One year in, New York City’s congestion pricing policy has led to cleaner air
New York City implemented its congestion pricing structure, the first in the country, in parts of Manhattan in January 2025, and now, the latest data shows that fine particulate matter, or PM2.5, one year later, was 13% lower.
That estimate tracks with the around 11% drop in the number of vehicles entering the congestion pricing zone, providing a clear connection between reduced vehicle activity and air quality improvements.
The researchers also factored in weather and seasonal impacts on air quality to get to an even more accurate estimate of the benefits of the zone on air quality.
Why is this good news? People deserve to breathe clean air. Fossil fuel-powered cars still make up the vast majority of vehicles on roads in the U.S. and — beyond their contributions to the climate crisis — have a devastating impact on local air quality. Congestion pricing is one policy that can improve air quality — and human health.
The first-ever ‘Global Girls’ Index’ found health outcomes have improved for girls in 178 countries since 2000
The first-ever Weltmädchenindex, or Global Girls’ Index, found that health outcomes improved for girls in 178 of the 192 countries examined between 2000 and 2023.
The index compared health outcomes for more than 971 million girls and teens between 5 and 19 years old, examining five key categories, including mortality rates and birth rates.
One of the most significant findings was that mortality among girls more than halved. Additionally, birth rates among those between the ages of 10 and 19 fell by around one-third. More progress needs to be made, though, as 290 million girls still live in countries with low or very low scores on the index.
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