Lynx, wild horses and vultures return to eastern Spain in latest rewilding project
Rewilding Europe’s 10th project spans 2.1 million acres in the Iberian highlands east of Madrid, one of the continent’s least populated areas.
Europe
France to require all large parking lots to be covered by solar panels
The new provisions are part of French president Macron’s large-scale plan to heavily invest in renewables, which aims to multiply by 10 the amount of solar energy produced in the country.
Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and Scotland pledge more than 200 million euros for climate damages in the Global South
Rich nations, which bear the brunt of responsibility for warming the atmosphere, have long resisted making such payments, seeking to avoid assuming legal liability for their contributions to climate change.
First human patients receive transfusions of lab-grown blood cells
Demand for blood donations currently far outstrips supply and matching blood types is an extra hassle that often results in patients missing out even as donated blood goes to waste.
Icelandair to use electric aircraft for all domestic flights by 2030
This decision puts Icelandair at the forefront of sustainable aviation, considering that many other airlines are only aiming to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
Norway to pay Indonesia $56 million for drop in deforestation and emissions
In the deal, the Nordic country will pay Indonesia, home to the world’s third-largest tropical forests, to keep its forests standing, thereby reducing its emissions.
France to plant one billion trees by 2030
President Macron vowed to replant 1 billion trees within 10 years, or 10% of the French forest, after massive summer wildfires ravaged huge areas of the country, especially in the southwest.
Ireland is making transgender people a protected class in hate crimes law
The Irish Cabinet has approved a bill that says anyone who is convicted of purposefully inciting hatred or violence against a person due to their gender identity or expression could face up to five years in prison.
Germany to become second E.U. nation to legalize recreational cannabis
The plan has yet to be formally approved in parliament, but is expected to become law as soon as 2024 after the nation’s coalition government recently agreed to it.
Rishi Sunak to become first person of color to be Britain’s prime minister
Sunak’s rise to the top office is especially significant in a country that has sometimes struggled to grapple with the legacy of its colonialist past.