Six pieces of good news you might have missed in 2020

For many people, 2020 will be a year they’d rather forget. It’s certainly not been the year that any of us were expecting on New Year’s Day.

But it’s not all been doom and gloom.

As well as the incredible community spirit and resilience some people have shown, there have been things to celebrate, both in the UK and around the world.

Here’s some of the good news that you might have missed in 2020.

1. Africa’s free of wild polio

In more uplifting virus news, a significant milestone was reached in the fight against polio in 2020. Back in August, the Africa Regional Certification Commission declared the continent free of wild polio.

Polio is a disease which can cause temporary or permanent paralysis, life-threatening if the breathing muscles are affected. Thousands of children were left paralysed each year in the 1990s.

While there is no cure for the disease, a vaccine can provide life-long protection against polio. Following a decades-long vaccination programme, 95% of Africa’s population has now received the vaccine. Nigeria was the last country to be declared free of wild polio.

Polio can still be found in Afghanistan and Pakistan but there hasn’t been a case in the UK since the mid-1980s, as most children receive the vaccine.

2. First same-sex marriages in Northern Ireland

At the very start of 2020, same-sex marriage was legalised in Northern Ireland and heterosexual couples were allowed to enter into civil partnerships. England, Scotland and Wales have allowed same-sex marriages since 2014, but campaigning continued to secure the same rights in Northern Ireland.

The first civil same-sex marriage took place on 11 February, when Robyn Peoples and Sharni Edwards tied the knot in County Antrim. Ms Edwards said: “We feel humbled that our wedding is a landmark moment for equal rights in Northern Ireland. We didn’t set out to make history – we just fell in love.”

A further change to the law to allow willing churches or other faith groups to hold same-sex marriages, along with a relaxation in Covid-19 restrictions, meant that the first religious same-sex marriage went ahead on 12 December. Chris McNaghten and Jon Swan were married in a ceremony officiated by a religious minister from the Harbour Faith community.

3. The smog lifted

With fewer vehicles on the nation’s roads throughout the pandemic, air pollution dropped dramatically in parts of the UK during lockdown.

Many car exhausts release a gas called nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which then pollutes the air. It can react with other substances to create an unhealthy smog, or dissolve in water in the clouds to form acid rain.

In June 2020, as reported by BBC Scotland, a study by environmental consultancy Ricardo found that since the start of the lockdown back in March, the location with the biggest improvement in air quality was Hope Street, Glasgow. There, levels of NO2 in the air have plummeted from 56.6 micrograms per cubic metre to 18.7.

It’s not just the UK though. A study by the Global Carbon Project found that global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions have fallen by approximately 7% compared to 2019, which amounts to 2.4 billion tonnes. The UK and France saw the biggest falls, 13% and 15% respectively. Transport is a major source of emissions in both countries, so the strict lockdowns had a real impact.

4. A non-English language film won an Oscar for the very first time

If you can stretch your mind back as far as February 2020, you might remember there being a lot of buzz around a film called Parasite. It tells the tale of two Korean families with very different socio-economic backgrounds, and how their lives become increasingly entwined.

When this South Korean film won the best picture Oscar, it can became the very first non-English language film to do so in the Academy Awards’ 92 year history. Its director, Bong Joon-ho, also picked up awards for best screenplay and best director.

Such was the excitement at this historic and groundbreaking win for international cinema, the Oscar audience loudly protested when the lights were dimmed as the acceptance speech overran. Chants of ‘Up!’ could be heard and seen from the likes of actors Tom Hanks and Charlize Theron.

Producer Kwak Sin-ae (via an interpreter) said: “We never imagined this to ever happen, we are so happy. I feel like a very opportune moment in history is happening right now.”

5. Return of the beavers

While the human population has been having a rough time of it in 2020, beavers have been thriving in parts of the UK.

Beavers were hunted to extinction here around 400 years ago, as people wanted to use their fur, meat and oils for clothing, food and medicine. However, they are now slowly being reintroduced in Scotland, Wales and England.

In 2020, this process took a huge step forward when 15 beaver families, living on the River Otter in East Devon, were given the right to stay permanently. While beavers have been a protected species in Scotland since 2019, this was the first time an extinct native mammal had received government approval for reintroduction in England.

Beavers were also hard at work building the first dam on Exmoor in 400 years. They had been reintroduced to the area in January 2020, by the National Trust, to help improve local biodiversity and slow the flow of water, reducing the risk of drought and flash-flooding downstream.

6. A feat of human endurance

Of course, who can forget 100-year-old Captain Tom’s incredible achievement, walking 100 laps of his garden and raising nearly £33m for the NHS. But he’s not the only one who’s been pushing the boundaries of human athleticism in 2020.

At the start of November 2020, Chris Nikic became the first person with Down’s syndrome to complete an Ironman event. No ordinary triathlon, an Ironman involves a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle and a 26.2 mile run, also known as a marathon.

It took Chris 16 hours 46 minutes nine seconds to complete the course in Florida, an achievement recognised by Guinness World Records. The official Ironman account tweeted: “You have shattered barriers while proving without a doubt that anything is possible”.