Dutch constitution will be amended to ban LGBTQ+ discrimination
Following the Dutch Senate’s vote passing the proposal in a 56–15 vote, it now only needs to be signed by King Willem-Alexander and the responsible minister before becoming law.
Nations
Sierra Leone enacts law to keep 30% posts for women in power
The Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act calls for a 30% minimum quota of women in parliament and cabinet and requires companies to set aside 30% of senior-level jobs for women.
Saudi Arabia hosts its first international football tournament for women
Saudi Arabia launched it’s national women’s football team last year. Last week, Anoud Al Asmari made history by becoming the first Saudi female referee to be accredited by Fifa.
30% of Barbados seas to be protected under innovative “blue bond” financing scheme
The Nature Conservancy announced it will work with partners to buy a piece of Barbados’ national debt and refinance it to facilitate this goal.
Staggering 79% of new cars sold in Norway in 2022 were electric
There are now more than 600,000 EVs in Norway. In 2017, the country pledged to end the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2025. The government also has exempted new EVs from purchase tax and sales tax.
Kenya Electricity Generating Company to install 3000 MW of additional renewables over the next 10 years
The move will see Kenya’s installed generation capacity doubling to 6,000 MW and strongly contribute to the county’s target of generating electricity from 100% renewables by 2030.
England to ban single-use plastic cutlery and plates
Similar bans have already been made in Scotland and Wales, while the U.K. government banned single-use plastic straws, stirrers and cotton buds in England in 2020.
Ireland to install a massive 7 GW of offshore wind power by 2030
Seven new projects, amounting to 2.5GW, will enter the Irish planning system and are expected to take part in ORESS 1, the first round of offshore wind auctions set to take place in 2023
Slovakia’s last coal mines to close in 2023
Lignite mining in the Slovak Upper Nitra region is coming to an end as the last two coal mines will close by the end of 2023 following the government’s plans to stop subsidies for domestic mining.
The U.S. FDA will now allow abortion pills to be sold at normal pharmacies
Although patients will still need prescriptions to get the pills, this change will drastically widen their access.