Today’s #FourFourApril shows the power of unity and the importance of working together to protect our future generations and wildlife.
From the ‘Together at Home’ concert that has raised more than $125 million for coronavirus relief efforts to Jaguar Land Rover building visors for health workers, humanity achieves wonderful things when it works together.
There are also promising signs for the population of mountain gorillas and great news from Austria that they have shut their last coal-fired power plant.
I hope these stories add a little joy to your day 💚
‘One World: Together at Home’ concert raises over $125 million for coronavirus relief
A virtual concert packed with famous musicians from across the globe has raised more than $125 million for coronavirus relief efforts.
Headlined by Lady Gaga and the Rolling Stones, musicians entertained fans around the world with a show celebrating the efforts of health workers, as most of the world remains in lockdown due to coronavirus.
The likes of Lizzo, Jennifer Lopez, Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney and LL Cool J also joined in the online party, which was backed by the international advocacy organization Global Citizen in partnership with the World Health Organization.
This morning, Global Citizen announced that $127.9 million (£102.2 million) had been raised for COVID-19 relief.
The concert was deemed a “rallying cry” to support health workers.
Prior to the event, Global Citizen began urging philanthropists, companies and governments to support the WHO in its coronavirus response efforts.
It said saying it had raised $35 million for local organisations and the international health body’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said during the broadcast: “Tonight, through the universal language of music, we salute the bravery and sacrifice of health heroes and others.
“And please join our call for a global ceasefire to focus on our common enemy — the virus.”
Hospital workers also gave testimony on their vital work battling the virus.
You can read more about the fantastic concert and its fundraising efforts here.
Mountain gorilla numbers on the rise
A new survey has shown positive news for the mountain gorilla population in the Viruga Massif.
Once expected to be extinct by the end of the twentieth century, there is now hope that the critically endangered animal population will continue to grow due to conservation efforts.
Acccording to the World Wildlife Foundation, findings show populations in the Virunga Massif have grown to 604 individuals, up from 480 individuals in 2010.
This puts the total global wild gorilla population at over 1,000 individuals.
Bas Huijbregts, manager for African species conservation at WWF said: “This hopeful news for mountain gorillas solidifies an upward population trend that started over a decade ago.
“It is the result of impressive long-term collective conservation efforts between the three gorilla range countries and their partners, which not only benefits our closest relatives but also supports the livelihoods of local people in the Virunga’s.”
The Virunga Massif spans 111,445 acres in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda and is one of only two isolated areas mountain gorillas live.
Field teams surveyed the region to determine the population and demographics of mountain gorillas.
Austria shuts down its last coal-fired power plant
Austria has followed in the footsteps of other European countries and has shut down its last coal-fired power plant as part of a plan to end the use of fossil fuels for energy production by 2030.
Utility company Verbund said the plant in the southeastern town of Mellach, which has provided heat and electricity to the nearby city of Graz for 34 years, was shut down earlier this week.
The move comes as the Austrian government aims to shut all gas-fired plants by the end of the decade, after which the country will hope to generate all of its energy from renewable sources.
Austria is an Alpine nation with no significant fossil fuel reserves of its own, and still has more than a dozen power plants burning gas and oil.
They become the eighth European Union country to end the burning of coal, which is considered the most heavily polluting fossil fuel and a major source of man-made greenhouse gas emissions stoking climate change.
Jaguar Land Rover uses 3D printers to make visors for health workers
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has started making hundreds of protective visors on its 3D printers and is supplying them for frontline NHS staff.
The kit that it usually uses for making new car parts is currently producing 250 visors a day.
The car firm said it had consulted NHS staff about the designs as they responded to the government’s call for support.
The items are being distributed free of charge to NHS trusts.
Ben Wilson, prototype design manager at JLR’s Gaydon said: “We’re just happy to know that we’re able to do what we can do to make a difference at this time.”
The company said it hopes to ramp up production to 5,000 visors a day.
You can read more about the great work from Jaguar Land Rover here.
Bonus positive
This lovely letter left for a train driver 💚
Every day in April, we will be sharing four positive news stories in one post under the hashtag #FourForApril. Got any kindness stories? Send them in! We’d love the world to hear about these good deeds by good people 🙂
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