Ireland votes to end abortion ban
Ireland voted decisively to repeal one of the world’s more restrictive abortion bans, dealing the latest in a series of stinging rebukes to the Roman Catholic Church.
Europe
This archive covers progress stories and milestones from across Europe, spanning health, climate policy, social equity, and scientific research. From small-nation experiments to E.U.-wide initiatives, these reports highlight what is working and why.
Scotland sets target of cutting greenhouse gases by 90% by 2050
The Scottish government also said it would have a new interim target for 2020 of a 56 per cent cut compared with the existing goal of 42 per cent.
Pivot Power to build ‘world first’ battery network in the U.K.
Pivot Power unveiled plans to build the world’s first national network of grid-scale batteries and rapid-charge stations across the U.K. to accelerate electric vehicle adoption.
The Church of Scotland has voted to allow ministers to conduct same-sex marriages
The Church of Scotland has voted to draft new laws that would allow ministers to conduct same-sex marriages.
Two thirds of E.U. cities have climate change plans
66% of EU cities have a mitigation or adaptation plan in place. The top countries were Poland — where 97% of cities have mitigation plans — Germany (81%), Ireland (80%), Finland (78%) and Sweden (77%).
E.U. plans to spend a quarter of its budget on climate protection
A quarter of the €1.279 trillion budget for 2021 to 2027 will be dedicated to spending designed to combat climate change. That includes funding for renewable energy, efficiency improvements, and adaptation to the effects of climate change.
E.U. to ban bee-killing pesticides
EU countries voted on Friday for a near-total ban on insecticides blamed for killing off bee populations, in what campaigners called a “beacon of hope” for the winged insects.
Every major supermarket in Britain agrees to ban unnecessary single-use plastic packaging by 2025
The agreement, organised by Government-backed waste charity Wrap, is a world-leading collaborative effort by Britain’s biggest consumer companies to tackle the scourge of plastic waste on the environment.
E.U. Parliament approves new measures to create a circular economy
“By 2025, at least 55% of municipal waste (from households and businesses) should be recycled. The target will rise to 60% by 2030 and 65% by 2035.”
HSBC to stop financing most new coal plants, oil sands, arctic drilling
Europe’s largest bank HSBC said on Friday it would mostly stop funding new coal power plants, oil sands and arctic drilling, becoming the latest in a long line of investors to shun the fossil fuels.