We're halfway through 2026. Here's what's gone RIGHT so far...

We’re officially halfway through 2026. What a year it’s been.

If you can’t seem to remember anything good thing that’s happened so far, let me remind you of just a few things from each month:

January

Photo by Georg Eiermann on Unsplash

• The High Seas Treaty that was signed by 145 countries to protect ocean biodiversity in international waters finally entered into force, meaning it became legally binding.

• Stingless bees became the first insects to get the legal right to exist, thrive, and be represented in court in regions of Peru.

• The rare Siamese crocodile had successful community-based conservation in Laos that released hundreds back into the wild.

February

Photo by Francois Le Nguyen on Unsplash

• The EU made it illegal to burn or destroy unsold clothes in an effort to make companies rethink business models.

• England started covering travel costs for children getting treated for cancer so families can focus on treatment instead of burdensome logistics.

• Vienna turned at least 350 parking spots into public green spaces.

March

Photo by Donna Elliot on Unsplash

• California started returning 7.5 million acres of water and land back to Indigenous Tribes.

• A basic income program for 2,000 artists became permanent in Ireland.

• Another Alaskan oil and gas lease sale failed when no company placed bids.

April

Photo by NASA on Unsplash

• The Artemis II mission sent four astronauts further into space than anyone’s gone before

• Maryland became the first state to ban dynamic surveillance pricing on groceries which changes based on your personal data.

• Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City announced they’re making buses free for all 10 million residents.

May

Photo by KADM Creations on Unsplash

• Hawaii ruled corporations are not people and can’t spend unlimited money in elections.

• France made high-quality three-course school meals just €1 for all students.

• Thousands of new species were discovered in the deep sea including a toxic ribbon worm that could help treat Alzheimer’s and Schizophrenia.

June

Photo by BBC Creative on Unsplash

• New York City started free childcare applications for 2 year olds across the city.

• New data showed that solar in the US generated more electricity than coal over a full month for the first time.

• A flooding London tube station was fixed by re-releasing native beavers into a nearby park that they naturally dammed up.

Members from our Community

Photo by Kamen Atanassov on Unsplash

• Turned old fencing into backyard birdhouses

• Repaired clothes for those in need

• Made a free seed board

• Turned trash into art

And took thousands of other actions all over the world!

If you want to consume more good news stories, then you’re in the right place. Here are three more ways to keep the good news coming:

1. Share The Hopemakers with someone you love to give them a little boost, so we can elevate underrated stories of progress to even more readers.

2. Comment your plans for the second half of the year on this post.

3. Upgrade your subscription to a paid tier if you haven’t already. All supporter contributions go towards finding, reporting, and spreading stories that make the world a better place.

See you in the second half of 2026 for so much more :)

This newsletter was written by Jacob Simon. Over 1 million people are in our community across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. You can say hi on LinkedIn, or by hitting reply. Brand illustration by Andrea Miralles. Thanks for helping spread some positivity, and see you next week for more.