United Kingdom

Aerial view of London and the Thames

U.K. use of gas and coal for electricity at lowest since 1957

The UK’s gas power plants last year generated 31% of the UK’s electricity, or 98 terawatt hours, according to a report by the industry journal Carbon Brief, while the UK’s last remaining coal plant produced enough electricity to meet just 1% of the UK’s power demand or 4TWh. Fossil fuels have been increasingly squeezed out of the electricity system by a surge in renewable energy generation combined with higher electricity imports from France and Norway and a long-term trend of falling demand.

american public power association eIBTh DXW w unsplash

In Scotland, renewable power has outstripped demand

For the first time, in 2022, Scottish renewables generated more power than the country used, new government figures show. The growth of wind power, coupled with a small drop in electricity consumption, meant that the volume of electricity produced by renewables in Scotland was equal to 113 percent of demand.

A medical professional reviewing cancer treatment data for an article about cervical cancer survival

U.K. scientists cut cervical cancer death risk by 35% in major trial

Cervical cancer survival rates could improve dramatically after a major clinical trial found that adding a short course of chemotherapy before standard treatment reduces the risk of death or recurrence by 35%. Led by University College London researchers and funded by Cancer Research U.K., the trial showed 80% of women using the new approach were alive at five years, compared to 72% receiving standard treatment alone. The finding is considered the biggest advance in cervical cancer outcomes in over 20 years. Crucially, the drugs involved are already approved, widely available, and inexpensive, meaning the protocol could be adopted globally without new approvals or manufacturing delays.