Ventyr, a Belgian-Dutch company, won the auction to develop the Southern North Sea II offshore wind project near Norway's border with Denmark. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced the project as part of Norway's goal to achieve 30,000 MW of renewable energy by 2040. The auction, which required bidders to propose the lowest amount of government support needed, was won by Ventyr with a bid of 115 øre per kilowatt hour. The consortium includes Ingka Investment, part of the Ingka Group that owns IKEA stores, and Belgian offshore wind developer Parkwind. Despite the auction's success, many bidders withdrew due to concerns over low profitability amid rising development costs and insufficient subsidies.

Despite Norway's fully renewable power system and high electric vehicle adoption, the country has only reduced emissions by 4.6% since 1990, far from its 2030 target of 55%. Challenges include scaling up renewable energy, increasing storage capacity, and balancing the power grid. The oil and gas industry remains a significant employer, complicating the transition. Norway's energy minister confirmed continued fossil fuel extraction, citing Europe's need to diversify from Russian energy. Equinor is investing in renewable projects, but faces delays. Controversy arises over wind farms in protected Sámi areas and plans to mine seabed minerals, which environmentalists argue threaten marine life. Norway's digitalization efforts in energy and potential deep-sea mining require careful environmental monitoring and research investment.

The Italian Parliament approved a ban on the production and marketing of cultivated meat, a move seen as defending Italian food culture and heritage. However, civil society organizations believe the ban serves the strategic political interest of the Brothers of Italy party ahead of the 2024 elections. The Italian Agriculture Minister called for a different Europe, while Germany and Denmark are promoting alternative proteins. The EU will review the same legislative text Italy withdrew from the TRIS notification process, which was considered weak. The Italian government's decision to withdraw the law is seen as a political choice to promote the government's outcome before the European elections. The proposed policy must receive approval from the Italian President, which is uncertain due to potential EU market law violations.

Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida withdrew a proposed law banning cultivated meat after presenting it to the European Union, stating the withdrawal is not a setback. Over 2 million people and 3,500 municipalities in Italy signed a petition to regulate cultivated meat, supported by the Italian agricultural organization Coldiretti. The ban could prevent the establishment of new biotechnological and lab-cultivated food companies in Italy and may violate Article 9 of the Italian Constitution, which promotes scientific research development. Lollobrigida, who is related to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, initially proposed the bill to protect national interest, food heritage, and consumer health. The Italian Senate approved the bill in July, but after notifying the European Commission, the government retracted the text for further study. The Ministry of Agriculture plans to quickly notify the EU of the revised bill.

Danish startup Kleen Hub is trialing a new third-generation return system for reusable packaging that operates with a single bank card tap, aiming to increase adoption by minimizing consumer effort. Founded in 2019, Kleen Hub initially offered reusable stainless steel boxes and coffee mugs through an app. The new system uses android devices with embedded chips and QR codes on cups to streamline the process. The company is collaborating with Coffee Collective to introduce the system in Copenhagen and is seeking investment to expand. The European Commission's goal for all EU packaging to be reusable or recyclable by 2030 aligns with Kleen Hub's mission, despite the current decline in global circularity rates.

Hoxton Farms, a London-based biotech company, opened its first pilot facility for cultivating animal fat on September 21st. The facility aims to advance research, scale-up production, and develop prototypes with plant-based companies and supermarkets. Founded in 2020 by Max Jamilly and Ed Steele, the company focuses on producing cultivated fat, a key flavor component in food. The launch follows a $22 million Series A funding round. Hoxton Farms has developed custom in-house bioreactors to optimize fat cell growth, which could significantly increase production efficiency. The company is exploring the enhancement of plant-based foods with cultivated fat and is considering locations for its first commercial plant outside of central London.

Mosa Meat, a Dutch cultivated red meat company, announced in early September its status as a Certified B Corporation, joining a global community of businesses meeting high standards of social and environmental impact. With around 4,300 B Corps in 77 countries, Mosa Meat attracted celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio, who became a consultant and investor in 2021. Cultivated meat, produced through biotechnological processes, is seen as a promising solution to environmental challenges posed by conventional animal production. Mosa Meat, based in Maastricht, Netherlands, received certifications for two Impact Business Models (IBMs) for reducing resource use and for fulfilling the company's purpose. CEO Maarten Bosch expressed optimism for shared values in the nascent field of cellular agriculture. DiCaprio hailed the certification as a champion of change. Mosa Meat, known for presenting the first cultivated red meat burger in 2013, opened a fourth factory in Maastricht earlier in May, making it the world's largest meat harvesting center.

