Sainsbury’s to cut plastic packaging in half by 2025
The U.K. supermarket giant currently uses almost 120,000 tonnes of plastic packaging per year.
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.
Sarajevo hosts landmark gay pride parade
The capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina has held its first ever gay pride event amid heavy security. Bosnia is the last of the countries of former Yugoslavia to hold a pride event.
Iceland Supermarket’s ‘reverse vending machines’ reach one million plastic bottles recycled
Iceland supermarkets have recycled over one million plastic bottles in just over a year, thanks to a trial of ‘reverse vending machines’ in five of its U.K. stores.
Ireland to plant 440 million trees over the next 20 years
The Irish government has announced an ambitious plan to fight climate change, setting a planting target of 440 million trees by 2040.
Offshore wind boom is transforming U.K.’s coastal town economy
Growth in the U.K. offshore wind industry is transforming the U.K.’s coastal towns from empty ports to bustling industry with thousands of skilled job opportunities.
World’s largest urban rooftop farm to open in Paris in 2020
French company Agripolis is opening a 150,000-square-foot urban farm in Paris, where it will grow more than 2,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables every day during high season.
11 million new trees to be planted in England by water companies
The firms will be planting trees on around 15,000 acres of land across England, as well as supporting work to restore original woodland and improving habitats that store carbon.
Europe coal generation collapsed by 19% in first six months of 2019
“2019 may mark the beginning of the end for coal power in Europe,” said Dave Jones, an Electricity Analyst at Sandbag.
Luxembourg to be first European country to legalize cannabis
Luxembourg has called on its EU neighbors to relax their drug laws as its health minister confirmed plans to become the first European country to legalize cannabis production and consumption.
Barclays cuts finance ties with private prisons
Barclays Plc will stop providing future financing to companies that manage private prisons and immigration holding facilities, joining other major lenders in shunning the industry.