Climate anxiety is very real, but these good news stories from 2024 prove there is hope for our planet.
Eco-anxiety, climate doom, environmental existential dread – as green journalists, we see these terms used a lot – and often feel them ourselves.
While there’s a lot to be worried about when it comes to the climate and nature crises, we must not lose hope – because hopelessness breeds apathy.
The media has an important role to play in combatting climate doom. It’s our job to be truthful and accurate in our reporting, not trying to downplay or greenwash the situation. But it’s also our job to show that there is hope.
In 2023, as part of our ongoing effort to tackle eco-anxiety (both that of our readers and our own), we kept track of all the positive environmental news throughout the year. We racked up over 200 stories of eco-innovation, green breakthroughs and climate wins – more than double the number in 2022 and a sure sign of momentum.
In 2024, we’re confident the good news will keep on coming, as renewable power soars, vulnerable ecosystems gain rights, and climate protocols start to pay dividends.
This article will be regularly updated with the latest good news. It may be something small and local, something silly that made us smile, or something enormous and potentially world-changing.
If you come across a great, positive story that we haven’t covered here – please reach out to us on Instagram or X to share your ideas.
Positive environmental stories from October 2024
Vote Early Day: Patagonia praised for giving workers paid day off to ‘vote for the planet’
Patagonia closed its US stores on 29 October so that employees could cast their votes in the US election early – and with the planet in mind.
“As we face the devastating effects of climate change around the world and outside our front doors, I urge those in business leadership positions: Join the movement and give workers paid time off to cast their ballot,” CEO Ryan Gellert wrote in a LinkedIn post.
‘A message of hope’: 6 European countries pledge €130 million to protect biodiversity
Six European countries have pledged new money to the world’s foremost biodiversity fund, which gained €200 million yesterday.
Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Norway and the UK announced fresh funding at the UN biodiversity summit, COP16, in Colombia this October.
Green hydrogen and offshore wind: UK and Australia to collaborate on climate and energy
Australia and the UK have struck a new deal agreeing to collaborate on climate change and energy initiatives.
The deal focuses on collaborating for the “accelerated” development of renewable energy through cooperation on technology such as green hydrogen and offshore wind.
‘An achievement for the Azoreans’: EU makes leap towards 30×30 with massive ocean protection project
Portugal is now home to the largest Marine Protected Area (MPA) network in Europe.
It gives the Azores’ unique underwater ecosystems vital new protections, shielding deep-sea corals, whales, dolphins, sharks, manta rays and fish from damaging activities like fishing.
‘Sprinting to the finish’: Joe Biden signs off billions for clean energy projects in election run-up
Ahead of the American presidential election, outgoing president Joe Biden made clean energy a priority.
The Biden administration is shelling out billions of dollars for clean energy as well as approving major offshore wind projects as officials race to secure major climate initiatives before he leaves office.
Can a new ‘nature envoy’ bring UK wildlife back from the brink?
The UK is one of the “most nature-depleted countries on Earth”, with one in six species at risk of extinction.
To combat this, the country’s new Labour government has appointed a Special Representative for Nature who will be charged with halting environmental collapse and putting nature at the heart of UK domestic and foreign policy.
Glasgow is trialling eco-friendly electric wallpaper to heat its ageing homes
Could electric wallpaper one day replace your gas boiler? A European city is trialling this innovative way to decarbonise homes and reduce energy bills.
It is currently being piloted in 12 tenement properties in the Scottish city of Glasgow to assess its effectiveness as a clean heat source.
From cheap buses to endless bike lanes, which European cities make it easiest to travel sustainably?
Travelling in a greener way is an important consideration for all of us today, and it’s particularly crucial when moving around cities, famous for their traffic and pollution.
A new study has revealed the top five cities in Europe that offer the greenest transport options.
Will the British Library’s giant solar heat project inspire other public buildings to decarbonise?
Home to the Magna Carta and a collection of handwritten Beatles lyrics, the British Library is a treasure trove of historic artefacts – but that doesn’t mean it’s stuck in the past.
The UK institution recently installed the country’s largest solar heat installation in a bid to keep bookworms cosy while slashing carbon emissions.
Can this new fabric keep you cool even in the heart of the city?
When hot weather strikes, we tend to reach for the coolest items in our wardrobes – favouring loose, white garments or whatever feels most comfortable.
But engineers from Zhengzhou University in China and the University of South Australia (UniSA) have something more specific in mind for future heatwave dressing: a fabric that can actually lower the surrounding temperature.
Rewilding: How a herd of wild bulls reintroduced to the Scottish Highlands could store carbon
Up to 15 tauros – a breed of huge wild cattle – are to be reintroduced to Scoltand’s Highlands by 2026. It is hoped they will help restore biodiversity, store carbon and enhance eco-tourism.
Norway’s national football stadium has the world’s largest vertical solar roof. How does it work?
Norway’s national football stadium carries a lesser-known star attraction: 1,242 solar panels stretching across the roof.
These are not traditional flat roof panels. The mini, square-shaped solar panels have two key features that distinguish them from those typically seen on buildings: they are bifacial, meaning they have two active sides, and they are installed vertically.
Portugal is launching a new €20 a month national rail pass as an ‘investment in the environment’
Announced by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro in August, Portugal’s Green Rail Pass will cost just €20 a month.
It will allow passengers to travel on nearly all urban, regional, inter-regional and inter-city services operated by state-owned rail company Comboios de Portugal (CP).
How the UK phased out coal in 12 years by nudging power plants to close and boosting renewables
On 30 September the UK became the first G7 country to abandon coal power.
The final coal-powered plant in Ratcliffe-on-Soar in Nottinghamshire was ‘desynced’ from the grid system at 3 pm bringing the UK’s 142-year history of burning coal for electricity to an end.
Omega-3 algae and eDNA: The Earthshot Prize selects Europe’s most promising climate solutions
Nutritious food waste, eDNA sampling and sustainable fish feed: three European start-ups have made it to the final of The Earthshot Prize this year.
Created by the UK’s Prince William, the global environmental award recognises and resources some of the most promising climate solutions around the world.
Germany’s beer industry produces costly waste: This startup is turning it into building materials
German startup HopfON sells products to the construction industry made from the waste created in the beer-brewing process.
More than one-third of all waste generated in the EU comes from the construction and demolition industry so it is the perfect sector to target.
Positive environmental stories from September 2024
Inside the London restaurant that cooks with ingredients grown 60km away on an eco-friendly farm
It has never been more urgent for us all to think about how far our food travelled before landing on our plate.
One restaurant in the UK is doing just that by buying from local farmers and cooking with in-season ingredients.
Hippo hats, polar bear Judo and embarrassing owls: This year’s funniest wildlife photos
A fish chasing an eagle across the sky, polar bear Judo and a tiny flying squirrel doing its best impression of a crime boss. These are just some of the finalists in the 2024 Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards.
This year the competition received a record number of entries – just under 9,000 in total from 98 different countries.
‘National Hero’: Locals praise for Polish reservoir that spared two cities from Storm Boris flooding
A floodwater reservoir that spared two Polish cities from the devastation of recent downpours is receiving praise from grateful locals.
‘National Hero’, the ‘King of Gold’ and ‘Raciborz Reservoir the Great’ are just some of the fond names residents have given to the reservoir that protected the cities of Opole and Wroclaw from Storm Boris.
Major new UN pact reaffirms global commitment to transition away from fossil fuels
A blueprint for addressing some of the world’s biggest challenges was agreed on Sunday by the UN General Assembly with climate change one of the headline topics.
It was adopted during the opening of a two-day ‘Summit of the Future’ called by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres who thanked world leaders and diplomats for unlocking “the door” to a better future.
From huge aubergines to long runner beans: Inside the world of giant vegetable growing
Many pensioners leisurely take to their garden to grow a few bits and bobs. But for 80-year-old Peter Glazebrook there’s a slight difference.
