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.

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.

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.

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.

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.