Be Better My Friend, a Dutch startup based in Barcelona, has developed the first plant-based butter specifically designed for pastries, offering improved taste and flavor for products like croissants, scones, and cakes. Co-founded by pastry chef Marike van Beurden and former Barry Callebaut Group executive Joost Lindeman, the company created a low-processed, environmentally friendly butter alternative that has been well-received by pastry professionals in over 15 countries. The product, which enhances the flavor of ingredients without overpowering them, has a longer shelf life and is competitively priced. Be Better My Friend focuses on a B2B strategy and has recently won a competition at ProVeg International's Incubator program, signaling a promising future for the startup.

The European Commission is open to innovations in food production, including cell-based foods, as stated by Bruno Gautrais of the Commission's New Foods unit. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated nearly 100 new food applications, and the regulatory framework is being discussed to ensure safety and legal certainty for companies. No cell-based food applications have been received by EFSA yet, due to the rigorous process. Meatable, a Dutch biotech company, has conducted the first global tasting of cultured pork sausages in Singapore. EuropaBio emphasizes the need for the EU to act to reduce waiting times for application analysis to prevent companies from leaving Europe.

EU and Australian trade negotiators are in the final stages of their trade talks, with both sides aiming to resolve outstanding technical issues and sensitive topics such as agriculture and geographical indications. The EU, led by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, is keen to reduce trade dependency on autocratic regimes and sees the deal as a geopolitical win, while Australia seeks to balance China's influence. Agriculture access and European car exports are among the contentious points, with the EU also pushing for adherence to its environmental standards. Australian officials and industry representatives express a mix of optimism and concern, with European Greens demanding greater climate commitments.

Europe is embroiled in a dispute over Ireland's plan to mandate health warning labels on alcohol, akin to cigarette packaging warnings. The European Commission has approved the initiative, which is part of Ireland's Public Health (Alcohol) Act 2018, designed to curb alcohol abuse. The labels would state that alcohol consumption causes liver disease, harms unborn babies, and is linked to fatal cancers. Nine EU member states and the drinks industry have objected, claiming it attacks the EU's single market and moderate drinking. The labels, which could be implemented by 2026, have sparked fears of trade barriers and increased bureaucracy. The Irish government contends that the responsibility for labeling will fall on domestic retailers, not foreign producers. The drinks industry, however, argues that this is impractical and could lead to separate packaging lines for domestic sales. Legal action against the Irish plan is being considered by some EU members, who view it as a threat to the single market.

Food safety and quality are increasingly important in the context of rising global demand and food production. The EU-funded SAFFI project, coordinated by Dr Erwan Engel from INRAE, aims to improve safety and quality in infant food production by collaborating with major research organizations and infant-food producers in Europe and China. The project focuses on popular infant-food lines and tests innovative processing technologies. Additionally, the NUTRISHIELD project seeks to create personalized diets for children with obesity or diabetes and lactating mothers, using laser technology developed by Alpes Lasers for biomarker analysis. These initiatives contribute to the EU economy and aim to improve safety standards and reduce trade barriers.

A Danish supermarket chain rejected over 1.3 tons of organic pears from an Italian farmer company due to their 'wrong color'. Eat GRIM, an anti-food waste company, sought help to rescue the fruits. Danish food producer Meyers, founded by chef Claus Meyer, responded and utilized the pears in their canteens and as part of a 'Thursday cake' tradition. This action aligns with Meyers' goal to become CO2-neutral by 2025 and their efforts to reduce food waste, which also includes a partnership with Too Good to Go. The Italian pear producer, Bio Fruit Service, noted that organic fruits can be more fragile, leading to potential rejections by supermarkets.

Paris-based food technology company Gourmey, a pioneer in cultivated foie gras, has closed a Series A funding round of $47.7 million, the largest of its kind for a cultivated meat company. The investment, led by Earlybird Venture Capital, will fund a new 3,530 square meter commercial production facility and R&D center in Paris. Gourmey plans to refine and market its lab-grown foie gras in the coming years, expanding its product portfolio in collaboration with chefs and global food distributors. Meanwhile, Vow, a Sydney-based cell-cultivated meat company, has opened the largest cultivated meat center in the Southern Hemisphere, capable of producing 30 tons of meat annually.

Klimato, a Stockholm-based climate startup, won a cash prize of $18,500 at Oslo Innovation Week for their carbon label menus calculations aimed at reducing food waste and emissions in the food industry. Their digital platform enables restaurants and other food service providers to calculate and communicate the climate emissions of their dishes, helping consumers make informed choices. With clients like Sodexo and hotel chains Marriott and Scandic, Klimato has helped reduce emissions by an average of 15% and is looking to expand into Europe.