Instead of growing a few tomatoes to throw in a summer salad, he’s breaking records with 27.48kg cauliflowers, 89.7cm runner beans and 4.98kg potatoes.
‘Exciting’ solar breakthrough means energy can be kept in sustainable batteries that don’t overheat
Making sure solar energy can be stored is key to taking the renewable to the next level, according to UK think tank Ember.
But – among other challenges – many batteries are made from unsustainable materials, and have a tendency to overheat.
In a “very exciting” development, researchers based at the Polytechnic University of Catalunya (UPC) have now tackled both issues with a unique hybrid device.
€17k party fines and daily patrols: How green turtles made a major comeback on Cyprus beaches
Protected green and loggerhead turtles are making a big comeback on the beaches of two British military bases in Cyprus. The number of nests have surpassed last year’s record count by nearly 25 per cent.
There were 382 sea turtle nests recorded this year on all sandy beaches inside the bases – 100 more than last year’s count.
‘Dream team’: Green groups breathe a sigh of relief on von der Leyen’s climate choices
Climate activists and the renewable energy lobby have broadly interpreted Ursula von der Leyen’s commissioner picks – the Netherlands’ Wopke Hoekstra, Denmark’s Dan Jørgensen and Spain’s Teresa Ribera – as signalling continuity with the Green Deal that marked her first mandate.
From ‘local threat to valuable resource’: Could Iceland’s lava be a sustainable building material?
An architecture studio in Iceland is proposing the use of lava as a building material.
Arnhildur Pálmadóttir of s.ap architects is presenting her project Lavaforming at the Venice Architecture Biennale next year.
Battery tech breakthrough could mean ‘credit card-thin’ phones and more efficient EVs
This strong, lightweight battery tech made from carbon fibre could be the answer to electrifying air travel.
Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden say the material it is made from is sturdy enough to serve as a load-bearing structure. It is being billed as the “world’s strongest battery” and they claim it could be integrated into the design of a vehicle to reduce weight and increase range.
Meet SweGreen: This Swedish vertical farm start-up grows vegetables inside of supermarkets
A Swedish company is building farms inside supermarkets as an environmentally friendly solution to grow fruits and vegetables.
The solution from SweGreen, already in place in Sweden and Germany, is a way to answer to water shortages, the lack of agricultural land, and dependence on global geopolitics.
Trees suffocated by concrete are being ‘liberated’ by an army of community activists in Mexico City
Community activist Arturo Hernández launched El Ejercito de Arboles – The Tree Army – in May in response to growing complaints about vandalised trees in Mexico City.
Its mission is to protect and improve the city’s urban forest, whether it’s chipping away at unauthorised concrete, confronting illegal cutting or planting trees in areas of need.
Could these ‘motionless’ turbines solve wind energy’s noise and wildlife problems?
The UK’s first “motionless” wind energy system has been installed on a roof in Oxford.
When we think of wind energy, wind turbines naturally spring to mind – elegant blades spinning to drive an electricity generator.
But as the renewable energy revolution surges forward, more and more technologies are being developed to fit various niches and help wean the world off fossil fuels faster.
This chemical-free method for treating seeds is winning over sceptical farmers in Sweden and beyond
Heat-treated seeds could offer farmers a chemical-free solution for pest control.
Typically, seeds are treated with chemicals to keep them healthy and kill pests, but this does not align with organic farming principles.
‘ThermoSeed’, an invention by former researcher Kenneth Alness, offers a sustainable alternative. It uses sharp blasts of steam, which kill pests and preserve the seeds.
Positive environmental stories from August 2024
Solar panels and crops could meet 68% of central Europe’s energy demand
Deploying solar panels and growing crops on the same land could be a solution to boost renewable electricity in Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia, reaching the equivalent of 68% of today’s energy demand in the countries, according to new research.
Combining farming with green energy production could also increase food security and generate additional income for farmers.
‘At the forefront’: UK gets serious about alternative proteins with €45 million research hub
Insect-based burgers and lab-grown steaks could soon be a staple of British diets, thanks to a new government research centre.
Backed by €18 million in state funding, the new National Alternative Protein Innovation Centre (NAPIC) will work on getting different options onto supermarket shelves, and making them more appealing to the public.
Helsinki is building the world’s largest heat pump to keep its homes warm
The air-to-water heat pump is being installed to help decarbonise the city’s district heating system.
The heat pump can operate in temperatures as low as -20C and will be powered by electricity from renewable sources.
From post-coital lions to sleeping seals, marvel at some of this year’s best wildlife photography
A leaping stoat, a ball of bees and a David Bowie spider are some of the best images submitted to this year’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.
Now in its sixtieth year, the competition attracted a record-breaking 59,228 entries from photographers of all ages spanning 117 countries and territories.
‘Breathing space’: Taylor Swift food bank donations bring relief to European charities
In June, Cardiff Foodbank in Wales received the largest donation from an individual the organisation had ever seen.
In an interview with UK newspaper the Guardian, CEO Rachel Biggs revealed that pop star Taylor Swift was behind the contribution.
The 34-year-old singer has been donating to food banks around the UK, Europe and America during her 18-months-long Eras Tour.
Scientists taught this once-extinct bird how to migrate by guiding them across Europe
The distinctive northern bald ibis bird has been brought back from the brink of extinction thanks to some novel techniques, namely scientists flying alongside them in light aircraft.
The efforts of Fritz and the Waldrappteam, a conservation and research group based in Austria, brought the Central European population from zero to almost 300 since the start of their project in 2002.
Scientists are living at sea in Papua New Guinea to study one of the most biodiverse places on Earth
Cutting edge tech and local knowledge are helping a group of scientists in Papua New Guinea survey the country’s highly biodiverse ocean ecosystems.
They are hoping it will provide the government with data to improve conservation efforts.
‘Turning point’: China’s coal power plant approvals seem to be dropping off after a worrying surge
year, after a flurry of permits in the previous two years raised concern about the government’s commitment to preventing the worst effects of climate change.
A review of project documents by Greenpeace East Asia found that 14 new coal plants were approved from January to June with a total capacity of 10.3 gigawatts, down 80 per cent from 50.4 gigawatts in the first half of last year.
Countries’ climate obligations could be legally defined at top UN court in December
A date has been set for public hearings at the International Court of Justice which could help define countries’ legal obligations to fight climate change.
The top United Nations court announced on Friday that public hearings will open on 2 December in a landmark case seeking a non-binding advisory opinion on « the obligations of States in respect of climate change. »
A small group of nuns in rural Kansas are vexing big companies with their investment activism
Among corporate America’s most persistent shareholder activists are 80 nuns in a monastery outside Kansas City.
Amid rolling farmland, the Benedictine sisters of Mount St Scholastica have taken on the likes of Google, Target and Citigroup – calling on major companies to do everything from AI oversight to measuring pesticides to respecting the rights of Indigenous people.
Deadly toads are poisoning crocodiles. Australians have come up with an ingenious solution
Cane toads might look like a tasty snack to crocodiles, but they have a habit of poisoning their predators.
Imported from South America in the 1930s, these pests have left a trail of native animal casualties across Australia – including goanna lizards, snakes and freshwater crocodiles.
But scientists and Indigenous rangers have come up with a clever way to get the crocs to think twice before snapping a cane toad.
Australia’s largest bank pulls plug on fossil fuel financing. Will other lenders follow suit?
Australia’s largest lender has announced it will stop financing fossil fuel companies that don’t comply with the Paris Agreement’s climate goals by the end of 2024.
The Commonwealth Bank’s (CBA) move is unusual among other rivals, who have yet to stop supporting coal, oil and gas businesses.
Solar panel subsidies tripled UK installations. What help is available for homeowners?
Analysis of data from the past 15 years shows that subsidies have a significant impact on people’s willingness to install solar panels.
