UK’s largest opencast coal mine to permanently close in November 2023
Campaigners had been pushing for the site in Merthyr Tydfil to close since its planning permission expired in September last year after 15 years.
United Kingdom
Lab-grown diamonds booming in the U.K. as newlyweds opt for more sustainable option that is 85% cheaper
The London-based diamond retailer Queensmith revealed the market for lab-grown diamonds has increased by 2,860 percent in just five years as consumers look for more sustainable, ethical, and affordable options.
U.K. to pardon women convicted of homosexuality
The British Home Office is expanding a program that pardons people convicted of any offense related to homosexuality. Previously, the program was only available to men, but it is now open to women.
U.K. achieves huge gains in 5-year survival rates of early breast cancer
A new U.K. study has found that, compared to 20 years ago, women diagnosed today with early invasive breast cancer and initially treated with surgery are 66% less likely to die from the disease.
U.K. researchers develop machine learning algorithm for quickly and accurately predicting heart attacks
Compared to existing methods, the researchers found that CoDE-ACS could rule out a heart attack in more than double the number of patients, with an accuracy of 99.6%.
British wind power overtakes gas for the first time
Almost a third of Britain’s electricity, some 32.4% came from wind farms in the first quarter of 2023 compared with 31.7% from gas-fired power plants, marking the first quarter where wind power output was higher.
The world’s first rewilding center opens in Scotland
The Dundreggan Rewilding Centre in Glenmoriston offers a gateway to the U.K.’s largest nature recovery site. The 10,000-acre landscape is being nursed back to health by the charity Trees for Life, which bought the site in 2008.
Cyclists now outnumber motorists in London
The number of motorists has fallen by 64% since 1999, while the number of climate-friendly cyclists has increased by 386%.
Leading lawyers in England sign declaration to not prosecute peaceful climate protestors
More than 120 top attorneys have signed a declaration to “withhold services in respect of supporting new fossil fuel projects and action against climate protesters exercising their right to peaceful protest.”
Women make up 40% of boards at top U.K. companies for first time
Just over a decade ago, 152 of the FTSE 350 Boards had no women on them. Now there are women on every board and the vast majority of companies have three or more.