European Union

Island off the shore of the Azores

The Azores creates largest marine protected area network in the North Atlantic

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The Azores, an autonomous Portuguese archipelago, has approved legislation to create the largest marine protected area (MPA) network in the North Atlantic Ocean. Spread across about 110,800 square miles, the new MPA network covers 30% of the ocean surrounding the archipelago. Half of the network is “fully protected,” and half is “highly protected.” In the “fully protected” parts, extractive or destructive activities like fishing are not allowed, while activities such as diving, swimming, and marine tourism are regulated.

Person happily holding a trans pride flag

European court rules member states must recognize trans people’s names and genders

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The Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) ruled that member states must recognize legal documents from other countries that reflect a person’s changed name and gender identity, regardless of the member state’s own laws on changing one’s name and identity. Marie-Hélène Ludwig, senior strategic litigator with the LGBTQ+ rights organization ILGA-Europe, said in a statement, “This judgement will have an immensely positive impact, increasing legal protection for all trans people in the E.U…”

France to trial ban on mobile phones at school for children under 15

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France is to trial a ban on mobile phones at school for pupils up to the age of 15, seeking to give children a “digital pause” that, if judged successful, could be rolled out nationwide from January. Just under 200 secondary schools will take part in the experiment that will require youngsters to hand over phones on arrival at reception. It takes the prohibition on the devices further than a 2018 law that banned pupils at primary and secondary schools from using their phones on the premises but allowed them to keep possession of them.

Wind turbines amid flower farm

E.U. surpasses 50% renewable power share for first time ever in first half of 2024

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Electricity industry association Eurelectric has released figures showing that 50% of public electricity generation in the E.U. came from renewables for the first time in history earlier this year. The association said Europe was decarbonizing at an unprecedented pace, with just over 50% coming from renewable energy and nearly 75% coming from non-fossil-fuel sources, up from 68% last year.

Liechtenstein town

Liechtenstein legalizes same-sex marriage

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Liechtenstein’s parliament has voted to legalize same-sex marriage, making it the 22nd country in Europe to do so. Lawmakers in the German-speaking microstate voted nearly unanimously in favor of the measure, with 24 of the 25 MPs supporting it, Liechtensteiner Vaterland reported.

Coal pollution

G7 agree to close all coal-fired generating stations by 2035

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Energy ministers from the G7 countries — Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the European Union — agreed at a meeting in Turin, Italy, to close all coal-fired generating stations in their countries by 2035 if not sooner. Putting an end date on coal — the most polluting of all fossil fuels — has been highly controversial at international climate talks. Until this point, Japan, which derived 32% of its electricity from coal in 2023 according to the climate advocate Ember, has blocked progress on the issue at past G7 meetings.

Whale jumping

E.U. pledges €3.5 billion to protect world’s oceans

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At the Our Ocean Conference in Greece, the European Union demonstrated its strong engagement for international ocean governance by announcing 40 commitments for action for 2024. These actions will be funded by €3.5 billion from various E.U. funds, including €1.9 billion for sustainable fisheries in Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Poland, and Portugal.

Illustration of the ChatGPT logo on a brain

E.U. regulators pass the world’s first sweeping artificial intelligence regulations

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The E.U. says the regulations seek to “protect fundamental rights, democracy, the rule of law and environmental sustainability from high-risk AI, while boosting innovation and establishing Europe as a leader in the field.” Applications that will be banned include social scoring, emotion recognition in schools and workplaces, and “AI that manipulates human behavior or exploits people’s vulnerabilities.” The historic AI Act is likely to come into force in early June.

Birds eye view of tropical rainforest deforestation. An earth mover removes trees which are then burnt

E.U. Parliament votes to criminalize most serious cases of ecosystem destruction

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The European Union has become the first international body to criminalize the most serious cases of environmental damage that are “comparable to ecocide.” Ecosystem destruction, including habitat loss and illegal logging, will now be punished with tougher penalties and prison sentences. Member countries will have two years to put the updated directive into national law.

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