It can feel a little indulgent to talk about hope right now, at a time when the world is facing a range of complex crises from conflicts to climate change, and especially when the usual media headlines seem to only bring bad news. But amidst the darkness and negativity, there is indeed hope and there is progress. At boosst, we are eternal optimists because we believe in people. We have an unshakable faith in human beings’ ability to deal with tough times and make lasting improvements. After all… not everything was awful in 2023! We take a look at some of the big wins of the year…
The Planet:
- May 2023 set a record for the most electricity produced from wind and solar energy across the EU, with fossil fuels offering just 27% of energy consumption.
- Once extinct in the UK, the first baby beaver in 400 years was spotted in London.
- 37 different species of fish were identified in the River Mersey – an area once declared ‘biologically dead’.
- Virgin Atlantic completed the first transatlantic flight fully powered by sustainable fuel – a combination of animal fats and waste cooking oil. The feat highlighted the potential of sustainable fuels and there is now hope of a genuine alternative to jet fuel. The environmental impact of long-haul flight is not to be underestimated – it is likely the greatest single carbon footprint contributor of a typical boosst client.
- Continued population growth for some of our most endangered species like mountain gorillas (Uganda), wild tigers (India & Bhutan) and rhino (Africa) offer hope that they will all survive the threat of extinction.
- The ozone layer continues to heal and an assessment in 2023 by UN scientists concluded that it is on track to fully recover by 2040.
- Deforestation in the Amazon reduced 56% compared to 2022 – helped by eight of the nine countries covered by the rainforest committing to fighting the organised crime gangs who cause the most damage.
- Scientists using the incredible James Webb Telescope detected a carbon molecule known as the ‘building block of life’ in a star 1,350 light years away. Quite an astonishing feat of human ingenuity.
Health:
- Air quality improvements across Europe have reduced early deaths caused by the most dangerous particles by 45% since 2005.
- A paralysed man was returned to his feet and walking simply by thinking about the motions involved, thanks to implants in his brain and spine. This proof-of-idea brings hope for many others facing a severely limited lifestyle.
- Two drugs developed in 2023 were proven to slow the pace of Alzheimer’s by up to a third.
- Breast cancer deaths fell dramatically again, thanks to improved early diagnosis and better treatment options.
- Access to water across the globe continued to improve, with an important milestone crossed in 2023 – a 50% reduction to the global population without access to safe water facilities.
- A major breakthrough from the Institute of Cancer Research in London was described as a “major scientific advance” for reversing prostate cancer therapy resistance (here). This discovery offers hope of a whole new way to treat prostate cancer in the very near future.
Money:
…because it would seem remiss to not mention finances!
- The UK’s 350 largest companies now all have female representation on their board, compared to just 60% of those companies 10 years ago. Women now hold 40% of all board roles – a significant positive change.
- UK inflation fell to a more ‘normal’ figure a little under 4%… and no doubt politicians will claim full credit!
- All major global investment markets grew, with boosst client portfolios growing by between 8.47% and 11.73%, depending on the mix between equities and bonds.
- The number of boosst clients using our ESG offering breached the 75% mark. This has evolved over the past few years from a smattering of climate committed investors to the clear majority. In a seeming reward for those investors, our ESG portfolios also slightly outperformed our ‘standard’ portfolios in 2023.
We hope some of these highlights can raise a smile and act as a helpful reminder that human ingenuity is an incredible thing – and the slow but steady progress being made around the world continues to make the world a better place for the next generation.
If you enjoyed this blast of good news, consider subscribing to something which regularly puts good news in your inbox – like Nice News or The Future Crunch.
Bad news is also bad for your health (yes, really) so the usual headlines are best avoided!