Hello, this is Kevin Gallagher producer of Gaiagram.

As we celebrate the holiday season and the end of the year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the importance of staying aware of the environmental challenges our world continues to face. At the same time, it's vital that we nurture the collective will to make meaningful changes, changes that create a positive and lasting impact on our planet. In that spirit, I’d like to share a few of 2025’s encouraging environmental developments this past year.

-The European Union’s Nature Restoration Law is now in force

-Europe are scaling up environmental restoration

-Biodiversity can rebound when land is managed for nature

-Colorado regulators have order a 41% reduction in emissions

-California has periods consistently generating more than 100% of its electricity demand from renewables

-Ireland is on track to eliminate coal from its energy mix

-Sun Prairie, Wisconsin first city in the state to run all it’s city operations

-North Carolina, planted more than 69,000 native plants, removed over 71,000 pounds of litter

-Connecticut passed a major climate bill that sets a legally grounded net‑zero emissions target for 2050

-Maine accelerates its clean‑energy timeline, for 100% clean electricity goal up to 2040

-Ohio prioritizes clean energy over costly fossil fuels

-In New York, strengthens Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act

-New York regulators require a fossil‑fuel‑powered crypto mining plant to cut its greenhouse gas emissions

-March 2025, renewables provided a slim majority of U.S. electricity

-Hawaii replaced its last coal plant with a giant battery

-US has introduced a new limit on toxic “forever chemicals” or PFA’s