continent

The European Union is successfully demolishing hundreds of dams across the continent. It’s for our good

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When Tore Sorebakken and a team of workers reached the Vinstra River in the heart of Norway in December 2025, no one knew what they were looking for. But when they emptied the pond, drilled dozens of holes and installed 750 kilos of explosives, local authorities stopped them and asked them what why were they trying to destroy that natural waterfall. Sorebakken, surprised, had to explain to them that this was actually a dam built at the beginning of the 20th century to facilitate the transportation of wood and generate a minimum amount of hydroelectric energy. The locals had completely forgotten about it: as I say, they had no idea that it was a human infrastructure. And that is a beautiful metaphor for the enormous abandonment that European rivers have suffered for decades. Free the rivers. Six years ago, the demolition of old dams and clogged weirs was anecdotal in Europe. But in 2024 it came into force European Union Nature Restoration Regulation. It sought to return 25,000 kilometers of river to “free-flow” status before 2030. Since then (since before, really, because there were countries that began to implement it before it came into force) we have had five consecutive years of historical highs. In 2025, according to Dam Removal Europe annual reportat least 603 barriers were removed on the continent. This allowed more than 3,740 kilometers of river to be reconnected. The ‘more’ in the previous paragraph is because reconnection data is only available for 198 of the 603 barriers removed. But why do we want to ‘reconnect kilometers of river’? There are many data, but one that is especially clear is that More than 42% of European freshwater fish species are threateneds and about two-thirds are at risk of being so. Whether we like it or not, 9 out of 10 natural disasters in the European Union in the last decade have had to do with water. And having the rivers full of forgotten structures is part of the problem. ‘Taking back control’ of rivers is essential to reduce the risks of contemporary European society. But that will have consequences, right? This can be read in many places: that European policies of “dam demolition” aggravate droughts. The problem is, of course, that is inaccurate. At least, if we go by the majority of the demolitions. Almost everything that is being torn down are weirs of less than two meters. That is, small barriers that do not store water, but rather raise the sheet to divert flow to an irrigation canal, hydroelectric plant or mill. In fact, most of them should already be demolished because the concessions that allowed them have expired, but no one has paid special attention to it. Until now. Image | Red Zeppelin In Xataka | “In the next ten years, Spain and Latin America are going to suffer (a lot) with water,” Robert Glennon (University of Arizona)

The great deindustrialization of Europe, on a map that divides the continent into two

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Europe is a continent and many different realities and the economy is no exception. we see it in the industrial fabric, in GDP, in salaries and on the map that you see above these lines: the weight of the industry in employment, or what is the same, what population that works does so in a factory. Although we are going to see it in a big way and with the legend, at first glance something stands out: while there are states that have industry as their main source of employment, in others what rules are services. The weight of the industry in employment in Europe. More specifically, the map represents the percentage that factory employment represents in total employment in each European region in a range that goes from 3% (the lightest areas) to 34% (the dark red areas). The map in question is the work of the cartographer of Milos Popovic and for its preparation it takes the data corresponding to 2023 from Eurostatthe official statistical office of the EU, which publishes these series systematically for member states, allowing them to be compared. Why it is important. Because beyond offering direct employment, the industry is the sector that contributes the most to productivity growth throughout the economy, according to data from Eurostat and the analysis of the European Center for Austrian Economics Foundation. When there is no industry (or there is it in small doses), the services that replace it tend to concentrate on activities with lower productivity and lower wages. On the other hand, losing industry implies dependence on third parties: we saw it in the pandemic when buying masks and we continually suffer it in strategic products such as semiconductors. And it also takes its toll on exports and deteriorates R&D capacity. What percentage of total employment does the industry occupy? Eurostat via Milos Popovic The two Europes: that of industry and that of services. Broadly speaking, Europe is divided into two blocks: the center, the east and some exceptions in the north of the Iberian Peninsula concentrate between 24 and 35% of its employment in manufacturing. On the other side of the coin, Ireland, the Nordic countries, Greece or southern Spain are below 13%. This division is due to several moments but the reasons are identical. Central Europe is the factory of the old continent and much of the blame lies with the EU enlargement in 2004a moment in which European and global multinationals relocated their production to those economies, taking advantage of low labor costs, the existence of labor and, obviously, this new scenario of access to the common market. Germany, the exception and the industrial anchor of Europe. Germany is simply an anomaly in Europe. While France, the United Kingdom and the Nordic countries have been reducing their industrial weight for decades, Germany has been able to maintain robust manufacturing: it represents around 19.7% of the country’s gross added value compared to the European average of 15.6% thanks to an industrial fabric made up of medium-sized companies specialized in machinery, automotive, chemicals and capital goods. But it is not being easy at all: energy is expensive, competition (especially Chinese) is fierce in industries such as the automobile industry and the drop in demand is forcing the Central European country to undergo a profound restructuring. And layoffs: without going any further, ThyssenKrupp Steel advertisement in 2024 a workforce cut from 27,000 to 16,000 workers, an example that summarizes what is happening throughout Teutonic heavy industry. The deindustrialization of the West. Industrial weight loss in Western Europe is not new and does not stop: according to the GMK Center with data from the World Bankthe EU’s share of global industrial added value fell from 20.8% in 2000 to 16.3% in 2023 and between 2018 and 2024 alone, 700,000 jobs were lost in the old continent in the industry. France is a magnificent example because it is the most illustrative case: the industry barely represents 10.6% of its gross added value, almost half that of Germany. Spain stands at 11.7% although it has abysmal differences between the more industrial north (La Rioja and Navarra) and the tourist south. In Xataka | There is one fact that summarizes Europe better than any speech: the minimum wage gap between the east and west of the continent. In Xataka | The best paid jobs in Spain in 2026: from 56,000 euros for a doctor to 250,000 for directing private banking Cover | MilosGis

