Our top Positive Climate Stories of 2025
Need something upbeat to fight off the January blues? Let us help, with a selection of 12 positive climate stories that made us hopeful in 2025.
December 2025
Hole in the Antarctic ozone layer is at its smallest since 2019
This year, the hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctic was the smallest and shortest-lived since 2019, according to European space scientists.
The ozone layer is a stratospheric shield that protects life on Earth from ultraviolet (UV) rays. Without it, UV radiation would reach the surface of the Earth, damaging crops, increasing cases of skin cancers and causing many other environmental and human harms.
In the 1980s, the ozone layer was in great danger due to human pollution. In 1987, the world came together to sign the Montreal Protocol. This landmark international treaty established a global framework for phasing out the production and use of nearly 100 man-made chemicals responsible for damaging the ozone layer.
A study in Nature Climate Change last year found these actions had successfully curbed emissions, and led to the heating effects of the gases peaking five years earlier than expected. The World Meteorological Organization estimates that the ban will enable a recovery of the ozone layer over the Antarctic, where it is thinnest, to 1980 levels by 2066.
Ozone depletion was once a “red” planetary boundary, pushed beyond safe limits by human activity, but it is now the only one to have returned to the safe zone. With 7 out of 9 other planetary boundaries now in the red, this success is a hopeful and timely reminder of what can be achieved when nations come together to address global environmental challenges.
November 2025
New Just Transition mechanism adopted at COP30 to guide a fair global transition
By Em Fenton, Senior Director, Climate Diplomacy
One of the overwhelming sentiments coming out of COP30 was that multilateralism hung in the balance, with climate progress stymied by fierce geopolitical hostility. Yet, despite outright refusal to engage and the presence of an army of fossil fuel lobbyists, there was a rare but significant victory for civil society.
The agreement of the Just Transition mechanism – known among activists as the Belém Action Mechanism (BAM) and even chanted in the plenary when the decision was gavelled – represents the most ambitious and comprehensive language on rights and inclusion of any COP decision.
In practical terms, the BAM establishes a new mechanism dedicated to coordinating and guiding just transition efforts across countries. It does this through dialogues and by creating formal entry points for workers, Indigenous Peoples, youth and civil society to help shape recommendations. It puts people and equity at the centre of the fight against the climate crisis and aims to enhance international cooperation, technical assistance, capacity building, and knowledge sharing to enable equitable, inclusive just transitions.
For the first time, the negotiations also addressed the climate impacts of critical minerals and the cross-border impact of climate-related trade measures. While not included in the final text, their discussion opens the door for future best practice recommendations to be incorporated into the mechanism’s capacity and knowledge-sharing elements.
Although the BAM doesn’t specifically allocate new climate finance, it does dictate how broader finance should be distributed, prioritising non-debt-inducing finance and reaffirming States’ responsibilities in upholding the Paris Agreement.
Going forward, the BAM will help guide how just transition principles are built into national climate plans and finance decisions. The essence of mutirão was sorely tested in Belém, but the adoption of the BAM saw the spirit of solidarity win through, providing hope for climate action, the COP process and global multilateralism.
October 2025
World’s largest marine park has been created
After announcing its ambitious plan at the UN Ocean Conference in June, French Polynesia has now made it official – adopting a decree that establishes the world's largest marine park.
The park spans the territory's entire exclusive economic zone of 4.8m square kilometres – nearly the size of the European Union. Of this vast area, 1.086m square kilometres will receive strong protection – twice the size of mainland France. Within this, 900,000 square kilometres around the Society and Gambier Islands are now fully protected by law, with commercial fishing and mining completely banned. With this addition, 78% of France’s ocean waters are now under some form of environmental protection or restriction.
By restricting harmful practices like deep-sea mining and bottom-trawling, the territory aims to safeguard their vast biodiversity. French Polynesia's waters host some of the world's healthiest coral reefs, along with sharks, whales and sea turtles.
The park balances conservation with cultural heritage. An additional 186,000 square kilometres is reserved exclusively for artisanal fishing, allowing local communities to continue traditional line fishing methods that have sustained Polynesian culture for centuries. A recent survey showed overwhelming support, with 92% of residents backing the protected areas.
This park demonstrates how modern conservation can preserve both biodiversity and cultural heritage, setting an example for global ocean protection.
September 2025
Landmark agreement to protect High Seas becomes international law
A global agreement to protect the world's oceans and reverse damage to marine life is set to become international law.
Decades of overfishing, pollution from shipping and warming have severely damaged our oceans and their inhabitants. Nearly 10% of marine species are now at risk of extinction, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The issue is acute in the high seas – international waters beyond any countries’ control – where everyone has the right to ship and fish. Currently, only 1% is protected, leading to overexploitation of the rest of the high seas.
In 2023, countries agreed that 30% of the world's international waters must become Marine Protected Areas by 2030 to help depleted marine life recover. However, the treaty required ratification by 60 countries to take effect. That threshold was reached in September when Morocco became the 60th signatory, meaning the treaty will come into force in January 2026.
