The European Patent Office (EPO) allowed a patent on bush-type watermelon plants and their fruits as technical inventions. However, the bushy growth of the plants was a random natural occurrence and, according to the patent description, was simply discovered. European law does not allow patenting such plants.
As hydrogen infrastructure is rolled out in the EU, refuelling stations must be distributed according to the same principle in all countries. However, a study from Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden now highlights shortcomings in EU regulations. Using an advanced model, the researchers show that the distribution of refueling stations may be incorrectly dimensioned and lead to losses of tens of millions of euros a year in some countries.
Ship traffic in shallow areas, such as ports, can trigger significant methane emissions simply by passing through the water. The researchers in a study, led by Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden, observed twenty times higher methane emissions in the shipping lane compared to nearby undisturbed areas. Despite the fact that methane is a greenhouse gas that is 27 times as powerful as carbon dioxide, these emissions are often overlooked with today’s measurement methods.
A new SOMO study shows that Europe’s automotive sector is neither in crisis nor needs urgent state support. In reality, the EU’s car industry is highly profitable, politically influential, and a major obstacle to climate action.
In a joint position paper, the German organic producer, Bioland, together with a score of organizations, is calling for significant restrictions regarding patents on seeds.
As stated in the position paper, the signatories are calling for patents on plants obtained from conventional breeding (random mutagenesis) to be prohibited, as well as on plants obtained from new genetic engineering (NGTs) if their characteristics also occur in nature. In addition, they propose a general exclusion from patent law for breeding (breeders’ exemption), which would also apply if further patents are granted.
China cements its position as the world’s single largest investor in energy, while solar PV is attracting more capital than any other technology, new IEA report shows.
Earth Overshoot Day 2025 lands on July 24, the date when humanity will have used up nature’s entire annual budget of ecological resources and services, according to Global Footprint Network, the international sustainability organization that pioneered the Ecological Footprint, and York University, which now produces the National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts under the governance of FoDaFo.
A wave of new research shows that the world is far more united on climate action than most people think. Across countries, cultures, and political divides, there is deep and widespread support for stronger climate measures—but this support is hidden by a major perception gap. People wrongly believe they are in the minority, which holds back action, conversation, and policy progress. Correcting that misunderstanding could unlock a tipping point for global climate momentum.
Climate TRACE, a coalition backed by former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, released the first-ever monthly global greenhouse gas emissions report based on direct, real-time observation using satellites, sensors, and AI. This marks a dramatic shift from traditional, slow, and often self-reported emissions inventories.
Artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the energy sector in the coming decade, driving a surge in electricity demand from data centres around the world while also unlocking significant opportunities to cut costs, enhance competitiveness and reduce emissions, according to a major new report from the IEA.