Switzerland is set to hold a referendum on September 25 to decide on the abolition of intensive livestock farming, following a citizens' initiative supported by NGOs including Greenpeace and the Franz Weber Foundation. The initiative, which garnered over 106,000 signatures, proposes a constitutional amendment to ensure animal welfare in farming practices. The Federal Council and parliament oppose the measure, citing potential economic impacts on farms and issues with imports. Similar initiatives in Europe, such as meat bans at public events in Helsinki and restrictions on meat advertising in Haarlem, reflect a growing trend towards reevaluating meat consumption for animal rights and environmental reasons.

Horizon-backed scientists in Europe are researching ways to enhance the competitiveness of the continent's beer and wine industries. The Aromagenesis project, led by the University of Dublin, has developed a bank of natural yeast strains to improve the aroma and flavor of lager beers and wine. The project, which avoids GMO yeasts, could lead to the commercialisation of more flavourful wines like Sauvignon Blanc and Verdejo in 2023. Additionally, the TRACEWINDU project aims to combat wine fraud by using blockchain technology to track a wine bottle's life cycle and ensure its authenticity. This project also supports the European Green Deal by promoting sustainable practices in wine production.

Israeli company MeaTech 3D is innovating in the cultured meat industry with their hybrid chicken nuggets, which combine plant-based protein with cultured chicken fat biomass. The company's goal is to enhance the taste and juiciness of plant-based meat alternatives. MeaTech 3D acquired the Belgian company Peace of Meat to further this aim and is now establishing a pilot plant in Antwerp to scale up production. They have also partnered with Dutch mycoprotein startup ENOUGH to integrate their chicken biomass into products. MeaTech 3D plans to build sustainable factories powered by renewable energy and aims to have a significant production capacity by 2025. The company has conducted several food tasting events to refine their product and is working towards regulatory approval.

The Nuova Cooperativa Organizzata (NCO), a consortium of social cooperatives in Campania, Italy, is combating the influence of the regional criminal organisation Camorra by managing lands confiscated from them. They produce organic food which is sold in boxes as part of the 'Box to Camorra' project. The initiative, which includes pasta, wine, jam, and pasta sauce, has been extended to Brussels through the efforts of Franco Ianniello and his NGO Cultura Contro Camorra (CCC). Over 500 boxes have been distributed in Brussels, with plans to expand the project to France. The project aims to promote civil growth and economic activity in areas previously under criminal control, and it is seen as a social and political activity rather than a commercial one.

La 24esima edizione del summit internazionale sull'ambiente, COP24, si è tenuta a Katowice, Polonia, con l'obiettivo di finalizzare le linee guida dell'Accordo di Parigi del 2015. Il tema centrale è stato la decarbonizzazione, con particolare attenzione alla mobilitazione di strumenti finanziari internazionali per combattere il cambiamento climatico. La Banca Mondiale ha annunciato l'intenzione di raddoppiare i finanziamenti per il clima a 200 miliardi di dollari. Tuttavia, le discussioni sono state complicate dall'opposizione di paesi produttori di combustibili fossili come USA, Russia e Arabia Saudita. Il Brasile ha mostrato resistenza a causa del cambio di governo e delle politiche ambientali in atto. La conferenza ha anche affrontato il tema della giustizia climatica, con particolare enfasi sui paesi in via di sviluppo e le piccole isole. Nonostante le sfide, la COP24 si è conclusa con la firma di un nuovo accordo, sebbene alcune questioni importanti siano state rimandate alla COP25 in Cile.

The first vintage of Bordeaux 2050, a wine created using grapes from Tunisia to anticipate the rise in temperatures in Gironde, was tasted. The tasting took place at COP24, with the wine served in paper glasses to avoid plastic use.

Norwegian startup Völur, founded in 2019 and led by CEO Robert Ekrem, is pioneering a transformative approach to the conservative meat industry using AI-based data and technology. The company's AI technology aims to optimize decision-making in meat cutting and grading, potentially reducing the industry's carbon footprint, which accounts for 14.5% of global CO2 emissions. Völur's tools are designed to maximize animal utilization and efficiency, addressing the industry's low margins and negative margins by ensuring production meets demand. The startup has attracted clients like JBS and Cooperl and is focusing on beef and pork due to their complexity and volume. While European investors were hesitant, U.S. investors recognized the potential impact of Völur's technology on the industry. The adoption of Völur's AI could lead to reduced animal numbers, lower energy consumption, and potentially pave the way for stricter animal welfare standards.

Norwegian startup Völur, based in Oslo, is pioneering a transformative approach to the conservative meat industry using AI-based data and technology to improve decision-making, optimize cutting and grading, and provide environmental gains. The startup, founded in 2019 by CEO Robert Ekrem, aims to maximize animal utilization and reduce the 24% of animal meat lost during processing phases. Völur's AI technology analyzes supply and demand forecasts, animal characteristics, and other factors to optimize daily production. Clients include JBS from Brazil and Cooperl from France. The technology could reduce the number of animals needed, potentially impacting the industry's carbon footprint significantly.