Under the UK’s new Energy Independence Act’s Warm Homes Plan, the Labour government has pledged to invest an extra £6.6 billion (€7.7b) over the next five years to upgrade five million homes. This will be used to support insulation, solar panels, batteries and low-carbon heating.
A 500 km conveyor belt road from Tokyo to Osaka could help Japan slash transport emissions
Japan’s 500 km Autoflow-Road could slash emissions, worker shortages and traffic.
Goods would be transported either on belts running down the middle of highways, alongside hard shoulders or through underground tunnels in automated, driverless electric vehicles.
The road could carry the same amount of cargo per day as 25,000 trucks.
Rare orchids and bees are thriving on London’s green rooftops as city eyes up cooling solutions
A bird’s eye view of London is increasingly appealing, with more and more rooftops turning green or white across the capital.
Green roofs involve planting vegetation up top, while the latter is essentially a paint job. Both designs are intended to lower urban temperatures and keep people cool.
Hidden water reserve twice the size of Loch Ness discovered in drought-stricken Sicily
A huge reserve of fresh water has been discovered hidden beneath Sicily’s Iblei Mountains.
The vast freshwater reserve is believed to contain around 17 billion cubic metres of water and is between 700 and 2,500 metres below the surface. It could hold the key to solving Sicily’s ongoing drought, one of the worst in Europe.
EU hails benefits of multi-billion-euro environmental action
A cost-benefit analysis by the European Commission says nearly €3.5 billion of EU money pumped into real-world environmental schemes through the LIFE programme gave a tenfold return on investment – justification, green groups say, for massively ramping up spending.
‘A symbol of change’: Historic buildings keep their charm thanks to cleverly installed solar panels
For the first time, wind and solar generated more of the EU’s electricity than fossil fuels in the first half of this year.
Positive environmental stories from July 2024
‘Freedom from fossil power’: Wind and solar electricity grew to all-time high in first half of 2024
For the first time, wind and solar generated more of the EU’s electricity than fossil fuels in the first half of this year.
A new analysis from energy think tank Ember has found that electricity from wind and solar grew to an all-time high of 30 per cent in the last six months compared to 27 per cent from fossil fuels. The remaining 43 per cent was made up by a mix of hydropower, nuclear and other sources.
Belgium, France, Austria: The European countries where employers must pay for public transport
In a bid to increase the attractiveness of sustainable transport and lighten the financial load of citizens, some European governments have mandated that employers must pay for the cost of public transport.
This typically works by taking out your monthly or annual travel subscription as normal and then handing your receipt to your company who will refund some or all of the amount.
Polar bear tracking tech breakthrough could boost conservation as climate heats up
Scientists have developed a new way of tracking polar bears and it could help us better understand how they cope with disappearing sea ice.
This breakthrough in stick-on GPS tracking tags will help researchers fill gaps in their knowledge about the behaviour or movement of polar bears like never before.
King Charles III bestows royal title on at-risk goats
King Charles III has bestowed a royal title on an “at risk” golden goat breed.
Christopher Price, the chief executive of the UK’s Rare Breeds Survival Trust, said the King’s honour offers recognition of the breed’s historical significance and its value to biodiversity, the environment and sustainable food production.
Travel by public transport and get free tickets with Copenhagen’s new green initiative for tourists
Denmark’s capital, Copenhagen, has launched a new initiative called CopenPay in an effort to promote sustainable tourism.
Tourists who choose to travel by public transport or bike without using cars or taxis will be rewarded with perks such as free coffee, museum admissions, and an extra 20 minutes’ ski time on the slope of a heating plant.
Trams from Switzerland and Germany are helping to decarbonise Ukraine’s public transport
Switzerland and Germany are sending more than 100 used trams to Ukraine to help the embattled country improve its public transport.
It’s helping the country phase out more energy-intensive Communist-era vehicles with new ‘eco friendly’ options.
The world’s first hydrogen-powered passenger ferry is free to ride for six months
The world’s first hydrogen-powered commercial passenger ferry will start operating on San Francisco Bay as part of plans to phase out diesel-powered vessels and reduce planet-warming carbon emissions.
« If we can operate this successfully, there are going to be more of these vessels in our fleet and in other folks’ fleets in the United States and we think in the world, » says Jim Wunderman, chair of the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, which runs commuter ferries across the bay.
Rice is a silent source of methane emissions: Meet the startup helping farmers tackle the problem
Rice feeds nearly half the world’s population, but the way we grow it has left a surprisingly high methane footprint.
In Indonesia, Rize is helping farmers to adopt new agricultural methods, which could cut the region’s emissions while boosting farmers’ profits.
Meet the Turkish teens developing a cheap and fast solution to crop failure
“In Türkiye, we are living the effects of climate change. This region was Mesopotamia, where agriculture and civilisation was born, but now people are struggling with climate change and drought,” says 17-year-old Beyza, a runner-up of The Earth Prize.
Beyza and her team set out to address these issues with Plantzma: an easy-to-use device that leverages plasma to create more resilient crops and enrich irrigation water.
Hungarian scientists capture majestic wild horses in their natural habitat thanks to drones
Researchers in Hungary are using drones to track the movements of an almost 300-member herd of endangered horses.
The Przewalski’s horses live on remote plains, far away from human interference.
These wild horses were once extinct in the wild, but thanks to captive breeding programmes there are around 2,000 Przewalski’s horses roaming free again.
New UK government lifts ‘absurd’ onshore wind ban: What could it mean for bills and net zero?
The UK’s new Labour government has scrapped a de facto ban on onshore wind farms in England, opening up the potential for every UK home to be powered by clean energy.
Deforestation in Colombia fell to historic low in 2023: How did they achieve the drop?
Deforestation in Colombia fell by 36 per cent in a year, marking a new record low.
It’s especially good news the world’s largest rainforest, the Amazon, one-third of which is in Colombia.
The drop happened between 2022 and 2023 and comes off the back of years of campaigning by Indigenous activists who depend on the Amazon for their homes and livelihood.
‘Great news’: Ecuador river is granted the right to not be polluted in historic court case
In an unusual ruling, a court in Ecuador has ruled that pollution has violated the rights of a river that runs through the capital, Quito.
Activists who filed the complaint said the decision is “historic”.
Positive environmental stories from June 2024
‘We didn’t dare to dream’: Hope as Scottish wildcat kittens born in national park
Scottish wildcat kittens have been born in the Cairngorms National Park to captive-bred animals released last year.
Last summer 19 wildcats were released by the Saving Wildcats partnership, led by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. These incredibly elusive carnivores are the only native member of the cat family still found in the wild in Britain.
The Vatican goes green: Pope announces new solar plant to power Vatican City
Pope Francis has renewables on his mind as he says he wants Vatican City to run on solar power.
To achieve his aim, solar panels will be installed on a Vatican-owned property outside Rome. The power generated could supply all of Vatican City’s energy needs.
Green energy made up the majority of the EU’s electricity in 2023
Renewable energy was the leading source of electricity in the EU in 2023, according to preliminary data from Eurostat.
Renewables accounted for 44.7 per cent of all electricity production generating 1.21 million Gigawatt-hours (GWh) – a 12.4 per cent increase from 2022. Rapid installation of new solar and wind projects across the bloc has helped push this figure up.
Electricity from fossil fuels overall fell by 19.7 per cent in comparison, contributing 0.88 GWh or 32.5 per cent of the EU’s power.
Geothermal power could be ‘massively impactful for global decarbonisation’ as US plant gets a boost
One method of making electricity cleanly to address climate change has been quietly advancing and in June it hit a milestone.
A California utility is backing the largest new geothermal power development in the US – 400 megawatts of clean electricity from the Earth’s heat – enough for some 400,000 homes.
Clean energy, fresh mussels: Scandinavia’s experiment to harvest seafood and wind power together
In part of efforts to explore multiple uses for remote wind parks far out at sea, researchers are producing fresh seafood at Scandinavia’s largest wind farm, Kriegers Flak.
