach cancers, respectively.
Indigenous people living in remote communities around the world with little money report similar levels of happiness as wealthy people in western countries, according to a new study, proving that money does not equate to happiness. The researchers interviewed almost 3,000 people in 19 indigenous communities globally. People in the isolated communities reported an average life satisfaction score of 6.8 out of 10, roughly equivalent to the average life satisfaction score for all countries in the OECD group of mostly rich nations.
In Scotland, the Wild Pine Project aims to identify and protect the country’s “lost” native pinewoods, which have declined to less than 2% of the Caledonian forest that once covered most of the Highlands. The partnership between Woodland Trust Scotland and Trees for Life is using maps dating back to the 1500s to find and save forgotten pinewoods.
The EU has announced plans to become the world’s “first climate neutral continent” by slashing emissions by 90% by 2040. The recommendation for the next European Commission came just as the EU’s climate service reported that the bloc’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 23% between 1990 and 2018. These targets come amid growing scrutiny of the EU’s green policies
Read the full article on Positive News here: Read More