the map that divides the continent in two through its two large hydrographic basins

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Neither the intention to vote nor the football team nor of course the borders: Europe is divided from east to west and from north to south by an invisible line that divides the old continent in two to answer a question: where each and every one of them travels. the drops of rainwater that fall in Europe. Because each white line that crosses the map represents one of the many rivers that run through each and every state and its color reveals where it will end: the northern slope in blue includes the Atlantic Ocean, the North Sea or the Baltic Sea and the southern slope in red, for the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, the Adriatic Sea or the Caspian Sea. Although the line from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Ural Mountains and the distinction between the frigid open water masses of the north and the inland seas of the south is clear, the practical reality is intuitively more blurred: the difference between one destination and the other can be only a few meters in altitude in the Alps. This map displays the hydrographic basins of Europethat is, the geographical areas where all surface water converges towards the same drainage point, in this case the seas and oceans that surround the continent. That line is the great divide continental, in this case simplified compared to its most rigorous version to reduce it to the north and south slopes. The author of the map is the French cartographer Pierre Remonté from the source Natural Eartha public domain vector mapping project developed by the North American Cartographic Information Society (NACIS). A more exhaustive alternative to the continental divides in Europe. Kimdime The great watershed of Europe On the northern and western slopes, the very long Rhine stands out, 1,230 kilometers long, which originates in the Swiss Alps and flows into the North Sea through Rotterdam, in addition to the Elbe, the Oder and the Vistula, which end in the Baltic or the Seine and the Loire that flow towards the Atlantic. Mighty rivers that have historically been commercial arteries of central Europe to reach the Atlantic and the Baltic. On the southern and eastern slopes, the absolute protagonist is the Danube, with 2,860 kilometers, which passes through 10 states and empties into the Black Sea. It is accompanied by the Dnieper that goes to the Black Sea, the Po that reaches the Adriatic or the Rhône and the Ebro that end in the Mediterranean. This basin is characterized by more variable water regimes and a geography marked by the large southern peninsulas. The Great Continental Divide, by Pierre Remonté The shape of this divide is not random: it is the direct consequence of millions of years of tectonic processes, mainly the collision between the African and Eurasian plates. The areas where the color changes coincide with the peaks of the Alps, the Pyrenees and the French Massif Central, which act as “roofs” that divert runoff to one side or the other. From a geological point of view, this map is a reflection of the structural relief of the continent. On the high peaks of Switzerland or Austria, the direction of the wind or the inclination of a rock of just a few centimeters can decide whether melted snow will end up on the coasts of the Netherlands or in the Danube delta in Romania. Some curiosities. One of the most interesting situations occurs in Munich: a drop that falls in that German city will reach the Isar, then the Danube and then travel more than 2,000 kilometers to the Black Sea. However, less than 100 kilometers away, a drop that falls there will end up in the North Sea. In some parts of the Alps, this divide means that extremely close geographic places belong to basins with final destinations thousands of kilometers apart. In the Iberian Peninsula there are also rarities: the longest and largest rivers flow into the Atlantic, but there is a notable exception that breaks this trend, the Ebro. Thus, situations arise such as that of Pamplona, ​​located less than 100 kilometers from the Atlantic (Cantabrian Sea): a drop that falls in the Navarrese capital will reach the Arga and from there to the Ebro to end up in the Mediterranean. In Xataka | The best 7 printed or digital maps that the European Union gives away and you can get for free In Xataka | The entire history of Europe year by year, explained in a video of just ten minutes Cover | Perrin Remonté