With its first harvest just 18 months later, it’s already showing signs of early success.
Hawaii promises to curb pollution from transport after young activists win climate lawsuit
Youth climate activists have won a « historic » settlement in Hawaii.
The lawsuit was the world’s first youth-led constitutional climate case seeking to address climate pollution from the transportation sector.
It alleged that the US state violated the constitution by operating a transport system that harmed the climate and infringed upon the children’s right to a clean and healthy environment.
‘Greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved’: Iberian Lynx is no longer on brink of extinction
Until recently, the Iberian lynx had been on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) endangered list.
Now, however, the IUCN has downgraded the status of the Iberian lynx after conservation efforts paid off.
Summer solstice: Solar a ‘serious’ electricity player as power share soars to 20%
Analysing midday solar power highs on 21 June, clean energy think tank Ember says the renewable will make up 20 per cent of the global power mix, up from 16 per cent last year.
Global solar generation typically performs best in June due to longer summer days in the northern hemisphere, where around 89 per cent of the world’s solar panels are installed.
“At 20 per cent share, solar is now a serious global electricity source,” says Kostantsa Rangelova, electricity analyst at Ember.
Repairable, recyclable and circular: What’s changing with the EU’s new Ecodesign regulation?
A new EU regulation aimed at making products more sustainable has just come into force.
The Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation seeks to improve the repairability, recyclability, and circularity of products by focusing on design criteria.
Clean energy: Portugal will begin building its largest wind farm early next year
A new wind farm in Portugal has obtained environmental approval from the government – and once built it will become the country’s largest.
Renewable energy company Iberdrola will integrate the plant into the Tâmega pumped-storage hydro complex in northern Portugal.
The new wind farm will have a capacity of 274 MW, able to support the annual consumption of 128,000 homes.
‘A momentous day for nature’: EU approves first-of-its-kind law that could bring back biodiversity
After months of deliberations, the EU’s Nature Restoration Law has finally been approved.
The first-of-its-kind regulation aims to restore Europe’s damaged ecosystems and boost biodiversity.
Its goal is to restore at least 20 per cent of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030, and all degraded ecosystems by 2050.
Rare wild horses back on Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe after being saved from extinction
For the first time in at least 200 years, wild Przewalski’s horses have returned to Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe.
These are the last truly wild horses left on Earth whose habitats were wiped out by farming and other human activity.
Now, Prague Zoo has restored them to their original home in the plains of Central Asia.
‘The time of the whole car city is over’: How is Paris encouraging walking and cycling?
From big picnics to car-free days and new cycle lanes, Paris is speeding ahead with sustainable transport initiatives.
Paris now boasts more than 1,300 kilometres of bicycle lanes, 500 kilometres of which were rolled out between 2014 to 2020. 30 km worth of new lanes have been added both in and outside the city centre for the Olympics.
‘Install and forget’ soil-powered batteries could bring cheap, clean energy to farms in Europe
Bacteria-powered batteries could soon supply farms with cheap, sustainable energy.
UK startup Bactery draws on the electrons produced by bacteria in soil to harvest clean electricity from the earth.
Its soil-rechargeable batteries have the potential to work around the clock – and around the world.
Better preparation is preventing deaths despite worsening climate disasters, UN says
Climate disasters are getting worse, but fewer people are dying thanks to better warning systems and planning, says a top UN official.
« Fewer people are dying of disasters and if you look at that as a proportion of total population, it’s even fewer, » the new United Nations Assistant Secretary-General Kamal Kishore, head the UN’s office for disaster risk reduction, said.
Positive environmental stories from May 2024
This Spanish city plans to turn its cemeteries into the country’s largest urban solar farm
A city in Spain is starting to use its cemeteries to generate renewable power.
Valencia, on the east coast, aims to install thousands of solar panels in graveyards around the city.
The project has been dubbed RIP – standing for Requiem in Power – and was launched this month with the first photovoltaic panels installed.
Czechia is making textile recycling compulsory
EU countries generated an estimated 6.95 million tonnes of textile waste in 2020 or around 16kg annually per person.
Now, Czechia is leading Europe in tackling rather than contributing to the problem. The Ministry of the Environment announced plans to enforce compulsory textile waste collection from 2025.
Young, green and European: Meet the new generation of eco-activists running in the EU elections
A generation of young Europeans that became activists while still at school is now of age to take up positions in political office.
They have launched campaigns across Europe in order to protect and further climate protection policies amid backlash from right-leaning parties.
Climate action will boost energy security in Europe by 8% by 2030, IMF Says
Efforts to meet Europe’s emission reduction targets led by industry and citizens will pay off according to an analysis published by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which estimates the continent could improve energy security by 8% by 2030.
Higher carbon prices, energy efficiency and accelerated permitting for renewables were key policy areas identified by the Washington DC- based IMF to improve Europe’s energy security.
Belgium to champion citizen energy at ministerial summit
Belgium’s energy minister Tinne Van der Straeten has made moves to secure inter-governmental recognition of the benefits of local energy cooperatives.
Energy communities are voluntary, cooperative schemes offering a local alternative to commercial energy companies, for instance through shared ownership of a wind turbine or solar array, helping to decentralise electricity production – and, advocates argue, reduce costs, fossil fuel dependence, and increase security of supply.
Member states green light new rules to slash methane emissions
EU countries have adopted first-ever rules to measure, report and verify methane emissions in the energy sector in a bid to slash the volume of these short-lived air pollutants, known to be up to 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2).
Following an almost unanimous vote, opposed by Hungary, energy operators will need to comply, as of 2025, with new requirements to ensure mitigation measures, such as detecting and repairing methane leaks, and measuring emissions at source level.
Inside Japan’s cat island where felines are worshipped at an altar and said to bring good luck
Tashirojima, off Japan’s northeastern coast, is home to more than 100 cats, leaving space for only 50 humans.
Everything is built around their comfort, so you won’t find any car rental shops, petrol stations or public transportation here. Tourists are expected to walk up and down the island’s hills while visiting.
Most Dutch people cycle every week. How did the low country make it a national pastime?
In the Netherlands, countless initiatives have been devised to make sure that cycling is inclusive, not just for young people who have grown up with it.
And given that 64 per cent of the entire population cycle at least once a week, something is clearly working.
Good news for chocolate lovers as Swiss scientists find way to make the treat more sustainable
Scientists in Switzerland have invented a way to make chocolate healthier and more sustainable.
Typically, only cocoa beans and pulp are extracted for our chocolate bars. But researchers at the ETH Zurich federal technology institute have discovered that the cocoa pod husk can be used too, as a replacement for granulated sugar.
UK drivers could save over €150 and win prizes for giving up their cars next month – here’s how
Drivers in the UK who give up their car next month could save around €150 for their effort and even win a prize.
The initiative comes from Possible, a climate action charity based in London, which is seeking to prise motorists away from their vehicles with its ‘Going Car Free Challenge’ in June.
International ocean tribunal delivers ‘historic legal victory’ for small island nations
An international ocean court has just delivered a “historic” legal opinion outlining countries’ obligations in the face of climate change.
The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) – a UN court on maritime law – found that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions can be considered a marine pollutant. It said countries have a legal obligation to implement measures mitigating their effect on oceans.
Rewilding: How a herd of bison reintroduced to Romania is helping ‘supercharge’ carbon removal
170 European Bison reintroduced to Romania’s Țarcu mountains could help capture and store the carbon released by up to 84,000 average US petrol cars each year.
New research from Yale University, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, suggests these massive herbivores could have a role to play in mitigating the impact of climate change.
Free public transport in Montpellier has led to 20 per cent more journeys
Montpellier’s experiment with free public transport has been a success in its first few months, new figures show.
