Great environmental achievements the world has made in 2022

Wind energyPhoto byKarsten WürthonUnsplash

The United Nations estimates that there are eight billion people on earth now. The achievements made late this year, come as climate change is progressively upsetting life as we know it on Earth.

In the American West, droughts and wildfires are still widespread. Floods are ruining towns, and summers are becoming dangerous due to heat waves. Additionally, the emissions of greenhouse gases that exacerbate these calamities are rising. But there is still a chance for all eight billion of us.

Here are some actions the world is taking to protect our beautiful planet.

~The Inflation reduction act (IRA)~

Signed into law back in August, The inflation reduction Act will not only reduce the prices of health care and prescription drugs in the United States, but it will also use a portion of the $369 billion to combat the climate crisis. U.S. leaders plan to use funds to create clean energy projects and invest in energy-efficient technologies such as electric vehicles.

The inflation reduction act could help us have a swifter transition into using renewable energies. With the help of this act, it is said that 81% of the energy we use can be from wind and solar power by 2030.

~Plastic pollution resolution ~

Plastic is a very large part of our lives. Most everything we use, from the water we drink to the foods we eat, and even the beauty products we use are contained in plastic vessels. When plastics are not recycled properly, they are released into our environment causing pollution of our lands and waters.

Internationally, governments are stepping up to curb the number of plastics being released into our environment. 175 nations agree to unite and negotiate a global treaty by 2024 that would curb the heavy flow of plastics and pollution into the environment.

This treaty would put more responsibility on countries to clean up their own plastics and would legally require them to be responsible for pollution in their own countries.

Back in June, California passed a plastics law that aims to reduce single-use plastics over the next ten years. the law aims to restrict the production of single-use plastics rater that improve recycling efforts.

~Regulations for clean healthy drinking water~

A deadline is set for the environmental protection agency (EPA) to propose new rules on drinking water before the end of the year. The EPA plans to target chemicals called polyfluoroal substances (PFAS) found in our drinking water. PFAS is a class of chemicals that include around 9,000 different substances found in everyday products such as non-stick pans, carpets, rubber products, and much more.

Recent studies show PFAS are now being found in most peoples bloodstream, and we are just starting to learn the impact PFAS are having on our health.

The new EPA rule would regulate two types of PFAS called PFOS and PFOA.