Norway Leads EV Transition and Turning Textile Waste Into New Fabrics - Top Stories Week

Watch this 12-minute video from the World Economic Forum covering four significant global developments: the return of beavers to England's wild after 400 years of extinction, highlighting their role as "ecosystem engineers"; the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement (IPETCA) initiated by four Asia-Pacific economies to promote trade between Indigenous communities while protecting their cultural heritage; Norway's impressive progress toward electric vehicle adoption, with EVs comprising 95% of new car sales in February 2025 and the country on track to reach its 100% EV goal by the end of 2025; and innovative solutions for textile recycling by Evrnu, which transforms high cotton content fabrics into new materials through a process of sorting, shredding, and liquefying into reusable fibers.

Syllabus

0:15 Beavers return to England’s wild – Wild beavers were hunted to extinction in England 400 years ago. But 2 beavers were spotted at Little Sea in January 2024. That paved the way for this licensed release by the National Trust, which called it ‘a watershed moment in the history of the species’. Beavers are regarded as ‘ecosystem engineers’ as they build habitats, they can restore native woodland and create new wetlands.
2:13 Indigenous Peoples are reshaping trade – In 2021, four Asia-Pacific economies initiated a deal to promote trade between different Indigenous communities, help them to trade internationally and support them in protecting their cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. It’s called the Indigenous Peoples Economic and Trade Cooperation Arrangement IPETCA.
5:52 Norway leads the charge in EV transition – EVs made up 95% of all new cars sold in Norway in February 2025. The overall figure for 2024 was 89%, up from 82% in 2023. Norway wants 100% of new cars to be electric by the end of 2025. These latest figures suggest the country could hit its target. So how has Norway done this?
7:26 Turning textile waste into new fabrics – At present, used clothing is typically resold and reworn, not recycled. There is no large-scale process for breaking down material fibres so they can be made into new garments. Evrnu is working on a solution. It collects fabrics with a high cotton content. It sorts and shreds them, then liquefies them into pulp which can be shaped into fibres and woven or knitted into new fabrics.