Journeys by public transport have increased by more than 20 per cent since the French city made buses and trams free for all residents five months ago
European cities are becoming climate CHAMPs. You could be one, too
A new acronym in the climate space is getting its sea legs after the United Nations climate talks in Dubai last year, COP28. And if you, too, want to be a “champ” for climate action and policy, then this one’s for you.
It’s called CHAMP, and it stands for the Coalition for High Ambition Multilevel Partnerships, with the primary focus on all things multilevel.
Renewables are meeting 95% of Portugal’s electricity needs. How did it become a European leader?
Portugal generated an ‘historic’ 95 per cent of its electricity from renewables in April, according to the network operator REN.
Renewable energy generation averaged just below that for the first four months of the year, covering 91 per cent of the nation’s power needs.
Fossil fuels generated less than a quarter of the EU’s electricity in April
Fossil fuels provided less than a quarter of the EU’s energy for the first time in April.
The good news comes from energy think tank Ember which found that the proportion of electricity generated by fossil fuels in the bloc fell to a record low of 23 per cent last month – a sharp drop of 22 per cent compared to April 2023 despite an increase in demand. It also surpasses the previous record low of 27 per cent from May 2023.
‘We will feed the world in 50 years’: Scientists behind giant seed vault win World Food Prize
Two men who were instrumental in creating a global seed vault designed to safeguard the world’s agricultural diversity will be honoured as the 2024 World Food Prize laureates.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken lauded them for their “critical role in preserving crop diversity » at seed banks around the world.
More than 30% of world’s electricity now comes from renewables, report reveals
More than 30 per cent of the world’s electricity is now generated using renewables and the European Union is well ahead of this global average, a new report has found.
Energy think tank Ember found that major growth in wind and solar helped push global electricity production past this milestone in 2023.
In the European Court of Human Rights, we won a victory for generations
Tuesday, 9 April will go down in history as a milestone in the fight for a liveable future for all.
On that day, the European Court of Human Rights recognised the climate crisis as an existential threat to us all and confirmed that our leaders must act immediately to protect people of all ages from accelerating harm.
This ruling will be a crucial tool to pressure governments to reduce emissions, and activists are already taking to the streets to demand much stronger government action.
‘An amazing discovery’: Scientists hit upon first nursery for hammerhead sharks in the Galápagos
Scientists have discovered what could be the first known smooth hammerhead shark nursery in the Galápagos.
The vulnerable shark species – so-called for its elongated head which forms a straighter curve than the scalloped hammerhead – is rarely spotted in the marine reserve.
Battery costs have dropped 90% in under 15 years giving renewables a boost, new IEA report reveals
Battery costs have dropped by more than 90 per cent in the last 15 years, a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) reveals.
It’s one of the fastest declines ever seen among clean energy technologies, and provides hope that batteries can carry the world to its renewable energy goals.
Are humans a ‘keystone species’? This captivating new book rethinks our role in rewilding
Rewilding is often attached to the idea of “letting nature take care of itself”, with minimal human interference.
But is less human intervention always better? Or the most realistic approach on a 21st-century planet, home to 8.1 billion people?
Not necessarily. In some cases, a human touch can not only be helpful in designing rewilded ecosystems but also remain a vital part of them.
‘Deliberately ambitious’: Eurostar promises to power its trains with 100% renewable energy by 2030
Eurostar has promised to power its trains with 100 per cent renewable energy by 2030.
The plan was laid out in the company’s first sustainability report. It details plans to reduce energy use, source renewable power, minimise waste and promote train travel as a greener alternative to flying.
Positive environmental stories from April 2024
Shuttered coal power plants can find a second life as clean energy hubs
Sites once occupied by coal-fired power stations are ideal locations for renewable generation and energy storage. In fact, it’s already happening, Eric Dresselhuys writes.
Activist who led grassroots campaign to save Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon wins ‘Green Nobel’
Teresa Vicente, 61, led a grassroots campaign to save Spain’s Mar Menor from ecological collapse. Her efforts helped a new law to be passed in 2022, giving the lagoon the legal right to conservation, protection and damage remediation.
Vicente is one of this year’s seven winners of the Goldman Environmental Prize, known as the ‘Green Nobel’.
MEPs approve law to reduce growing stream of packaging waste
MEPs have adopted a new Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) described as one of the most lobbied files to pass through the assembly in recent years.
The new law – backed by 476 lawmakers drawn from across the mainstream parties, with 129 voting against and 24 abstaining – stipulates that the annual average of nearly 190kg of wrappers, boxes, bottles, cartons and cans discarded generated annually by every EU citizen should be cut by 5 per cent to 2030.
High Seas Treaty: EU votes to ratify landmark international law to protect oceans
The European Union has voted in favour of ratifying the High Seas Treaty.
This treaty aims to protect marine life in areas that are outside of countries’ maritime borders including the high seas and the seabed.
The decision is a key step in the process of approving the ratification of the High Seas Treaty.
Low emissions traffic schemes linked to cleaner air
Cities introducing low emissions zones have cleaner air than those without, according to preliminary research by health insurers comparing Belgian cities Antwerp, Brussels and Ghent with other cities.
The findings were announced in Brussels on April 23 during an event on clean cities organised in association with Belgium’s presidency of the EU Council ahead of a key vote at the European Parliament tomorrow on the Air and Ambient Quality Directive (AAQD).
Biden’s Earth Day pledge: Rooftop solar grants could save US households over €300 million a year
President Joe Biden marked Earth Day by announcing $7 billion (€6.6 billion) in federal grants for residential solar projects serving 900,000-plus households in low- and middle-income communities.
Nature has become an official Spotify artist to raise money for conservation
You can now listen to ‘Nature’ on all major music streaming platforms.
From Pink Floyd to the Beatles, natural sounds have been enhancing music forever.
A new initiative will recognise nature as an official artist meaning singers, songwriters and bands who use these sounds can choose to add it as a featured artist. Some of their profits from streaming platforms like Spotify and Apple Music will then be shared with environmental causes.
Solar balconies are booming in Germany. Here’s what you need to know about the popular home tech
More than 400,000 plug-in solar systems have been installed in Germany, most of them taking up a seamless spot on people’s balconies.
New data shows at least 50,000 of the PV devices were added in the first quarter of 2024 alone. A boom born from Germany’s “very strong solar culture”, in the words of one expert.
Two countries in Europe are powered by 100% renewable energy as wind capacity soars
Last year was the best year on record for new wind energy installation.
The world installed 116 gigawatts of new wind power capacity in 2023, according to the latest Global Wind Report from industry trade association the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC). That is a 50 per cent increase from 2022 making it the best year on record for new wind projects.
Greece becomes the first country in Europe to ban bottom trawling in marine protected areas
Greece will ban bottom trawling in all of its marine protected areas (MPAs) by 2030, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on 16 April.
The country also aims to create two large marine parks as part of a €780 million program to protect biodiversity and marine ecosystems
Cycling is now more popular than driving in the centre of Paris, study finds
More people now travel by bike than by car in the centre of Paris, according to a new report.
The study by urban planning agency Institut Paris Region (IPR) found that Parisians use bicycles for 11.2 per cent of their trips inside the city centre whereas people use cars for just 4.3 per cent of journeys.
New US limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water expected to save thousands of lives
The USA has placed the first ever federal limits on toxic ‘forever chemicals’ in drinking water.
The rule, finalised by the Biden administration on Wednesday 10 April, requires utilities to reduce the chemicals to the lowest level they can be reliably measured.
Officials say this will reduce exposure for 100 million people and help prevent thousands of illnesses, including cancers.
‘Historic’ European Court of Human Rights ruling backs Swiss women in climate change case
In a landmark decision, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has today ruled that government inaction on climate change violates fundamental human rights.
The right to respect for one’s private and family life is the main legal basis through which the court has previous ruled on environmental cases, but this decision is “historic” regarding the climate crisis, observers say.
