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Breakthroughs & Indicators of Rising Consciousness

• Eleven countries are planting a wall of trees from east to west across Africa, just under the southern edge of the Sahara desert. The goal is to bring the dry lands back to life.
• September was a great month for the war on plastic. Kenya became the 9th country to ban plastic bags, then Western Australia announced a ban starting in 2018, and now Chile says it will be the first country in the Americas to ban plastic bags in coastal cities.
• One of the world's largest marine parks has just been created off the coast of Easter Island, and will protect 142 species, including 27 threatened with extinction. Guardian. In more than 60 regions across the globe, more populations of large sea turtles are improving than declining, a big change from a decade or two ago. Nice. Associated Press

• The cost of solar plants in the United States has dropped by 30% in one year and in the United Kingdom, the price of offshore wind has dropped by half in less than two years. France will pass legislation later this year to phase out all oil and gas exploration and production by 2040, becoming the first country to do so (Bloomberg). Electronics manufacturer Toshiba announced new technology that effectively doubles the capacity of a battery with a charge time of only 6 minutes; having significant implications for electric cars. In spite of the Trump administration pulling back from renewable energy, the U.S. is smashing its clean energy forecasts with reduced CO2 emissions and higher renewable energy uptake than predicted. However, China has surged ahead of US with electric vehicle uptake, as well as beating the US in the overall renewables race with solar, hydro, and biofuels. China has also halted construction of more than 150 coal-fired power plants. As part of a continuing investment trend around the world, the Assisi diocese is among 40 Catholic groups to divest from fossil fuels this year, Norway's sovereign wealth fund is officially out, and the global insurance industry has pulled $20 billion.

• A new report from the EU says that between 1990 and 2016 the continent cut its carbon emissions by 23% while the economy grew by 53%. CleanTechnica

• Bowing to overwhelming scientific evidence, and pressure from environmental groups, the UK government has agreed to an extended ban on neonicotinoid pesticides. BBC
• There's new evidence that the sugar industry suppressed scientific studies linking sugar to heart disease and cancer. According to the World Health Organisation, global efforts to combat TB have saved an estimated 53 million lives since 2000 and have reduced the TB mortality rate by 37%.
• The Minamata Convention, the first global treaty on mercury pollution, was ratified six weeks ago, and 156 countries are meeting this week to discuss further action. Swiss Info

• Thanks to government welfare policies, the child-poverty rate in the United States has reached an all time low, dropping to 15.6% in 2016. The Atlantic

• Heckler & Koch, the world's deadliest arms manufacturer, has announced it will end gun sales to countries falling short of corruption and democracy standards. Deutsche Welle

• For a bit of fun here in the Garwhal Himalayas, with marvellous photography, see how two Maneri sisters get to school.