What went right this week: ‘historic’ plastic deal, ramping up renewables, plus more

It has been described as the “most significant environmental multilateral deal since the Paris accord”. That it was struck amid geopolitical turmoil makes it, perhaps, all the more hopeful.

The deal? To end plastic pollution, for good. Convening at the latest UN Environment Assembly meeting in Nairobi, 175 nations agreed to negotiate an international treaty within two years to help realise that goal.

Sticking with the environment, there were signs that western attempts to isolate Russia are hastening the switch to renewables. In the wake of the war in Ukraine, Germany announced that it would bring forward by 15 years plans to decarbonise its energy supply. The country is heavily reliant on Russian gas.

In other news, Panama introduced a rights of nature law, refill shopping went mainstream, and Israel became the latest country to ban conversion therapy.