The case was brought by an association of older Swiss women concerned about the impact of global warming on their health. They claimed that the Swiss government is not taking enough action.
How does subscription solar work? This Spanish company instals panels with no upfront investment
Born in New York and raised in Amsterdam, 29-year-old Wouter Draijer is CEO and co-founder of SolarMente – a company aiming to change the way people consume and distribute energy in Spain.
Its subscription service allows homeowners and businesses to install solar panels with no upfront cost – a model that has attracted investment from Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and US technology startup accelerator Y Combinator.
Cycling Declaration hailed as ‘historic’ moment for Europe
Cycling is “one of the most sustainable, healthy and efficient” ways to cut greenhouse gas emissions, EU governments have agreed. They have committed to build more cycle lanes and secure parking places, improve safety for riders, and promote schemes to encourage a switch from four wheels to two.
Deutsche Bahn has stopped using domestic flights to send letters due to climate change
Domestic flights will no longer be used to transport letters by Germany’s national postal carrier.
The move from Deutsche Post reflects the declining significance of letter mail and allows it to improve its climate footprint.
Positive environmental stories from March 2024
‘I want to tackle it in a big way’: Meet the Nigerian women spearheading solar projects
More children die from air pollution – mainly inside the home – in Nigeria than in any other African country. 32-year-old green energy entrepreneur Yetunde Fadeyi made it her life’s calling to end the energy poverty causing such deaths.
After a childhood in Lagos plagued by intermittent electricity, a degree in chemistry and training in solar panel installation, Fadeyi started Renewable Energy and Environmental Sustainability (REES). The non-profit is dedicated to climate advocacy and providing clean energy to poor communities in rural Nigeria.
Meet the companies creating a ‘city of the future’ inside Berlin’s Tegel Airport
With companies starting to realise that climate change isn’t going away, more are working together to bring green solutions to the table
One such solution comes from Heat Storage Berlin, a German company that’s on a mission to store surplus renewable energy as heat. “This allows us to supply entire industries such as breweries or the paper industry with steam, using sustainable energies,” founder and CEO Ulrich Prochaska tells L’Observatoire de l’Europe Green.
‘A minimally intrusive solution for urban cooling’: This paint could make cities feel 1.5C cooler
Cool paint coatings could help cities feel up to 1.5C cooler, a new study has found.
Using paint to counter the ‘urban heat island’ effect is nothing new, but this real-world experiment showed just how impactful it can be.
Building new wind and solar projects is getting harder but this German village could have the answer
Sprakebuell is something of a model village for the energy transition – with an above-average number of electric cars, a community wind farm and renewable heat from biogas.
Small as it is, the German town offers lessons that could resonate globally.
Coffee grounds might be the answer to agricultural contamination
An estimated six million tonnes of used coffee grounds are created annually. Most go to landfill, generating methane and CO2, or are incinerated for energy.
But a new study in the Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology suggests that used coffee could hold the key to a pressing environmental problem: agricultural contamination.
Over half of European voters think climate action is a priority, exclusive L’Observatoire de l’Europe poll reveals
More than half of European voters believe the fight against climate change is a priority, according to an exclusive L’Observatoire de l’Europe-Ipsos poll.
In the first pan-European survey of its kind ahead of the European elections in June, 25,916 people across 18 countries were interviewed about a range of issues. These countries together represent 96 per cent of the EU population.
Manchester City is planning to install almost 11,000 solar panels on the roof of its training ground
Manchester City is planning a solar project that it believes would make it one of the largest producers of renewable energy in world football.
The Premier League Champions are seeking planning permission from Manchester City Council to install 10,887 solar panels on their training facility and the Joie Stadium.
Danish company building massive solar farm in Arizona desert
Deep in the Arizona desert, a Danish company is building a massive solar farm that includes batteries that charge when the sun is shining and supply energy back to the electric grid when it’s not.
“Solar farms only produce when the sun shines, and the turbines only produce when the wind blows,” said Ørsted CEO Mads Nipper. “For us to maximise the availability of the green power, 24-7, we have to store some of it too.”
Governments agree packaging waste law despite international trade concerns
Belgium, current holder of the rotating EU Council presidency, has forged agreement between governments over new rules to tackle the growing problem of discarded packaging materials, overcoming the European Commission’s concerns over trade diplomacy.
National diplomats have endorsed a new European law on packaging waste, including provisions that would hold overseas producers to EU environmental standards on plastic recycling at the risk of losing market access.
Germany’s emissions fell by record 10.1% in 2023
Germany’s greenhouse gas emissions dropped by one-tenth last year, thanks to its investment in renewables and high energy prices which may have driven down demand.
Europe’s biggest economy is trying to cut its emissions by 65 per cent, compared with 1990, by 2030. These latest stats put it on track to reach a cut of almost 64 per cent by that date.
From four walls to four wheels: How we live sustainably, from electricity use to food waste
After buying a second hand van last summer, we spent five months converting it into a cottage on wheels.
Doing van life sustainably started with our build, where we repurposed materials, opted for hemp insulation, and used reclaimed wood for interiors. Choosing solar power over gas, we designed the van for winters in southern Europe and summers in the north to minimise our environmental impact.
Some people are surprised to hear that our carbon footprint is now about a third lower than before.
Governments’ climate policies tackling deforestation and nature double in 12 months, study finds
Nature-based policies from governments around the world have doubled over the last 12 months, a new study has found.
The report looked at 300 different policies around the world and found that around half of global emissions reductions by 2035 are likely to come from those aimed at ending deforestation, reducing food waste, restoring ecosystems, lowering agricultural emissions and rolling out nature-based climate solutions.
Staff at wildlife centre dress up as a mother fox to save abandoned cub
Employees of the Richmond Wildlife Center in Virginia are doing their best to act like mother foxes as they feed and care for an orphaned kit that found her way into their care.
In a bid to make this as natural as possible, they had to get a little bit creative.
Executive director Melissa Stanley took the unorthodox step of donning a hyper realistic fox mask while feeding the tiny kit from a syringe.
‘A beautiful idea’: This French town is making its cemetery a source of solar energy
A French town is installing a canopy of solar panels over its cemetery that will distribute energy to local residents.
In the town of around 4,000 people, some 420 residents have officially registered their interest in joining the project. For an entry fee of just €5, they will eventually have a share in the energy it produces.
MEPs back law aimed at restoring European soil to health
The European Parliament’s environment committee has backed a proposal for mandatory monitoring and remedial measures with a view to restoring an estimated two-thirds of soils that are in poor health, jeopardising biodiversity and future food production.
Polluting private jets could face a 400% fuel tax increase under new Biden proposal
US President Joe Biden is proposing a huge increase in fuel taxes for private jets. It is being pitched as a fairness issue compared with airline passengers, who pay special taxes on every ticket.
Raising fuel taxes for private jets could not only improve fairness in air travel, it could also discourage use of the polluting transport.
Can you fit a heat pump in an apartment? New York is testing new window-mounted tech for renters
For 27 years, the heat in Regina Fred’s Queens apartment building came from a noisy steam radiator that she couldn’t control.
Sometimes it didn’t come on at all, leaving her shivering. Sometimes, the radiators ran so hot that residents had to keep their windows open in the middle of winter for relief.
That all changed a few months ago when she got a window-mounted heat pump as part of a pilot project by the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) aimed at cutting energy costs and lowering emissions.
French bill proposes crackdown on throwaway culture of ultra fast fashion
Fast fashion adverts could soon be banned in France under a new proposal to crack down on the polluting industry.
The bill, tabled by MP Anne-Cécile Violland, also seeks to impose penalties on low-cost clothing to cover its environmental impact.
‘A very special day’: Birds linked to Darwin’s theory of evolution reintroduced to Galapagos Islands
A flock of finches, the birds famously studied by Charles Darwin in his theory of evolution, have been reintroduced to an area of the Galapagos Islands.
