Every day the Good Good Good team collects the best good news in the world and shares it with our community. Here are the highlights for this week!
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The Best Positive News We’re Celebrating This Week —
Hungarian police issued an approval for this year’s Budapest Pride Parade, reversing last year’s ban
Last year, under the direction of former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, Hungary’s parliament passed legislation that led to the banning of the Budapest Pride parade.
Defying that ban and risking legal consequences, organizers estimated that a record 200,000 people attended the parade anyway, making it the city’s largest parade in history.
Now, under Prime Minister Péter Magyar, Hungarian police said they will not prevent anyone from taking part this year’s Budapest Pride parade, and they “issued restrictive orders in relation to three counter-demonstrations,” clearing the way for this year’s celebrations.
Even better: Hungarian prosecutors have now also dropped charges against Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony for his role in defying the country’s ban and organizing last year’s Pride parade.
This rescued sea turtle shocked scientists with its DNA results. After a 7-month recovery, he’s returning to the ocean
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Personal sense of freedom is up worldwide
In 2025, Gallup found that 82% of adults across 138 countries were satisfied with their freedom to choose what to do with their lives. It was a significant uptick from 2006, when the global satisfaction rate was 71%.
The largest gains occurred in former Soviet republics, where satisfaction with freedom rose sharply over the past two decades as former Eastern Bloc countries experienced economic and social improvements.
While the perceptions of freedom are strongly linked to economic well-being and financial stability, the report noted that freedom does not always match external measures of politics and civil liberties, with some countries with limited political freedoms reporting very high personal freedom satisfaction.
A rare, endangered bee species received new protections in six US states
Distinct for their rusty-colored patch in their middle section, on males only, the rusty patched bumble bee used to be found in about half of U.S. states — now only 13 states have recorded sightings, and in 2017, it became the first bee species to be listed as federally endangered.
To help the bee recover, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated 1.5 million acres of land across five states as critical habitat for the bee.
While it doesn’t establish new protected areas or reserves, the designation does impact “development or other actions” involving planning, permitting, and implementing projects that could impact the bee’s survival.
Why is this good news? The announcement is being hailed as “essential to the survival of one of America’s most imperiled pollinators,” and pollinators are essential not only to the larger ecosystem, but the food supply we all depend on.
This ‘turtle-sniffing dog’ searches miles of New York woods to save endangered species
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The US sees a record start to 2026 for energy storage
According to new data from the United States Energy Storage Market Outlook report, the U.S. added 9.7 gigawatt-hours of new energy storage capacity in the first quarter of 2026 — a capacity that is up 32% from the previous year.
Across the country, Texas, Arizona, and California remain the leaders in top utility-scale storage markets, but 13 states now have explicit energy storage targets that are helping with storage acceleration. Most notably, Georgia, Iowa, and Mississippi are “most improved” when it comes to storage growth in the last quarter.
With this new data, industry experts estimate that more than 610 gigawatt-hours of energy storage installations will occur by 2030.
Ahead of the World Cup, thousands of athletes raised funds for climate-ravaged soccer fields — and set a Guinness record
On June 6, more than 500 soccer players gathered in Miami Beach alongside more than 5,000 people across the United States, Mexico, Canada, Brazil and the United Kingdom — to juggle a soccer ball in unison for 10 seconds and break a Guinness World Record.
Organized by the global environmental campaign Where Football Lives, proceeds from the event will support upgrades to grassroots soccer sites across the U.S. and Mexico, enabling them to better withstand extreme weather caused by climate change.
Laura Biondo, a Venezuelan football freestyler and world champion, took part in the event in Miami, one of the World Cup’s most heat-exposed host cities.
Why is this good news? Parents across the U.S. estimate that their children lost an average of one full week of practices or competitions in 2024 due to extreme temperatures, wildfire smoke, flooding, and unpredictable winters. Not only is it a health hazard for everyone, but kids deserve quality places to play as much as the professionals do.
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Vermont turned a copper mine into a 20,000-panel solar farm. Noah Kahan made it an Easter egg in his new album
Two teens in Kenya turned farm waste into award-winning, pollution-reducing car exhaust filters
Two 17-year-old Kenyan students just won the Africa regional round of the Earth Prize, the world’s largest environmental sustainability competition for teenagers.
Fredrick Njoroge Kariuki and Miron Onsarigo won the award for inventing HewSafi, a low-cost vehicle exhaust filter made from the agricultural waste of maize cobs and coconut shells.
