The 500 million acres of forests may be the last significant land-based tropical carbon sink in the world, making the forests vitally important in the global fight against climate change.
The vote was nearly unanimous – 667 to 4. The motion aims to prioritize the shift towards scientific methods that do not involve animals, including for research, regulatory testing, and education.
Critics of industrial farming practices hailed the “landmark victory,” with 558 members of European Parliament (MEPs) voting in favor of the ban, just 37 opposing, and 85 abstaining from the vote.
Under the new law, an agreement between member states and the European Parliament, the bloc will cut carbon emissions by at least 55 percent by 2030, compared to 1990 levels, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
A new report found that renewables delivered 38% of electricity in Europe last year while fossil fuels delivered 37%. Solar and wind power have nearly doubled since 2015.
The European Union’s executive branch announced new rules for plastic waste—including a ban on some exports to poorer countries—that will take effect on January 1.
EU lawmakers agreed to provide a €672 billion recovery fund boost for the EU economy. 37% of the funding has to go to projects that help the climate.
The Farm to Fork Strategy proposes dedicating €10 billion toward the research and innovation on “food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture, fisheries, aquaculture, and the environment as well as the use of digital technologies and nature-based solutions for agri-food.”
The European Commission has committed to protecting 30% of the EU’s land and oceans by 2030. The 10-year plan includes reducing chemical pesticides by 50% and planting 3 billion trees by 2030.
In the next few weeks, the European Union’s Food Safety Authority is expected to classify several types of insects as safe for human consumption.
Good news for climate, justice, democracy, and more