Since 2023 experts have been working to eradicate introduced species which have caused the disappearance of numerous native species, paving the way for ecological restoration.
« This is a very special day,” says Eliécer Cruz, Spokesman for the Jocotoco Conservation Foundation.
Community wind turbines and heat pumps could be a win-win against fuel poverty and climate change
Wind power and heat pumps are obvious assets in the fight against fossil-fuelled climate change. But have you ever considered how well the two might work together?
A new report from UK climate action charity Possible has done exactly that – and found they’re not only a match, but one capable of cutting energy bills by a third.
Clean energy tech slowed down growth of global carbon emissions in 2023, IEA says
Without clean energy technology, global carbon emissions in the last five years would have been three times larger, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Global carbon dioxide emissions still reached a record high in 2023. But the new analysis found that growth in clean sources had led to a “structural slowdown” in energy-related emissions.
Even as energy demand increased, the expansion of solar, wind and nuclear power helped the world to avoid even greater use of fossil fuels last year.
The good foresters: Inside the Gabonese rainforest supplying Amsterdam’s lock gates
Lock gates have always been an essential part of Amsterdam. It only became liveable when the River Amstel was dammed to hold back the salty waters of the IJ.
Now the city has 200 sets of mainly wooden lock gates, offering an increasingly important defence as sea levels rise.
These fine pieces of woodwork come from a far more distant source than the 12th century fisherman who made Amsterdam’s first lock could have dreamed of: the Congo Basin.
Positive environmental stories from February 2024
‘Revolutionary’: EU Parliament votes to criminalise most serious cases of ecosystem destruction
The European Union has become the first international body to criminalise the most serious cases of environmental damage that are “comparable to ecocide”.
Ecosystem destruction, including habitat loss and illegal logging, will be punished with tougher penalties and prison sentences under the EU’s updated environmental crime directive.
Spain’s plan to ban domestic flights where you can take a train in under two and half hours
Spain is banning some short-haul domestic flights as part of its plan to reduce carbon emissions.
Flights with a rail alternative that takes less than two and a half hours will no longer be allowed, “except in cases of connection with hub airports that link with international routes”.
Cars powered by woodchips: Biographite makes EV batteries sustainable
A company in New Zealand is turning discarded woodchips into synthetic graphite that can be used in EV batteries.
CarbonScape makes ‘biographite’ by heating byproducts from the forestry industry using a process called thermo-catalytic graphitisation.
This produces charcoal, which can be catalysed and purified into battery anode-quality graphite.
Is green hydrogen the future of heating? Inside the first EU school with a clean hydrogen boiler
The public high school of Antonio Meucci in Carpi looks much like any other in Europe: a hub of students eagerly awaiting lunch breaks, professors navigating peaks of motivation and resignation, while janitors run the halls.
But tucked away in a distant corner of the schoolyard, a mysterious fenced structure emerges from the trees. Accessible only to specialised technicians, a panel on the structure hints at its purpose: H2 Hydrogen.
This building contains the first green-hydrogen-powered boiler to heat an EU educational site, and it has zero emissions potential.
India looks to rooftop solar to provide ‘free electricity’ for up to 10 million homes
Just a few years ago, someone who wanted to install a rooftop solar connection in India faced getting multiple approvals, finding a reliable company to install the panels and heavy expenses before seeing the first surge of clean energy.
But that’s changing. The government has streamlined the approvals process, made it easier for people to claim subsidies and pushed mountains of cash – including $9 billion (€8.3 billion) announced this month – to encourage faster adoption of technology that’s seen as critical for India to reach its clean-energy goals.
EU Parliament, member states clinch air pollution deal
Lawmakers reached a deal to further curtail air pollution across the EU and align air quality standards with the World Health Organization (WHO) in a bid to reach zero pollution by 2050, during inter-institutional negotiations in Brussels.
A 4,000-year-old olive and a weeping beech: The 2024 finalists for European Tree of the Year revealed
In a world full of division, anger and heartbreak it’s cathartic to have something uncontroversial that we can all sit back and admire.
That’s what the European Tree of the Year gives us.
Since 2011 the competition has brought together a selection of the most unique and beautiful trees from across the continent.
Barclays drops funding for new oil and gas fields. How do other big European banks compare?
Barclays has announced that it will no longer fund new oil and gas fields, in a “massive win” for the climate campaigners who have been urging it to stop for years.
The British bank is the second biggest funder of fossil fuels in Europe, having been overtaken by French-based multinational BNP Paribas in 2022.
European ‘Godfathers of wind’ jointly win the ‘Nobel prize’ of engineering
The winners of the “Nobel prize of engineering” have been announced – and they are two European pioneers of wind energy.
Danish Henrik Stiesdal and British Andrew Garrad – often referred to as the ‘Godfathers of wind’ – share this year’s Queen Elizabeth Prize for Engineering, as a recognition of their critical contributions to the development of wind power.
New dinosaur-like reptile discovered in Scotland after bones found on field trip
A new dinosaur-like species has been uncovered in Scotland, giving palaeontologists a precious insight into animal life in the Middle Jurassic.
Researchers from the UK’s Natural History Museum first noticed a few bones sticking out of a boulder during a field trip to the Isle of Skye in 2006. That fossil has now been revealed as a new species of pterosaur, named ‘Ceoptera evansae’.
Let sleeping bears lie: Photo of snoozing polar bear wins prestigious wildlife photography award
A photo of a young polar bear napping on an iceberg has been handed the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award.
Nima Sarikhani’s striking Ice Bed, captured off Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, is a poignant visual reminder of how fast the ice caps are melting due to rising temperatures.
The winner said that while climate change is the “biggest challenge we face”, he hopes the photo inspires hope.
This disused mine in Finland is being turned into a gravity battery to store renewable energy
One of Europe’s deepest mines is being transformed into an underground energy store. It will use gravity to retain excess power for when it is needed.
The remote Finnish community of Pyhäjärvi is 450 kilometres north of Helsinki. Its more than 1,400-metre-deep zinc and copper Pyhäsalmi mine was decommissioned but is now being given a new lease of life by Scotland-based company Gravitricity.
Pedal power: This climate change play in Lithuania is activated using exercise bikes
Next time you hit the gym or jump on your exercise bike, take inspiration from the fact you could be powering a work of art.
While chances are you’re the only one feeling the fitness benefits, a new tech and theatre partnership is proving that anything is possible.
Two specially created exercise bikes powered an entire play in the Lithuanian National Drama Theatre last weekend.
Ireland on track for €225m climate finance target – what can other European countries learn?
Ireland is set to meet its pledge of providing €225 million in climate finance per year to poorer nations by 2025.
Tánaiste (deputy prime minister of the Republic) Micheál Martin shared the positive news with the publication of Ireland’s climate and environmental finance report for 2022.
Crabs turned this marshland into ‘Swiss cheese’ – until sea otters arrived to keep them in check
California’s collapsing marshlands have found an unlikely saviour in hungry sea otters.
The return of otters and their voracious appetites could halt one of the biggest causes of erosion, a new study shows.
Sea otters eat constantly and one of their favourite snacks is the striped shore crab. These crabs dig burrows and also nibble away roots of the marsh grass pickleweed that holds dirt in place.
Positive environmental stories from January 2024
How green is Switzerland? From people power to water batteries, here’s how the Davos host levels up
Climate change was one of the issues at the top of the list for discussion during the recent World Economic Forum meeting in Davos.
From climate referendums to renewable energy, we took a look at the green credentials of the country where the global get-together was held.
‘Enormous potential’: Inside Scotland’s green strategy to power the nation solely with renewables
Renewable power sources generated enough energy to meet 100 per cent of Scotland’s electricity demand in 2022, recently released government data shows.
Green energy such as wind and hydro generated the equivalent of 113 per cent of Scotland’s gross electricity consumption.
This was 26 per cent more than in 2021.