why the United States needs the old continent more than it admits

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That the United States is the absolute reference of the West is a reality that we have been seeing all our lives: American Way of Life from the 1950s to the hackneyed phrase “without us, you would all be speaking German” that Trump took it upon himself to remember in Davos and that we have seen countless times in war films. Spain has its own version of that story with Welcome, Mister Marshall. But Trump returned to the White House willing to fulfill his promise to “Make American Great Again” at any price: immigration management with ICE as the executing arm about their citizenship, threats to Greenland or tariffs as a tool of permanent pressure. His ways are more reminiscent of a school bully than of a leader running one of the most powerful countries on the planet. And Europe? Well, between caution, diplomacy and even turning the other cheek. The million-dollar question is whether Europe has as little room for maneuver as it appears. The answer, according to a recent analysis from the German institute Dezernat Zukunft, no. United States > Europe. In case it was necessary to remember the power of the United States in general, it has the largest GDP in the world according to the IMFit is also the country with more military spendingthe dollar It is the world reserve currency par excellence since 1945. Furthermore, leads in digital infrastructure and semiconductors (in design and sales), almost half the world share. In fact, as Dezernat Zukunft points outnot even the 10 largest European countries combined compete with those key indicators of material power. But power is not negotiating ability. The United States is the strongest in the yard, but Europe has the leverage. And here the game board changes. A close example: the gas key. Russia’s GDP It is less than the ninth part of the EUbut Russia has something that Europe needs: the gas required to heat in winter. Changing suppliers overnight was unfeasible. Europe is a succulent client. The magnificent seven (Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, Nvidia, Tesla, Meta) have an important part of their market in Europe. According to estimates by Dezernat Zukunftthese big tech companies generate more than $500 billion annually in Europe alone. If the old continent closes the market or fines them, their stock market shares would suffer a severe blow. And this point is not only important for companies. The magnificent seven They represent a third of the entire S&P 500the index in which the pension plans of millions of Americans are invested. If these big tech companies lose Europe, North American seniors earn less when they retire and that can be dramatic on a social and political level. Europe controls nuclear fuel. On Donald Trump’s roadmap Nuclear power plants are being built everywhere, but the United States does not have enough enriched uranium to supply itself in the short or medium term. Europe, through companies such as Urenco and Orano, is the main supplier of enriched uranium to the US, according to data from the Energy Information Agency. If the EU turns off the tap by prioritizing its own supply, the United States would have a problem meeting its nuclear needs, a key element for powering AI data centers. Because in the artificial intelligence race, The US desperately needs energy. Europe manufactures the turbines. To achieve enough electricity to meet the demand of data centers for AI, a specific type of gas turbines (40 – 60 MW) is also needed and here a European company is the queen: Siemens Energy. Siemens Energy’s SGT-800 has delivery times of one to three years, in a market where general deadlines have skyrocketed to seven years due to the demand for data centers, according to Utility Dive. Europe does not even need to turn its back on the United States, prioritizing its own orders would be enough for US artificial intelligence projects to suffer a few valuable years of delay. And time is money: the cost for large US technology operators could exceed 50 billion euros, according to Dezernat Zukunft estimates. American debt is fragile. The US dollar accounts for 58% of world reserves, but its weight as a reserve currency has been declining for two decades. USA accumulate a deficit of 1.8 trillion dollars annually that is financed by issuing debt and needs buyers. The problem is that central banks have stopped buying that debt: now it is speculative investment funds based in London that support the market. For the German institute, Europe has regulatory tools to discourage the purchase of American debt and favor European debt. If American bond rates rise, mortgages, credit and public spending in the US become more expensive. And we have seen it recently: when 30-year bonds exceeded 5%, Trump backed down in their tariffs. Europe is the best customer for gas. USA is the main supplier of LNG to the EU. However, if war conflicts allow it, starting in 2027 The International Energy Agency plans a gas surplus that will change the balance: sellers will need buyers and not the other way around. Dezernat Zukunft explains that due to geographical proximity, Europe is the best customer for the US, so if the United States tried to use gas as a weapon, it would be making a fatal mistake: it would sink the profits of its gas industry and Europe could buy gas from other countries. In fact, the EU is already working on it. Who needs who more. Although from an objective and abstract point of view parameters such as the largest army or the most powerful economy make Europe look weaker compared to the United States, Dezernat Zukunft highlights one power: that of necessity. And on some issues, the US needs Europe as much or more than Europe needs the US. It is not that Europe does not have cards to play, it is that it is difficult for it to agree to play them. In Xataka | Europe has realized that it cannot … Read more

