Here’s today’s stories of progress in the fight against climate change.

☀️ How solar became so cheap

The price of solar has fallen by over 99% since the 1970s. In a new report, researchers at MIT lay out the breakthroughs that made this dramatic shift in global energy systems possible. Eighty-one distinct innovations played a role, from fields spanning semiconductors to metalwork to legal reforms. It’s hoped that articulating these catalysts will provide insights that can accelerate the adoption of other renewable technologies.

🌳 The Indigenous forest workers rewilding ancestral land

In Alaska, Indigenous Tlingit crews are blowing up culverts to create safe passage for swimming salmon. After decades of damage by loggers, part of the Tongass forest was bought by the US forest service, with the mission of restoring it in partnership with the Tlingit people, for whom it forms part of their ancestral land. Once the culverts are demolished, the forest will be left to return to its former glory.

🇻🇳 The women saving waste and emissions

Waste collectors in Vietnam have long helped recycle the country’s bottles, electronics, and scraps of metal, but now the climate impact of their work is under a spotlight. With a mobile app, these workers – often women – can take note of the waste they collect, meaning the avoided CO2 emissions can be calculated. As well as helping the country achieve its climate goals, the app uplifts the work of these women as grassroots climate defenders.

The Green Light is written by freelance climate writer Molly Millar.