The Upside weekly report does, however, look at ideas for making the EU more lovable again

Riots in Paris, turmoil in Westminster, death in Strasbourg, stasis in Katowice at climate talks: some weeks, optimism can seem thin and remote, like the atmosphere on Neptune.

Happily, there are thinkers such as Thomas Piketty to tell us how it could all be so different. A new plan for the EU, devised by the French economist and dozens of other Europeans, takes aim at some of these perennial problems – and offers some tentative solutions.

It seems particularly relevant, at a time when France’s gilets jaunes are tearing up Paris because of grinding austerity, that here is a plan that would raise money from big multinationals, not struggling families.

It also seems apposite that, with few concrete plans to deliver the cuts in carbon emissions required to keep the planet from overheating, here is a plan that would set a firm carbon price.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Thomas Piketty. The group he leads has a plan for a fairer Europe. Photograph: Eric Piermont/AFP/Getty

It feels urgent that, at a time when immigration and asylum have upended European politics, here at last is a proposal for funding a response. And any plan to make the EU more lovable is surely overdue: the British predicament is a testament to that.

Prospects for enacting the Piketty plan may be slim, given Europe’s perennial difficulty in finding consensus: not even everyone on the left will agree, as Yanis Varoufakis makes clear in this piece about his own plan to revive the EU.

But at least it’s a plan.

Elsewhere, one of our abiding themes in 2018 has been homelessness, an issue that always comes to the fore at this time of year. With rates climbing in many wealthy countries, it was good to hear of the remarkable work by a Dublin doctor to try to make a difference.

Finally: the Russian robot that turned out to be a man in a suit, the Santa who lost his cool and started swearing, and the Londoners who replied with typically dry humour to a New York Times request for victims of petty crime to come forward.

What we liked

This article, published by Ensia, delved into the mistakes Japan made in reforesting landscapes after the second world war, and the lessons it holds for other countries aiming to plant millions of trees in coming years to sequester carbon.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest The mountains of Wakayama, Japan. Photograph: Ken Thorsteinsson/Getty

Also, as the COP climate talks concluded in Poland, we salute our colleagues at Le Monde for their series on measures to fight global warming, including the Swedish neighbourhood powered entirely by renewables (this article is in French).

What we heard

Thanks very much for all you’ve been doing to report in those remotes areas. You’re bringing the light to the world.

Samah Brice, by email

Where was the upside?

In Haiti, where 4,000 people finally gained redress after having their land appropriated for an industrial park seven years ago.

“After my land was taken from me, we women have been in a difficult situation. We’ve had no income for crops we used to sell. We didn’t see any future. With the agreement we signed yesterday, we hope our lives will be changed.”

Seliana Marcelus, one of the farmers and lead negotiators

Also, with our fellow travellers at The Correspondent, which promises a fresh stream of constructive journalism in 2019, having crowdfunded $2.5m (nearly £2m) for a new, ad-free platform. “We don’t just cover the problem, but also what can be done about it,” they say.

Festive message: this week, we are not asking Upsiders to join the Guardian as members, but would instead invite you to consider donating to our Christmas charity appeal. Our journalists, including the Upside editor, Mark Rice-Oxley, will be taking your phone donations this Saturday on +44(0)20 3353 4368.

This email will not self-destruct, but will not appear for the next three weeks, while we – and you – take a well-earned break. We’ll be back with you on 11 January with an optimistic look at 2019 and all that it holds.

Happy Christmas, and wishing you all a prosperous, peaceful new year.