Spain to get majority of electricity from renewable energy in 2023 for first time ever
Spain will become the first of Europe’s five highest energy-consuming countries to pass this symbolic 50% marker.
Europe
This archive covers progress stories from across Europe, spanning the U.K., Scandinavia, the E.U. and beyond. Readers will find reporting on health, climate policy, social welfare, science and more — drawn from nearly 1,200 articles tracking real gains made by communities, governments and researchers throughout the region.
Germany hands back centuries-old masks to Colombia
The wooden objects are highly revered by the country’s Indigenous Kogi mountain people, and their return is the latest in a string of cultural restitutions by Germany and other European nations.
Iceland outlaws conversion therapy in unanimous vote
The Icelandic parliament has unanimously passed a comprehensive conversion therapy ban, prohibiting the practice on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
Switzerland amends law to legally recognize that sex without consent is rape
The amendment follows similar rulings in Denmark and Spain, where the law was recently changed to define rape as sexual assault without explicit consent.
Latvia elects the first openly gay head of state in Europe
The country’s parliament has elected Edgars Rinkēvičs to be its next president. Rinkēvičs publicly came out as gay in November 2014.
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%.
Planes in the E.U. will have to be partly powered by sustainable fuel
By 2025, 2% of fuel offered at EU airports must be sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). This must rise to 6% by 2030, 20% by 2035, and 70% of by 2050.
Helsinki University makes Parkinson’s disease breakthrough
Scientists at the University of Helsinki have demonstrated that certain strains of bacteria are probable causes of Parkinson’s disease in most cases. This finding may make it possible to prevent the debilitating disease.
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.
Sweden to build world’s first permanent e-road by 2035
The first of its kind in the world, the e-motorway that charges EVs while they drive may lead to an expansion of a further 3,000 km of electric roads in Sweden by 2045.