The students used recycled battery components, steel mesh, copper, and algae to capture harmful pollutants from vehicle emissions. When they tested their filters on minibuses in Nairobi, they found that HewaSafi reduced fine particulate pollution by 93.3% and cut carbon monoxide emissions by 42%.
Global mangrove forests are rebounding in a hopeful sign for both climate and coastal resilience
New research from Tulane University found that mangrove forests are showing signs of recovery worldwide, with regrowth and expansion largely offsetting decades of losses.
The study is based on four decades of satellite data and shows mangroves are now growing overall, following decades of decline due to deforestation and coastal development. The forests are regenerating naturally and expanding into new coastal areas.
Why is this good news? Mangroves were once considered one of the world’s most threatened coastal ecosystems. Not only do they provide unparalleled protection of coastal communities and coastlines, but they also support marine ecosystems and store an incredible amount of carbon dioxide.
One of the world’s oldest ‘art galleries’ lives on the rock faces of this Australian cultural site. These people have sworn to protect it
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Electric vehicle sales are taking off around the world
More than 20 million electric cars were sold worldwide in 2025, up roughly 20% from 2024. Electric vehicles accounted for roughly 25% of new car sales globally, meaning one in every four new cars was electric.
According to the International Energy Agency, electric vehicle sales are projected to go up from 25% to 28% in 2026, handily beating last year’s record.
Although the United States lags in EV adoption, countries across Asia and Europe have continued to invest in them at growing rates. The IEA projects that by 2035, roughly half of all new cars sold globally could be electric.
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A breakthrough pancreatic cancer drug nearly doubled the survival rates of patients
According to the American Cancer Society, pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers in the United States. While the exact cause of most cases remains unknown, many are driven by genetic mutations that trigger uncontrolled cell growth in the pancreas.
In a breakthrough clinical trial, researchers targeted these mutations with a new drug called daraxonrasib. Patients who took the once-daily pill lived a median of 13.2 months, compared with 6.7 months for those who received chemotherapy alone.
In a separate study at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, researchers found that daraxonrasib reduced the risk of death among patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer by 60%.
Even better: In addition to extending the survival rates of patients with pancreatic cancer, researchers are studying daraxonrasib across the board to see how it interacts with lung cancer, colorectal cancer, ovarian, and endometrial cancers.
Two brothers selling lemonade had the cops called on them. The first officer to respond invited the whole town to support them
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For the first time, solar provided more electricity in the US than coal
In May 2026, solar supplied a record 12.8% of U.S. electricity, generating an all-time high total of 45.5 terawatt hours, while coal fell to 12.2%, its fourth-lowest monthly share ever.
Solar exceeded its output from May of last year by 17% and surpassed the previous record set in July last year. Experts say that record could be broken again in the coming summer months.
The milestone also came despite the federal government’s attempts to hinder and stop renewable energy growth.
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More good news of the week —
A new wildlife overpass in California got its first animal visitors months ahead of schedule. After construction crews left, three mule deer were spotted navigating the crossing, which is the first in the state to be built over a state highway and will be completed this fall.
Activist Erin Brockovich launched an interactive map to track AI data centers across the country. More than 2,700 reports from concerned residents have been submitted to the website so far.
Twin Cities residents were honored with a John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award. They received the prestigious award for demonstrating “compassion and unwavering commitment to the ideals that sustain our democracy” during the federal immigration enforcement surge.
A Thai island community is uniting to protect endangered dugongs through seagrass restoration efforts. The island of Koh Libong has also implemented dugong-friendly boat policies and safer fishing practices to save the species.
A family in Tasmania used their expertise in aluminium shipbuilding to build the world’s largest battery-electric vessel. The ship has 40 megawatt-hours of batteries and will eventually provide service between Buenos Aires and Uruguay.
British scientists made plastic “decoy” puffins to help real puffins build colonies on the Isle of Man. Because puffins are highly social and prefer to nest in busy colonies, the decoys have been a hit.
The world’s largest wildlife overpass is nearing completion over a 10-lane freeway in California. The bridge, which is set to open in early December, is already attracting hummingbirds to its vegetation areas.
Stevie Nicks donated $3 million to USC medical school to recognize the voice doctor who cared for her throughout her career. The donation supports the creation of an endowed chair in otolaryngology at USC’s Keck School of Medicine in honor of Dr. Joseph Sugerman.