Raise a wall that protects the entire continent, but instead of concrete, drones

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In recent weeks, a Succession of incursions of drones and airplanes Russians About the heavens From Poland, Romania, Estonia, Denmark and Norway has evidenced the vulnerability of European airspace. The violations have forced to close civil airports, activate NATO fighters and use missiles to tear down devices whose price is just a fraction of the projectiles thrown against them. The alarm has spread from the Baltic to the Atlantic, and in Europe it has taken strength An idea: The answer must be a coordinated effort on the continental scale. The concept “Drones Wall”. Yes, under the impulse of the European Commissioner of Defense, Andrius Kubilius, the idea of A “drone wall” that protects all of Europe in the face of Russian threat. The initiative raises a multilayer system with radars, acoustic sensors, interception platforms, short -range anti -aircraft artillery and defensive drones, all connected to the network to share data in real time between countries. The objective is to achieve interoperability and common coverage that allows detect and neutralize drones In seconds. The project, which will be presented at the Copenhagen informal summit, extends beyond border countries with Russia to cover the entire continent, also integrating spatial capabilities in collaboration with the European Space Agency. Ukraine, the partner. A central aspect is the participation of Ukrainethat after more than three years of war has become the armed force more experienced In the world in defense against Drones swarms. Its manufacturers, supported by the immediate feedback of the front, They have developed industries capable of adapting designs in a matter of weeks, something that contrasts with the rigidity of the European arms industry. kyiv has offered Share knowledge, send technical teams to train NATO armies and participate in the joint development of systems. Several countries, including United Kingdom and Denmarkthey have already begun to weave industrial alliances with Ukrainian manufacturers to produce drones in common, aware that the future of air defense goes through a close integration with the innovative capacity of Ukraine. Politics, money and the EU. The drone wall project advances in parallel to a large -cut financial initiative: a 140,000 million loan from euros to Ukraine based on frozen Russian assets in the EU. Germany, who had been reluctant, has shown willingness to support The plan, convinced that without those funds It will be impossible Replace the void left by the American withdrawal. The formula would avoid direct confiscation of the funds, preserving international legality, but would allow Generate immediate resources to sustain the warlike ukrainian effort. Hungary, despite its proximity to Kremlin, It has not blocked So far the sanctions, but the fear of a veto forces Brussels to explore legal ways that raffle the need for unanimity. The interrelation between financing to Ukraine and the deployment of a continental drone shield underlines that European defense can no longer separate from kyiv’s survival. Berlin’s doubts. Despite the enthusiasm of Brussels and the East countries, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, He has cooled This week expectations. In his opinion, the idea that a wall of drones can be operational in three or four years, when the processes of acquisition and technological development are much slower. Pistorius insists on Prioritize flexible capabilitiesthat allow to adapt to a technology in constant evolution, rather than commit to a rigid and high cost concept. His words reflect a latent tension between those who demand speed and forcefulness, Like the Baltic or Polandand those who advocate prudence and financial sustainability, Like Germany. However, even the most skeptical coincide in the need to spend massively in anti -Didstock defense, even if it is outside the framework of a common wall. UK’s role: Project Octopus. In parallel, the United Kingdom has announced Your own contribution to a joint program with Ukraine, called Project octopusdestined to produce in British factories low -cost interceptors that can be manufactured in series and deploy in a matter of weeks. These devices, effective against The Iranian Shahedthey have a production cost ten times minor that the equivalent systems and could become the backbone of the short -range European air defense. London plans Share intellectual property with kyiv and supply the drones to both Ukraine and NATO countries, thus expanding their strategic influence. British involvement also seeks to compensate for its departure from the EU, showing that it remains a pillar of the European defense against Russia. New strategic balance. The initiative of the drone wall is framed in a broader context: progressive separation of the United Statesdriven by Trump’s policy. The partial abandonment of Washington has crystallized the evidence that the main military ally of Europe is no longer the United States, but Ukraine itselfwhich brings more than 700,000 active combatants, an agile arms industry and the determination to resist Moscow. Europe, therefore, aims to stop seeing kyiv as a mere consumer of military aid and starting to integrate it as a Security provider. The industrial agreements in drones are the first step of a symbiosis that could redefine continental defensive architecture. Between urgency and uncertainty. Under this scenario, Europe faces A crossroads: You need to act quickly to cover its vulnerabilities to Russian drones, but at the same time you must manage expectations and avoid financial or technological commitments that are unfeasible. The drone wall symbolizes EU’s will to build A common defenseinteroperable and sustained, but its success will depend on the ability to reconcile the demands of the eastern flank with the caution of the western nucleus. The Collaboration with Ukrainefinancing based on frozen Russian assets and British involvement They point to a future in which European security is built on its own pillars, or less dependent on the United States. In that transformation, drones do not seem only tactical tools: they have become the emblem of a Europe that desperately seeks shield his sky while redefine your place in the global strategic order. Image | Khamenei.ir, Nara, Rawpixel In Xataka | Russian drones are paralyzing airports in Europe. There is a background reason: 250,000 casualties in … Read more

