The British city of Bradford proves that environmental protection benefits both public health and the economy. Since introducing its Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in 2022, the city has significantly improved air quality. The results speak for themselves: a 25% drop in doctor visits and annual healthcare savings exceeding €420,000. Bradford Redefines Traffic Rules in Its Clean Air Zone – The Result: Cleaner Air and More Funding for Climate Action When the English city of Bradford in Yorkshire introduced one of the country’s largest low-emission zones in 2022, reactions were mixed. Critics feared economic drawbacks, while supporters hoped for cleaner air…
Author: Sophie Wenkel
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The Aral Sea was once one of the largest lakes in the world. But within just a few decades, human actions nearly dried it up. The surrounding regions in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have faced drought, soil salinization, and severe sandstorms. However, in recent years, international cooperation has given the Aral Sea a second chance. Large-scale water redirection, resilient vegetation, and a dam are driving the Aral Sea recovery. Until the mid-20th century, the Aral Sea was the fourth-largest lake on Earth, covering 68,000 square kilometers—roughly the size of Ireland. But in the 1960s, disaster struck. The Soviet Union redirected the Amu…
Power outages – hardly imaginable in many parts of the world today. Yet in rural regions of East Africa, a lack of reliable energy was long an everyday reality. Today, however, communal solar power systems are transforming lives: they provide clean electricity that not only protects the climate but also improves health, education, and economic opportunities. It’s nighttime at the Ndilidau Health Center in southeastern Kenya, near the border with Tanzania. Midwife Jacinta Malemba shines a flashlight into the darkness – just another of the countless nights when power outages disrupted the clinic’s operations. “We never lost anyone, but we…
The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has issued a historic EU transgender rights ruling. It requires all EU member states to recognize legal gender and name changes made in other EU countries. This is a major step forward for transgender rights in Europe. The ruling ensures fair treatment for individuals who have legally changed their gender, removing legal and bureaucratic obstacles across borders. The EU transgender rights ruling promotes equality and strengthens the rights of transgender individuals throughout the European Union. The case that led to the EU Transgender Rights Ruling This ruling stems from a case involving a Romanian…
Portugal plans a new €20 train ticket. This will allow residents to travel on all trains across the country for just €20 a month. The initiative aims to ease financial pressure on citizens and support climate protection. In 2023, the government introduced a €49 ticket. It offered unlimited travel on most regional trains for a month to locals and tourists. However, high-speed trains and the urban networks in Porto, Lisbon, and Coimbra were not included. Now, the government plans to cut the price in half. It will also include intercity express trains, as Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced: “We will…