Denmark enlists 10 more in push for ‘ambitious’ climate target
Heavyweights Germany, France and Spain are among 10 member states that have joined Denmark in calling for a 2040 emissions reduction target. This is in line with the advice of EU scientists who say net greenhouse gas output must be slashed to no more than a tenth of 1990 levels.
Denmark is the only country so far to have explicitly endorsed a 90 per cent net reduction target, which equates to a seven-fold reduction from current levels over the next sixteen years.
Inside the Amazon’s tallest treehouse, where Peruvians are taught to combat deforestation with tech
From a classroom in the Amazon’s tallest treehouse, young Peruvians are learning how to defend their rainforest home.
Nestled in the crown of a strangler fig tree, the rangers have a bird’s eye view over the canopy.
It’s an education in itself, says Juan Julio (JJ) Durand, vice president of Junglekeepers – a nonprofit which conserves threatened habitat in the Madre de Dios (Mother of God) region of Peru’s Amazon.
First successful embryo transfer using IVF in rhinos could save species from extinction
Scientists hope that the first pregnancy of a rhinoceros after an embryo transfer could pave the way to save the nearly extinct northern white rhino subspecies.
The method was tested in another rhino subspecies, with researchers successfully creating a southern white rhino embryo in a lab.
Scientists and veterinarians transferred two southern white rhino embryos into a surrogate mother at a conservancy in Kenya and confirmed a pregnancy of 70 days.
New food labels to identify Belgian producers that ‘go the extra mile’ with animal welfare
An area of Belgium will soon have new animal-friendly labels on food products.
In Flanders, a Dutch-speaking area in the country’s north, packaging will come with information about animal production standards.
The new label, called Beter voor Dieren (Better for Animals), will identify products whose companies have followed ethical procedures when raising animals used for human consumption.
Plastic bag bans work: New study finds they save 6 billion bags a year in some US states
Single-use plastic bag bans have successfully reduced plastic bag use and associated litter and pollution, a new study has found.
Bans in five US states and cities with a combined population of around 12 million people have cut single-use plastic bag consumption by about 6 billion bags per year, according to the research.
Adopting a ban that’s similar to the policies in these places could eliminate roughly 300 single-use plastic bags per person per year, according to the report.
High Seas Treaty: Palau and Chile first countries to ratify deal to protect international waters
Chile and Palau have become the first two countries to ratify a landmark UN treaty for the protection of the high seas.
The UN’s High Seas Treaty was adopted last year after almost 20 years of negotiations. More than 80 countries have so far signed it but need to ratify it to be bound by it.
The treaty would become the world’s first international law to mandate the conservation and management of marine life in areas beyond countries’ national jurisdictions.
‘Be an actionist’: An environmental trailblazer’s inspiring message to climate activists from Davos
From being a kid trapped in a storm to walking the halls of power, 31-year-old David Saddington’s life has been shaped by the course of climate change and climate action in the UK.
“It was already clear in 2005 that this issue of ‘climate change’ was going to affect my life and generations to come,” he tells L’Observatoire de l’Europe Green from the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos. “So I took it upon myself to make a noise in my school.”
But his fledgling climate activism took an unusual turn when he was invited to Downing Street at 14, to discuss the issue with then Prime Minister Tony Blair. He asked the PM to put climate change on the national curriculum – a measure adopted in 2007.
European Green Capital 2024: What does Valencia have planned for its year in the limelight?
The greenest city in Europe has officially upped sticks from the Baltic shores of Estonia to the Spanish Mediterranean.
Valencia took over as European Green Capital from Tallinn in a ceremony last week, kickstarting more than 400 sustainable events in 2024.
“Valencia has earned the Green Capital title because of its ambitious sustainability strategy, and it has learned from lessons in the past,” says EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries Virginijus Sinkevičius.
‘Unique biodiversity’: Scientists discover four new species of octopus off the coast of Costa Rica
Scientists have discovered at least four new octopus species in a roughly 260-kilometre square area off the coast of Costa Rica.
“Through hard work, our team discovered new hydrothermal springs offshore (of) Costa Rica and confirmed that they host nurseries of deep-sea octopus and unique biodiversity,” says Dr Beth Orcutt from the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences who co-led the expeditions on the Schmidt Ocean Institute’s Falkor (too).
Poland’s new government commits to join EU ‘fight’ against climate change
The return to power of Polish prime minister Donald Tusk could see one of Europe’s least enthusiastic supporters of climate action in recent years throw its weight behind a radical new 2040 emissions reduction target.
Poland’s new government has promised a new coal phase-out date as it signalled support for a 90 per cent reduction in net greenhouse gas output across the EU by 2040.
Chicken bones ground into paste could help cut food waste and emissions
Food scientists have found a way to make chicken nuggets and fish cakes out of otherwise discarded bones and hard tissues.
The idea is to reduce food waste and carbon emissions from animal agriculture, by getting more mileage out of the meat, thereby requiring fewer animals to be farmed for the same output.
‘Spectacular’ growth in renewables in 2023 keeps COP28 pledge within reach, says IEA
Global renewable energy capacity grew by the fastest pace in the last 20 years in 2023, which could put the world within reach of meeting a key climate target by the end of the decade, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The Paris-based agency said rapid growth of solar in China was the main driver as the world added nearly 510 gigawatts – enough to power nearly 51 million homes for a year – with Europe, the United States and Brazil also seeing record growth.
Indoor solar power: These cells can harvest energy from any light source for battery-free devices
Solar cells that work in low light could help your devices go battery-free.
California-based company Ambient Photonics has been working on indoor solar cells since 2019, improving the performance and price of this emerging technology.
The cells can be ‘printed’ in almost any size and shape for use on everyday devices such as remote controls and wireless keyboards, potentially removing the need for batteries and decreasing the size and weight of electronics.
‘Historic win for animals’: South Korea bans sale and production of dog meat
South Korea’s parliament has passed a landmark ban on the production and sale of dog meat.
Although only a small minority of people still consume dog meat in South Korea, the ancient practise has been the subject of sharp criticism from foreign media and animal rights advocates. In recent years, the country’s younger generations have joined calls to ban it.
On Tuesday 9 January, parliament heeded their calls.
Cigarette recycling: Slovakia is transforming filters into asphalt for roads
Bratislava is pioneering a new way to recycle cigarette butts.
The Slovakian capital’s municipal waste management company announced a new push to collect and reuse discarded cigarettes in 2024.
During the city’s Christmas markets, the group trialled special containers designed to collect both standard cigarette filters and those found in modern heated tobacco devices like vapes.
The city plans to use the discarded material to create asphalt for roads.
Heat pumps will be allowed on historic buildings under new UK rules
The UK government has announced it will relax planning rules on protected buildings in England to allow the installation of heat pumps and solar panels.
The measures are part of wider efforts to reach net zero targets.
France implements compulsory composting. Here’s how it will help slash emissions
As of 1 January 2024, organic waste recycling is mandatory in France under new ‘compost obligatoire’ rules.
With support from the government’s Green Fund, municipalities must provide residents with ways to sort bio-waste, which includes food scraps, vegetable peels, expired food and garden waste.
Food waste is responsible for about 16 per cent of the total emissions from the EU food system, according to the European Commission.
Our favourite positive environmental story from 2023
The richest country in Europe is celebrating three years of free public transport
If you’ve been living in the tiny EU state of Luxembourg you will already have had access to free public transport for the last three years.
Unsurprisingly on the anniversary of this novel and seemingly very expensive public initiative, almost everyone who uses trams, buses and trains in the tiny EU state says they’re happy with it.
« Since it’s free, it’s easier to make a decision quickly, to choose between public transport or a private car. This means that it is very positive for the environment and practical, » one man said whilst using the tram in Luxembourg City.
For more good news on the environment from last year, check out all of L’Observatoire de l’Europe Green’s positive environmental stories from 2023.