Unfortunately, the UK hasn’t ratified yet but could soon – parliament introduced a bill for ratification last month.
This is a historic achievement. The High Seas Treaty is the first legal framework protecting biodiversity in international waters, which cover nearly two-thirds of the ocean and nearly half of Earth’s surface. It establishes binding rules for conservation, and once active, countries will propose and vote on protected areas.
Protecting our ocean is key to our survival. Oceans provide up to 80% of our oxygen and contribute an estimated £1.9tn to the global economy.
August 2025
World's highest court rules: all countries must act on climate change
On 23 July 2025, the International Court of Justice issued a unanimous advisory opinion that marks a defining moment for international climate law. The world's highest court ruled that all states have legal obligations under international law to take decisive action to prevent climate change and limit global warming to 1.5°C.
This historic decision represents a triumph for climate-vulnerable nations, particularly Pacific Island states and the youth activists who championed this legal challenge. The Court made clear that countries' climate commitments must be ambitious and implemented with "best efforts," and that even countries outside the Paris Agreement must act in line with international legal standards.
Read how the ICJ is already making impact.
July 2025
Major win against LNG greenwashing
By Kirsty Mitchell, Legal Manager
The UK’s Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) set a clear precedent, ruling that cruise adverts promoting fossil LNG as “clean” or “eco-friendly” are misleading to consumers.
The rulings concerned adverts by cruise travel agents for MSC Cruises that made environmental claims about the company’s LNG-powered ships: MSC World Europa and MSC Euribia. Webpages by the ticket agencies described the ships as “eco-friendly” and powered by “the world’s cleanest marine fuel”.
In March 2025, Opportunity complained to the regulator, outlining how the adverts were misleading to consumers; contrary to being climate friendly, fossil LNG has devastating implications for the climate. Why? LNG is a fossil fuel mainly made of methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas over 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide, which leaks throughout LNG’s lifecycle from extraction to combustion.
As noted by the ASA in the rulings, methane emissions make a substantial contribution to climate change. A strong evidence base also shows that the use of LNG as shipping fuel can increase greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fuels.
The ASA found that the adverts breached several provisions of the UK non-broadcast advertising code (CAP code) and were likely to mislead. Both advertisers removed the claims from their website, and the ASA ruled that the ads must not appear again in the same form. The ASA also told the advertisers to ensure future claims were compliant.
Beyond the individual outcomes for the advertisers, these rulings set a clear precedent for the entire cruise industry against advertising fossil LNG as ‘eco-friendly’ or similar. This issue is systemic: over the last two years, Opportunity Green has identified, called out and legally challenged the veracity of environmental claims being made by cruise companies about fossil LNG. At last, the ASA’s rulings provide much-needed clarity and serve as a reminder to the wider shipping industry that it must look beyond LNG as an alternative ‘sustainable’ fuel.
Update: Opportunity Green has since then used this ruling to ask several ticket sellers to take down their misleading advertising claims on LNG.
June 2025
Eight countries form new solidarity coalition for levies on premium flyers
By Em Fenton, Senior Director, Climate Diplomacy
Against a backdrop of increasing geopolitical hostility, it is hard to see how global progress can be made that meets the scale and the pace demanded by the climate crisis. Enter the Global Solidarity Levies Taskforce to show us the way. The Taskforce – spearheaded by the governments of France, Kenya and Barbados – was launched at COP28 in November 2023 to identify scalable and sensible options for levies to raise additional resources for climate and development.
Following a consultation of potential options earlier this year, the taskforce announced this week at the Financing for Development (FFD4) Conference in Sevilla a coalition of countries willing to tax premium air travel (first-and business- class tickets, and private jets). Agreements from the governments of France, Kenya, Barbados, Spain, Somalia, Benin, Sierra Leone and Antigua& Barbuda have committed to work towards COP30 in Brazil on equitable contributions from this high-emitting sector to provide climate and development finance. Recent research by CE Delft shows that global levies on premium flyers could raise as much as $78bn per year.
This initiative is a hopeful step forward in improving aviation’s poor record on climate and equity. Just 1% of the world’s population accounts for more than half of the CO2 emissions from commercial aviation. Meanwhile, private aviation has seen a 49% increase in emissions between 2019-2023 and kerosene is dramatically undertaxed compared to the duties of on road transport. This is fundamentally an issue of equity and fairness. We welcome these eight countries on launching this bold and much-needed coalition and urge others to follow their lead.
Update: As of January 2026, the Coalition now has 13 countries on board, including Benin, Djibouti, France, Kenya, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Sudan and Spain, as well as Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Fiji, and Vanuatu as observers.
May 2025
German court confirms polluters can be liable for climate damage
After nearly 10 years of legal proceedings, a German court has ruled that major corporate polluters can be held liable for the impacts of climate change under national law.
The case was brought by Peruvian farmer and mountain guide Saúl Luciano Lliuya, who sought $20,000 from German energy giant RWE to help fund flood defences for his hometown of Huaraz. The town faces growing risks from glacial lake outburst floods, which scientists have linked to climate change driven by global emissions.
