Europe

Warsaw, Poland

Coal produces less than half of Poland’s power for first time since 1800s

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According to a report by Forum Energii, an energy think tank, electricity produced from coal in April 2025 amounted to 6.5 terawatt-hours (TWh), accounting for 49.4% of the total energy mix. This represents an 18.9% decrease from March and a 9.6% drop compared to the same month in 2024. Forum Energii described recent changes in the electricity mix as “unprecedented”, noting that the use of coal had fallen by 29.9 percentage points between April 2015 and April 2025.

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Marine litter on the E.U. coastline down by almost one-third since 2015

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The new E.U. Coastline Macro Litter Trend report has found that the amount of marine macro litter in the E.U. coastline has dropped by 29% between 2015-2016 and 2020-2021. While the largest reduction in terms of percentages is seen at the Baltic Sea (45%), major efforts at the Mediterranean and the Black Sea have led to impressive reductions in the absolute amount of litter on European beaches. This achievement is the result of multilateral, national, regional, and citizen efforts triggered by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

Rooftop solar panels on suburban houses in bright sunlight, for an article about England's solar panel mandate for new homes

England to require solar panels on all new homes by 2027

By / / Good News For Humankind

Solar panel mandate on new homes in England marks a significant shift in how the country approaches energy and housing. Starting in 2027, housebuilders will be legally required to install rooftop solar on virtually all new construction, with homeowners expected to save more than £1,000 annually on energy bills. The policy supports the U.K.’s goal of decarbonizing its electricity grid by 2030 and signals the government’s commitment to staying the course on net zero despite growing political debate. Across 1.5 million planned new homes, the cumulative impact on household finances and grid demand could be substantial.

Hand holding smart phone

Finland bans smartphones in schools

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The Finnish Parliament has approved a law restricting the use of mobile devices by pupils at primary and secondary schools. Pupils will need to get special permission from teachers to use their phones to assist them in studies, to take care of personal health-related matters, etc. Research increasingly indicates that excessive smartphone use in children and adolescents can negatively impact their mental and physical health, academic performance, and social development.

Residential apartment buildings in Helsinki for an article about Finland Housing First

Finland cut homelessness by 75% — and the rest of the world is watching

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Finland Housing First policy stands as one of the most remarkable social policy achievements of the modern era, reducing the country’s homeless population by roughly 75% since 2008. Rather than requiring sobriety or employment before offering shelter, Finland gives people housing unconditionally, letting support services follow once residents have a stable foundation. The results are concrete: long-term homelessness fell 68% between 2008 and 2022, and housing a formerly homeless person saves Finnish society approximately 15,000 euros annually in emergency costs. The program proves chronic homelessness is solvable, not inevitable, though recent government cuts offer a sobering reminder that even exceptional systems depend on sustained political will.

Ukraine flag

Ukraine allies pledge €21 billion in fresh military aid

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The announcement came as members of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group met at Nato’s headquarters in Brussels to pledge air defences, missiles, and other gear as Europe sought to fill the gap left by the changed priorities of the U.S. under Donald Trump. More than half of the aid – €11 billion over four years – is coming from Germany. Support also includes a $590m package from the U.K. and Norway to fund radar systems, anti-tank mines, vehicle repairs, and hundreds of thousands of drones as the nation faces a brutal, unlawful invasion from Russia.

Solar farm

Renewable energy now handles 40% of global electricity needs

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According to a new report from U.K. think tank Ember, clean energy accounted for 40.9% of electricity produced worldwide in 2024. The push past the 40% mark was fueled by an unprecedented growth in solar, significant contributions from wind, a recovery in hydropower, and a small rise in nuclear power. China and the E.U. demonstrated the most remarkable increases in clean electricity generation, meeting 81% and 71% of their new electricity demand from renewables in 2024, respectively.

Finnish flags

Finland has effectively phased out coal as a source of electricity generation

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The closure of a coal power plant in Finland today brings the country to the brink of a full coal phase-out – four years ahead of schedule. Power utility company Helen officially decommissioned its Salmisaari plant in Helsinki on 1 April, dropping coal to a less than 1% share of the country’s energy mix. Since 2020, coal generation has dropped by 73% from 2.44 terawatt hours to 0.67. Over the same span, wind power has more than doubled since 2020 to supply a quarter of the country’s energy.

Pharmacy

England to make the morning-after pill free over the counter in pharmacies

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Currently, women can get the emergency contraception pill for free from sexual health clinics run by the National Health Service (NHS). However, the pill can cost up to £30 ($62) at pharmacies in the UK. Starting this year, the pill will be available for free at pharmacies, aiming to “reduce inequalities”, according to a Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) statement. The move will also help free up general practitioners by reducing the need for women to make appointments to access the pill, the DHSC said.

A surgeon performing minimally invasive robotic surgery for an article about NeuroSafe prostate surgery

NeuroSafe prostate surgery nearly doubles odds of keeping erectile function after cancer treatment

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NeuroSafe prostate surgery nearly doubles the chances of men retaining erectile function after prostate cancer treatment, according to the first large-scale clinical trial of the technique. Published in Lancet Oncology and presented at the 2025 European Association of Urology congress, the trial found 39% of NeuroSafe patients reported no or mild erectile dysfunction one year after surgery, compared to just 23% receiving standard care. The procedure works by freezing and examining prostate tissue mid-operation, letting surgeons spare surrounding nerves when it is safe to do so. For the 50,000 men diagnosed with prostate cancer in England each year, this advance offers a meaningful path forward without forcing a choice between cure and quality of life.