The Chinese brand has begun to make its cars in the continent

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The Chinese brand of electric vehicles has launched Your first local production line In Europe, marking an important step in the industry, as it is placed as one of the first Chinese manufacturers to produce local vehicles in the continent. The company has chosen Magna’s facilities in Graz, Austria, to start the assembly of its most successful models in the European market. A key movement. Xpeng’s decision of manufacture at the local level in Europe Respond directly to Tariffs imposed by the European Union to electric vehicles manufactured in China. The tariff tax can reach up to 35.3% for some manufacturers, a percentage that adds to the 10% base tariff. In the case of Xpeng, considered A “cooperating” entity In European research on subsidies, the additional rate is only 20.7%. Xpeng G6. Image: Xpeng The choice of the perfect partner. Magna Steyr It is not any manufacturer by contract. Its Graz facilities have produced vehicles for brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Toyota. The plant specializes in flexible production of low volumes to media, and is recognized for its ability to assemble multiple complex models in shared lines. Currently, it is where the Mercedes-Benz class G. and the BMW Z4. The numbers speak. Between January and July 2025, Xpeng registered sales abroad from 18,701 vehicleswhich represents an interannual increase of 217%. In Europe specifically, more than 8,000 units were recorded in the first half of the year. The G6 monopolizes 67% of the brand’s total sales in Europe, becoming the star model of the region. More than a factory. Xpeng’s European strategy goes beyond production. The company has recently opened Your first center European research and development in Munich, Germany. This installation is designed to support technical collaboration and the adaptation of products to local markets. Although, like Explain The president and CEO he Xiaopeng, the center also focuses on conceptual prototypes through “an ecosystem driven by the focused on intelligent electric vehicles, humanoid robotics and flying vehicles.” The time factor. Xpeng has advanced to his rival byd in the race for local European production. While serial production in Austria should be in full operation next month, ByD plans to start Your production in Hungary Towards the end of the year. And now what. The company Plan Expand local production to other models in the future, including the new Xpeng P7+, described as its “car with AI”. The firm already has a presence in more than 46 countries and regions worldwide since its entry into Norway in 2021, being an example of the hunger that the Chinese automotive industry has by conquer other regionsnot only by export, but also through local manufacturing to grow the brand towards international markets. Cover image | Xpeng In Xataka | From Byd to Xiaomi: all Chinese cars that are already sold in Spain, Europe and those who are coming

Europe had killed its hopes to find oil in the continent. Poland has just changed that