Although the court ultimately dismissed the claim – finding the local flood risk insufficient to be awarded the damages sought – the decision sets a powerful precedent. The judges confirmed that large private emitters can be held accountable for climate harms, even when those harms occur far from where emissions are released. Importantly, the court also recognised that attribution science can be used to connect specific climate impacts to individual emitters.
As our Legal Director David Kay puts it, this is a “legal breakthrough for communities all around the world that face devastation from climate change caused by big corporate emitters.”
Read David’s brilliant blog for a deeper dive into this case and what it means for climate justice.
April 2025
Greenwashing faces major fines under new UK law
UK regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), has been granted the power to fine companies for misleading consumers, which could result in a crackdown on corporate greenwashing, experts say.
Under this law (known as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC) 2024) that came into effect earlier this month, companies can now be fined up to 10% of their global turnover for greenwashing – a dramatic increase from previous penalties, which rarely exceeded £1m.
In 2021, the CMA published guidance to support companies to avoid greenwashing, known as the Green Claims Code. It set out clear rules for businesses making environmental claims: they must: be truthful, accurate and clear; not omit important information; only make fair and meaningful comparisons; consider the full life cycle of the product; and be substantiated.
With the new powers, the CMA can impose fines directly, without going to court. This means that the CMA now has the authority to rule on the lawfulness of business’ conduct under the DMCC Act, which prohibit misleading green claims.
“At the time when the EU risks weakening corporate accountability through its simplification process, the UK is stepping up. Strengthening the CMA’s enforcement powers sends a clear message to businesses attempting to green their image without real action: reputational damage and financial penalties are coming if the claims can’t stand up to scrutiny,” says Olivia Moyle, our Legal Assistant.
This new law sends a strong signal that vague or exaggerated climate promises won’t go unchecked – and that UK companies must back up their sustainability claims with substance.
March 2025
UK emissions at its lowest since 1872
UK emissions fell by 3.6% in 2024 – reaching a level not seen since Victorian times.
About half of the drop in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was due to a 54% reduction in UK coal demand, 2 million tonnes – the lowest level since 1666. There are two main reasons for this decrease. One-third is due to the end of coal power in the UK, with the last coal power station closing last year. Two-thirds are the result of lower steel production which is still heavily reliant on coal.
The rest of the drop in 2024 emissions was largely due to lower oil and gas demand. Oil demand fell by 1.4%, despite increased road traffic, mainly caused by the rise in the number of electric vehicles (EV).
While these historically low emissions are worth celebrating, the UK still needs to increase its annual rate of emissions reduction to reach national and international climate goals. The UK must continue to strengthen its efforts if it wants to stay on course for a sustainable future.
Encouragingly, some countries are on track to meet their goals. Germany, for instance, saw its emissions fall by around 3.4% in 2024, keeping the country aligned with its 2030 climate targets.
February 2025
The green sector is growing three time faster than the overall UK economy
Analysis from the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit found that the net zero sector is growing at triple the rate of the UK’s economy, creating high-paying jobs across the country while cutting emissions and increasing energy security.
Green sectors such as clean energy, EVs, green finance and railways are growing expandingly, with a growth of 10% in 2024 and 9% in 2023. They employ almost a million people in full-time jobs, with the average annual wage being £43,000 – £5,600 higher than the national average.
“This analysis demonstrates that growing the UK's net zero sector is not only crucial to reach our emissions reduction goals – from decarbonising the grid to producing green hydrogen solutions to decarbonise shipping and aviation – but also for providing high-paying jobs across the breadth of the country,” says our Policy Officer, Nuala Doyle.
Green sectors also help balance job distribution, which is often concentrated in London and the South East. Net zero jobs are spread across the UK, with the largest hotspots in the West Midlands, Yorkshire, the Humber, and South West England, as well as increasingly in Scotland.
“With hubs of activity in the net zero economy stretching from Scotland to the South West of England, the report highlights the important role that the net zero economy is playing in ensuring a just transition away from polluting industries for workers and communities, while developing the solutions needed to decarbonise our economy,” says Nuala.
Other countries have also seen the net zero sector boosting their economy. In 2024, China’s clean energy sector accounted for 10% of GDP, thanks to high investments in EVs and solar power.
While these investments align with climate goals, they also serve financial and political interests, particularly by reducing oil imports. Expanding clean energy comes with an additional advantage: strengthening energy security.
January 2025
UK’s electricity has never been so clean as in 2024
A new Carbon Brief study shows that fossil fuels made up only 29% of the UK’s electricity in 2024 – the lowest on record, while renewables achieved a record-high 45%, and nuclear accounted for 13%. This has been achieved thanks to a surge in renewables and the long-term phase out of coal culminating in the closure of the UK’s last coal-fired power plant last year.
While these unprecedented numbers are good reason to rejoice, significant efforts still need to be made. Under the government’s target for clean power by 2030, the carbon footprint of electricity generation should drop by another two-thirds by the end of the decade.
