The renewable energy of bike-powered French children and a battery-powered Melbourne

Points of Progress

More states and local governments are cracking down on “prison gerrymandering”

In a standard practice of the U.S. Census, political districts count incarcerated people as residents of the districts where they are imprisoned, even though they cannot vote.

But counties and cities are increasingly addressing representational imbalances by assigning people to the district they lived in before incarceration. As of 2023, only Washington, D.C.; Vermont; and Maine allow people to vote from prison.

“Mass incarceration disproportionately impacts Black and brown communities,” said Robert Holbrook of the Abolitionist Law Center. “Therefore, when you have prisoners from these communities incarcerated in prisons in rural, white districts, it is depriving political representation to these communities.” In May, Minnesota joined 14 states that are “reallocating inmate data.” Hundreds of local governments across the country have banned the practice without state legislation.

Ahead of the 2020 census, some 99% of 78,000 public comments to the Census Bureau showed support for counting incarcerated people as residents of their home communities. Last year, lawmakers introduced federal legislation to ban prison gerrymandering.
Sources: Bolts Magazine, NPR, Prison Policy Initiative, ProCon.org, U.S. Congress

French children are learning to bike in school

A national program aims to reduce emissions and make cycling more accessible. Kids ages 6 to 11 can take cycling classes, run mostly during the school day. As of this year, the initiative has reached about 500,000 children. The 10-week Know How To Bike program offers training and equipment to people who might not receive them otherwise. Studies have shown that biking tends to be more available to wealthy people and men. In 2023, roughly 20% of children in the program came from poorer areas like Seine-Saint-Denis, outside Paris.

The government is investing $270 million in cycling infrastructure and education each year between 2023 and 2027.
Sources: Reasons To Be Cheerful, Next City

A sweeping new climate law assigns responsibility to all levels of South Africa’s government

The first of its kind in the country, the law cements a legal mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote climate adaptation. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s government hopes it will put South Africa on track to meet its goal of slashing emissions by at least 22 million metric tons by 2030.

With a reliance on coal, South Africa in 2022 was the most carbon-intensive major economy in the world and the 18th-largest emitter. The new law requires the minister of environment to work with other ministries to establish emissions limits for carbon-intensive sectors such as energy and transportation. The minister must also set emissions caps for corporations. Every municipality must draft and publish climate adaptation measures.

Some have criticized the law for not including strong enough penalties for corporate polluters. At least five other countries in Africa have enacted climate change laws.
Sources: Reuters, Climate Trace, The Conversation, African Climate Wire

A court in China recognized parental rights for two mothers

The case marked the first time that a Chinese judiciary has opined on the rights of same-sex parents. Didi, as the plaintiff is known, sued her estranged wife for custody of their two children in 2020, after her wife cut off contact and took the toddlers to live with her in Beijing.

China does not recognize same-sex unions, but the couple married in the United States in 2016. A year later, after undergoing in vitro fertilization using her wife’s eggs, Didi gave birth to a daughter, and her wife gave birth to a son. Though Didi is not genetically related to either child, the Beijing Fengtai District People’s Court ruled that she is entitled to monthly visits with the girl she gave birth to. She did not win custody rights to her son.

Public opinion toward same-sex couples has shifted. In a July survey conducted by The Williams Institute, nearly 90% of respondents – a younger, wealthier, and more urban group of residents than average for China – agreed or somewhat agreed that same-sex marriages should be allowed, and 85% said such couples make capable parents.
Sources: The Guardian, The Williams Institute

Melbourne’s battery storage program is emphasizing community engagement to help ensure success

In June, the first of three batteries, adorned with work created by local artist Mysterious Al, went on line in a 1.1-MWh-capacity pilot project. Solar and wind power generated during the day will be stored for use by residents and businesses, including renters.

The project includes “community champions,” volunteers who communicate with residents to help the city understand their concerns. Revenues from the pilot are channeled toward a local benefit fund.

Surveys run by Power Melbourne found high support for batteries: Eighty-nine percent of respondents said they were important for transitioning to renewable energy, and 77% wanted a battery installed near them. The city aims to run solely on renewable energy by 2030.
Sources: Fast Company, Power Melbourne, Southbank News