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“The oil market is misleading.” This is warned by analyst Javier Blas In a recent article for Bloombergwhere he points out that under the apparent price stability a deep transformation that has altered the seasonality of global consumption is hidden. It is no longer winter, but summer, the moment of greatest demand for crude. And in this new scenario, Poland could be facing a turning point: the finding of the largest conventional hydrocarbon deposit in its history, in the waters of the Baltic Sea. A submerged treasure. The Canadian Central European Petroleum (CEP) company, backed by Norway investment, has announced the discovery of the Wolin Este site (We1), located just six kilometers from the coast. TVN24 He has reported That the site includes 22 million tons of oil and 5,000 million cubic meters of natural gas, with a total estimate in the concession of 33 million tons of crude oil and 27,000 million cubic meters of gas. According to calculations cited by BBCthis figure would represent around 200 million barrels of oil, which makes it a strategic finding both for its volume and its location. It doesn’t change everything, but it changes a lot. Poland consumes about 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, but its local production does not exceed 18,000. The rest matters. In that context, a discovery that can triple national production represents more than good news: it is a potential turning point. Wolin’s exploitation could multiply national production by three, according to CEP Executive Director, Rolf Skaar, In statements collected by TVN24. In addition, the crude found has an API index of 33.4, which classifies it as light, that is, easier and more economical to refine. This finding comes when Poland has already taken Russia’s energy distance after the invasion of Ukraine: it has connected to Norwegian gas through Baltic Pipe, has reinforced its import capacity of LNG since świnoujście and has diversified its access to crude oil through Naftaport, in Gdansk. But still depending, to a large extent, abroad. Wolin can start changing that. From the finding to extraction. The concession of Wolin, of 593 km², was perforated by the specialized platform Noble Resolve, reaching a vertical depth of 2,715 meters. The We1 well was left in future conditions and geological analysis confirmed a 62 -meter hydrocarbon column in the main dolomite formation (CA₂), As detailed Gospodarka Morska. CEP has already invested about 200 million Zlotys in seismic studies and drilling, and now looks for Polish and international partners to undertake the exploitation phase. Conversations with companies such as PGNIG (now integrated into Orlen) have been restarted after the fusion of state energy. International Resonance. Wolin’s discovery occurs while the international crude oil market navigates uncertain waters. According to ReutersBrent’s futures closed Monday under 70 dollars. The reason: the new sanctions of the European Union against Russia, which now prohibit the importation of refined products in third countries with Russian crude, such as India. Although analysts believe that the supply will find new paths, concerns arise about the impact on the diesel market, more difficult to replace. That tension adds an important nuance: the new deposits in European soil are not only an energy advantage, but also a geostrategic asset. And now what? The new site will not solve the Polish energy dependence on its own, but it could mark a turning point. As the energy expert points out Wojciech Jakóbik in BBC, the finding “will strengthen energy security, provided that estimates are confirmed in practice and develop the necessary infrastructure.” Today, it is not clear if a new pipeline will be built or existing infrastructure will be used. Meanwhile, CEP holds conversations with multiple actors and, as Jakóbik recalls, the project requires companies with “greater risk tolerance and investment capacity”. An energy window in convulsive times. The discovery in the Baltic Sea comes just when the global market enters its moment of maximum seasonal demand, in the middle of the northern hemisphere. As Bloomberg explained, the seasonality of crude has changed: it is no longer winter, but the summer months that mark consumption roofs. The big question is whether Poland can take this opportunity without repeating the mistakes of the past. The window is open. But it will not be forever. Image | Pexels Xataka | This graph shows that Venezuela has more oil than anyone. Your production is another song

