In brief | 22 April '25

FT: Germany’s neighbours eye share of Friedrich Merz’s big spending plans

Germany’s economically liberal neighbours are warming to relaxing EU state subsidy rules for the long term, as they bet on their national industries gaining from Berlin’s big spending plans.

Reuters: EU Commission faces complaint over easing of sustainability rules

Climate and human rights campaigners filed a complaint against the European Commission on Friday, accusing the EU executive of weakening sustainability laws without first consulting the public about the changes or assessing their impact.

Ember: Solar and wind strengthen energy security

New data from Ember shows that solar and wind have reached the price and scale to significantly displace fossil fuels and boost energy independence.

E3G: Business leaders overwhelmingly back a rapid transition to renewable power

Ninety-seven percent of business leaders support a move away from fossil fuels, with nearly 80 percent calling for a renewables-based electricity system by 2035 or sooner, the E3G global poll shows.