The Gullah Geechee people of the American Southeast are keeping the indigenous art of basket weaving alive. Sweetgrass basket weaving is an enduring cultural tradition tied to enslaved African communities of the 18th century.
Papua New Guinea has officially barred fishing and all destructive human activity from an ocean area the size of the U.K. The world’s largest marine protected area is estimated to be home to over 700 reef fish species and over 300 species of hard coral.
As flooding worsens across the country, Britain is turning to beavers to help. The animals are part of an unlikely effort that’s both bringing back species that vanished help Britain adapt to climate change.
After a crocodile crushed his only functional arm, a diver is back in the ocean to fight plastic pollution. Alain Brandeleer started a “Running for the Ocean” initiative, a 20-kilometer race in Brussels where more than 250 participants raised funds to help intercept 1 million plastic bottles.
Ms. Rachel visited and sang a protest song with children of immigrants outside of Delaney Hall. The beloved children’s entertainer visited the “Radical Hospitality Zone” created by activists outside the center, visiting with families, hugging children, and singing in solidarity.
The Los Angeles Dodgers honored gay trailblazers Glenn Burke and Billy Bean with a permanent stadium display. Burke and Bean were the first two major leaguers to say they were gay, and a brief ceremony with their families was held on the team’s 13th Pride Night.
The world’s largest wildlife overpass got its first hummingbird visitor. Decades in the making, California’s Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Overpass will open in December, providing safe passage for wildlife across one of the busiest highways in the country.
A wildlife rescue is using mom-shaped pillows to save abandoned baby harbor seals. When beach-goers get too close to harbor seals, it causes severe stress and interrupts nursing, and sometimes the mammal will flee the area and will not return to nurse her newborns if she senses danger in the area.
A new, experimental pill is providing new hope for deadly pancreatic cancer. While it’s not a cure, new research shows the pill is helping people with advanced pancreatic cancer live longer.
A twenty-year-old climate activist is suing Trump and the fossil fuel industry. In the lawsuit, Eva Lighthiser argues that fossil fuels worsen climate change and violate people’s constitutional rights.
Brad Paisley shared a petition to block a 69,220-square-foot data center from being built next to the Nashville Zoo. The zoo’s leaders cited concerns over potential water quality degradation, light pollution, and noise disturbances.
Four men jumped into Florida waters to help a 324-pound green sea turtle that was injured from a boat strike. The Loggerhead Marinelife Center aided in the rescue, cautioning boaters to “Go Slow For Those Below” this summer.
Wisconsinites are planting flowers in sidewalk cracks to shed light on LGBTQ+ youth homelessness. Each installation has a QR code that redirects teens to lifesaving resources alongside a reminder that it “takes courage to flourish.”
Prince William is teaming up with British manufacturers to donate unsold appliances to people transitioning out of homelessness. The initiative is meant to reduce waste while creating stable living conditions for people in need.
Coral reefs off the coast of Western Australia survived a record marine heatwave with little bleaching. Researchers believe that the unusually heat-tolerant corals could help them better learn how to protect and restore reefs.
Scientists spotted a critically endangered marine snail in the wild for the first time in five years. The white abalone was found in the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary during a habitat survey.
Florida researchers are celebrating a record leatherback sea turtle hatchling season. So far, a Boca Raton nature center has documented 42 leatherback nests in the area — more than double its typical annual average, and the highest number ever recorded locally.
Billie Eilish and Finneas joined their mother in hosting a celebrity pickleball fundraiser to combat food insecurity. The proceeds went to the family’s nonprofit, Support+Feed, which donates plant-based meals to people experiencing homelessness.
High school coaches in Florida can now financially support players under the “Terry Bridgewater Act.” The legislation is named after an NFL player who had previously been penalized for helping underprivileged students at his alma mater.
Japan just opened the world’s first center to combat marine plastic pollution. Every year, Japan alone collects around 30,000 to 50,000 tons of marine plastic from its coastlines.
Nigeria’s senate passed a sweeping new law to strengthen wildlife protections. The country has become a hub for wildlife trafficking, and supporters are calling on the government to provide the resources, coordination, and political backing needed to enforce the law.
Tunisia is officially the latest country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. Linked to limited access to water, sanitation, and hygiene, trachoma was endemic in Tunisia in the early to mid-20th century, impacting at least half the population.