Germany and France have signed a pact to reconfigure the continent

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The debate on nuclear energy It seems more alive than everbut it is not something new. He has been on the table for a couple of years and began to intensify with the closure of nuclear plants. Two years ago, Germany hill its last three nuclear centrals within politics, Energy. This measure was taken by the to an accident similar to Fukushima And it was reinforced by The Ukraine Wara cocktail that generated an intense national debate. Now with the arrival of the new Friedrich Merz Chancellor, the situation has taken another course. The firm. At a time where the European Union It is focusing All its efforts towards the energy transition, two countries have sealed an alliance that will change the paradigm of the contain. Germany has stopped blocking France’s efforts so that nuclear energy receives the same treatment as renewables in EU legislation, according to He has reported Financial Times. This decision marks a radical change regarding German position, which until now opposed to consider nuclear energy as a green source. THE PACT. The agreement has established three key points for nuclear energy. First, the Pink hydrogenproduced from nuclear energy, is classified as “green”, granting the same status as renewable hydrogen. Second, pejorative references against nuclear in EU legal texts will be eliminated, facilitating its inclusion in future energy regulations. Finally, this covenant could be key for nuclear energy to receive EU financing. A reactivation. The German Foreign Minister Friedrich Merz is using this agreement to reactivate Franco-German cooperation and advance in European energy policy. All this, motivated under the need of the German country to maintain competitive electricity prices and ensure stable energy supply. As They have detailed In the London environment, the agreement would open a door to future conversations about the possible integration of Germany into the French nuclear shield, a deterrent to the Russian threat. And the renewable boom? If something characterizes Germany It is his commitment to self -consumptionsurpassing Spain. In fact, last year more than 60% of electricity consumption came from clean sources, but the dependency by Gas remains highespecially during periods of Dunkelflautewhere renewable intermission can threaten the stability of the electrical system. So are they going to reopen centrals? No, there will be no reopening of conventional nuclear power plants. However, new nuclear technologies are being explored that could position Germany as a European reference. According to Financial Timesone of the technologies will be the small modular reactors (SMR), which have advantages in terms of safety, flexibility and smaller scale. In addition, the development of nuclear fusion is being promoted, with the announcement of firm support to the plant of Proxima Fusiona project that seeks to move towards a safer nuclear energy and No long -term radioactive waste. But wasn’t there a controversy? In 2022, the EU implemented green taxonomy to classify sustainable investments. However, since its approval, this regulation already includes nuclear energy and natural gas as transition energy sources, a movement that generated great controversy at the time. In this way, this new pact can bring a tail, because Austria remains the only member state that strongly opposes nuclear energy, while Belgium and the Netherlands are reconsidering their nuclear policies, as They have pointed out In Financial Times. Forecasts At the moment this pact has two approaches. In the short term, the agreement wants to stabilize energy prices and guarantee shared nuclear infrastructure. In the long term, Germany aspires to position itself as a leader in advanced nuclear technologies, especially in nuclear fusion and SMR, in addition to consolidating itself as a European reference of green hydrogen. This new turn that is taking Germany will transform the European energy balance and is another ingredient for the debate of the nuclear, which remains latent in the continent. However, in this context, one might ask if this position will not even intensify the divisions between the Member States, fueling tensions around common energy policy and complicating the transition to a more sustainable model. Image | Lnbiggs Xataka | A power in nuclear energy is emerging as the best alternative to Russia and China for the West: South Korea

If you do not protect your technological ones, they will leave the old continent

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Christophe Fouquet, the general director of ASML, has a huge challenge ahead. Like its predecessor at the head of this Dutch company, Peter Wennink, has the obligation to Defend your company’s interests. And currently the tension held by the US and China does not make it easy. The sanctions that They have deployed US and the Netherlands They prevent Asml selling Your most advanced lithography teams To its Chinese clients. And neither can some maintenance and after -sales services services provide. In 2022 the sales of this company in China amounted to 2.9 billion euros, which represented 13.8% of its annual sales. At that time Taiwan was a more important market for Asml than China. In fact, in 2023 the clients of the island bought lithography equipment for a total value of 8,100 million euros, while its Chinese clients disbursed 7.3 billion euros. And, curiously, in 2024 China was consolidated as The largest market for ASML with total sales of 10.2 billion euros. Christophe Fouquet’s warning does not concern Asml In the Netherlands 2024 will be remembered as the year in which the strap between ASML and the Dutch government reached its maximum expression. Christophe Fouquet He is convinced that the US will continue to put pressure on its partners to tighten the sanctions that seek to stop the development of the Chinese industry of the integrated circuits. In fact, according to the British weekly The Economistthis executive argues that European politicians and regulators should do more to help their company. “Europe should decide for itself what you want (…) should not be dictated by anyone else” However, Fouquet’s statements do not end here. He has also defended that Europe “should decide for itself what you want” and “should not be dictated by anyone else.” Otherwise, He has warnedleading European companies in strategic technologies, among which are ASML, could consider move outside the old continent. His tone reflects a certain degree of helplessness, but in practice his company would be very difficult to relocate out of Europe. On the one hand its supply chain is mostly deployed in this continent. And, in addition, the US will continue to exercise control of the American patents used by ASML regardless of the place where it resides. Christophe Fouquet’s discontent is evident, but it does not seem to have much room for maneuver. At this juncture his only hope is the Government of the Netherlands. In fact, the Dutch administration is fully aware that it cannot let its most important technology company leave its country of origin. This possibility triggered the launch in March 2024 by the government that was then led by Mark Rutte of the ‘Operation Beethoven’. This plan is still underway. And in a better way than ever. It will finally collect 2.5 billion euros with the purpose of improving homes, transport, education and electricity supply of the Eindhoven region, which is very close to Asml’s headquarterswhich is housed in Veldhoven. Although, curiously, ASML and Philips will contribute contributing with other Dutch technology companies 230 million euros to this plan. It does not sound bad, but it seems unlikely that this initiative is sufficient to content Asml. Image | ASML More information | The Economist In Xataka | Japan wants to recover leadership as a manufacturer of lithography equipment. And he has a plan to end the Asml monopoly

