2024 has seen significant political turmoil, with elections and conflicts across the globe. Despite so much negative coverage, the year has also seen major achievements, broken records, and good movement toward positive trends. Here are 10 good things that happened in 2024:

• Green energy production is breaking records

Worldwide solar electricity production has grown by 36% since 2023 alone. This represents an increase in environmentally friendly energy, as solar power significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions and mitigates climate change. Solar power surpassed hydropower and nuclear energy for the first time in 2024, marking significant growth in the industry. Advocates for green energy hope this means good things for the environment, especially as citizens become increasingly conscious of environmental impact and the importance of sustainability.

• Violent crime is down

Statistics around decreasing violent crime have shown a major positive trend. Since the pandemic, there has been a historic downturn in criminal activity. From 2023 to 2024, violent crime is reportedly down 10.3%, with murder down 22.7%, which is especially noteworthy considering that before these years, such a significant drop in U.S. murder rates hadn’t been recorded since 1996. Columbus, Ohio experienced the largest decrease, seeing a 41% lower violent crime compared to 2023. Different sources speculate different reasons for the drop, with the White House claiming the shift is due to the 2021 stimulus bill and gun regulations.

• AI is advancing healthcare

There are currently 4.5 billion people without access to healthcare services worldwide. Artificial intelligence (AI), however, has presented a solution of sorts. AI has been expected to bridge the gap for those without access to traditional healthcare services, propelling the progress of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of full healthcare coverage. Throughout 2024, the healthcare industry utilized AI significantly, contributing to its projected market value of 1.3 trillion dollars in the next six years. 

• Data privacy improvements 

Many data privacy acts were approved and implemented throughout the country. In response to technological developments and concerns regarding consumer protections, Montana, Delaware, Iowa, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Tennessee, Minnesota, and Maryland all voted on or enacted legislation protecting the citizens of their states by including protections and precautions in legislation. The growing movement across the country shows a broader concern for security and privacy, taking the growth of internet data collection into account. 

• Wins for women in the political arena

On Oct. 1st, 2024, Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in as Mexico’s first female President. Sheinbaum makes history as the first woman and Jewish person to be elected to the highest office in any North American country. Female politicians are crossing milestones globally, as women constitute 27% of all elected officials in 2024, far more than previously noted. As of 2024, Nordic countries hold the highest percentage of female representation (45.7%) in their legislatures. With so many countries still inhibiting women from voting in some way, these measures provide some assurance that the gap in female representation in government is closing. 

• Wage growth

Since the pandemic, the American economy has seen inflation and unemployment to extreme levels. 2024, however, marks the first time wage growth has outpaced inflation in three years. Marking a recovery from the pandemic, the American economy has shown unprecedented growth and the impact of this could manifest through higher consumer spending, leading to more economic prosperity and stability in the aftermath of COVID-19.

• Successes for gay marriage 

On Jan. 1st, 2024, Estonia’s legalization of same-sex marriage went into effect. The country became the first post-Soviet country to enact the legislation. Possibly more consequential was the Feb. 15th, 2024, vote by the Greek parliament to legalize same-sex marriage. Following the vote, the country became the first majority Christian-Orthodox country to do so. Both approvals show the progress and successes of the LGBTQ+ movement internationally.

• Teacher pay is on the rise

Public education teachers are the cornerstone of American development. As opposed to reportedly high respect for teachers in other major first-world countries, American teachers have been underpaid since the late 1800s. This year marked the largest increase in average starting salaries for American teachers in the last 14 years. The increase still only sits at 3.9%, but the implications of the rise are positive for educators. Staff shortages in schools have left public education systems in distress, with strikes and pay-increase demands seeming to be successful in the industry. 

• Record-breaking Giving Tuesday

Giving Tuesday, an annual event on Dec. 3, saw record-breaking United States-based donations, with 3.6 billion dollars donated on the day alone. The total represented a 16% increase from last year. Additionally, giving throughout the year is rising. Though statistics on 2024 charitable giving have not been collected yet, we can expect greater numbers than those of the previous decade. The trend implies positive growth for non-profits, which rely on donations. The non-profit organization market size is growing and is expected to be worth $414 billion by 2031, a jump from 2023’s $289 billion. 

• Sports records broken all across the world

With the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics, athletes broke records worldwide. Botswana, Dominica, Guatemala and Saint Lucia all won their first-ever Olympic gold medals since entering the games in 1980, 1996, 1952 and 1996, respectively. Cindy Ngamba became the first-ever Olympic refugee to win a medal. The historic win showed achievement for a consistently marginalized and underrepresented group. Additionally, 4,400 athletes participated in this year’s Paralympics, collectively breaking over 40 world records.