Spain was not one of the first to step on Antarctica, but now it has one of the most coveted laboratories on the continent

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The Antarctica It is a huge frozen desert, but also one orUnique portunity for research. Spain is one of the more than 30 countries that have Bases in the territory And one of them, Gabriel de Castilla’s, has just been extended to be able to carry out a broader range of projects. The peculiarity is that its construction has been carried out in record time and will allow a boost to the investigation of the Climate change and the Biodiversity With a particularity: Spanish is one of the three clean laboratories on the continent. Only. We have been decades studying Antarctica From the air. Is what is allowing us to know What is it under that layer of icebut we also have been studying at Antarctica from the ground. He Antarctic Treaty of 1959 It is the one that allowed different countries to establish bases on the continent, exclusively for peaceful and scientific purposes. However, before that there were already bases such as Orcadas base from Argentina, which were operating continuously in the field. The reason is that it is a Single scenario For research. Not only for its diversity or for the dry atmosphere that allows to install advanced astronomical observatories, but because we can reconstruct the climate of hundreds of thousands of years thanks to the air bubbles trapped in the ice and, above all, it is a Climate change thermometer. Spanish Antarctica. We owe several findings to the field research, being one of the most notable the discovery of the ozone layer in 1985. As a result of those agreements, Spain could establish Two bases in Antarctica. The most veteran is the Juan Carlos i. It was inaugurated in early 1988 and is operated by the CSIC. It is not busy all year, but maintains automated records when there is no one and supports projects of areas such as biology, geology, weather and glaciology. The other is the Gabriel de Castillaopened a year later and operated by the Army. Its operation area is diverse, with research in the fields of earth sciences (geomagnetism, volcanic surveillance or geomorphology, among others), biological sciences (ecology, ethology or microbiology), environmental sciences (climate change) and disciplines such as physics, mathematics or biochemistry. Gabriel de Castilla. Like Juan Carlos I, this base is not always busy. Spanish work is limited to the months of the Southern summer, which occurs between December and March, and its location is unique because it is next to one of the two active volcanoes of Antarctica. This makes it a unique enclave to study geological processes and extreme ecosystems. But it seems that the base fell short, so a new scientific module has been built. In the upper image we see what the base was like. In the lower one, those small modules have been eliminated to leave the new space. Reform reforms. After an investment of two million euros, the Gabriel de Castilla has been able to expand its surface to about 307 m². Thus, he has been able to improve his equipment thanks to a microscope room, an electricity and electronic space, a sanitary module and a clean laboratory. And we might think that in such an extreme climate the construction would go slow, but no: in 70 days of the plane to having a structure that already expects research equipment. As points The army, 700 panels, 400 profiles, 26 screws and a total of 80 tons of material have been used to create a new module 41 meters long by 7.2 wide and another 7 high. In case you wonder, beyond the heating, the walls have a 50 millimeter polyurethane sandwich -type layer and another 60 millimeter inner layer of rock wool to improve thermal protection. Clean laboratory. But beyond the speed in its construction, the most important thing about the ‘new’ Spanish base in Antarctica is the aforementioned clean laboratory. It is a space designed to minimize external pollution, so research processes can be carried out in a practically aseptic space in which the samples are not contaminated with exterior agents. The protocols are very strict in both cleaning and ventilation and disinfection, and the really important thing is that, of the more than 30 bases present in Antarctica, that of the Gabriel de Castilla is one of the three Clean laboratories from the region. As they detail in This video From El País, it will be shared with Portugal, and one of the objectives will be to analyze pure samples to better understand the human impact on the planet without external interference. Images | Earth Army, Antarctic campaign In Xataka | Some scientists have discovered that Antarctica is raising 5 cm a year. It is not clear if it is a luck or a problem

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