Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/kominki.evenweb.com en Odour of oil and return of Trump hang heavy over Cop29 in Baku https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/odour-oil-and-return-trump-hang-heavy-over-cop29-baku <p>Prospects of strong outcome appear dim but there is hope the talks will address pressing issue of climate finance</p> <p>More than 100 heads of state and government are expected to land in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, over the next few days and the first thing they are likely to notice is the smell of oil. The odour hangs heavy in the air, evidence of the abundance of fossil fuels in this small country on the shores of the Caspian Sea.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/odour-oil-and-return-trump-hang-heavy-over-cop29-baku" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 08 Nov 2024 06:00:03 +0000 admin 97815 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘Essential to act now’ to prevent chaotic climate breakdown, warns UN chief https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/essential-act-now-prevent-chaotic-climate-breakdown-warns-un-chief <p>On the eve of Cop29 in Baku, António Guterres says dangers are underestimated as irreversible tipping points near</p> <p>The world is still underestimating the risk of catastrophic climate breakdown and ecosystem collapse, the UN secretary general has warned in the run-up to Cop29, acknowledging that the rise in global heating is on course to soar past 1.5C (2.7F) over pre-industrial levels in the coming years.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/essential-act-now-prevent-chaotic-climate-breakdown-warns-un-chief" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 08 Nov 2024 05:00:01 +0000 admin 97814 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘A total waste of time’: why Papua New Guinea pulled out of Cop29 and why climate advocates are worried https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/total-waste-time-why-papua-new-guinea-pulled-out-cop29-and-why-climate-advocates-are-w <p>Country’s foreign minister says UN climate summits have produced ‘no results’ as Pacific nation takes the rare step of withdrawing from upcoming Cop29</p> <p>Papua New Guinea’s decision to pull out of an upcoming UN global climate summit due to frustration over “empty promises and inaction” has prompted concern from climate advocates, who fear the move will isolate the Pacific nation and put vital funding at risk.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/total-waste-time-why-papua-new-guinea-pulled-out-cop29-and-why-climate-advocates-are-w" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 08 Nov 2024 04:02:18 +0000 admin 97813 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Prince William describes ‘brutal’ impact of wife’s and father’s cancer diagnoses https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/prince-william-describes-brutal-impact-wife-s-and-father-s-cancer-diagnoses <p>Royal says ‘it’s probably been the hardest year in my life’ as Catherine and King Charles underwent cancer treatment</p> <p>Prince William has described the past year as “brutal” and “probably the hardest year in my life” as he dealt with his wife and father having cancer.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/prince-william-describes-brutal-impact-wife-s-and-father-s-cancer-diagnoses" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 07 Nov 2024 23:50:15 +0000 admin 97811 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘The first thing I did was poke it’: Canada beach blobs mystery solved by chemists https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/first-thing-i-did-was-poke-it-canada-beach-blobs-mystery-solved-chemists <p>Newfoundland Memorial Univeristy team find white masses are likely material used to clean pipes in oil industry</p> <p>When the chemist Chris Kozak finally got his hands on a sample of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/oct/15/mysterious-white-blobs-canada-beaches-experts-marine-scientists">mysterious blobs</a> that recently washed up on the shores of Newfoundland’s beaches, Project Unknown Glob officially began.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/first-thing-i-did-was-poke-it-canada-beach-blobs-mystery-solved-chemists" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 07 Nov 2024 20:26:46 +0000 admin 97810 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Ben Jennings on Trump’s victory and a bleak outlook for the planet – cartoon https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/ben-jennings-trump-s-victory-and-bleak-outlook-planet-cartoon <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/picture/2024/nov/07/ben-jennings-trump-planet-president-us-drill-drill-drill">Continue reading...</a></p> Thu, 07 Nov 2024 17:45:36 +0000 admin 97809 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Activists fear Florida enshrining right to fish and hunt will lead to trophy hunting https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/activists-fear-florida-enshrining-right-fish-and-hunt-will-lead-trophy-hunting <p>Critics say amendment 2 is intentionally ‘open to applying chicanery’ and outdated hunting practices</p> <p>Black bears in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/florida">Florida</a> could soon again be in the crosshairs of trophy hunters after a controversial <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/wildlife">wildlife</a> ballot measure was approved by voters, environmental advocates say.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/activists-fear-florida-enshrining-right-fish-and-hunt-will-lead-trophy-hunting" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 07 Nov 2024 17:34:18 +0000 admin 97808 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Planting trees in the Arctic could make global warming worse, not better, say scientists https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/planting-trees-arctic-could-make-global-warming-worse-not-better-say-scientists <p>Tree planting has been widely touted as a cost-effective way of reducing global warming, due to trees' ability to store large quantities of carbon from the atmosphere. But, an international group of scientists argue that tree planting at high latitudes will accelerate, rather than decelerate, global warming. Why? Because soils in the Arctic and Subarctic store immense amounts of carbon that may be released into the atmosphere when disturbed, and the trees will soak up more heat from the sun than white snow.</p> Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:50:55 +0000 admin 97812 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘Used like taxis’: Soaring private jet flights drive up climate-heating emissions https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/used-taxis-soaring-private-jet-flights-drive-climate-heating-emissions <p>Analysis of 19m flights between 2019 and 2023 reveals 50% rise in emissions, condemned as ‘gratuitous waste’</p> <p>Private jet flights have soared in recent years, with the resulting climate-heating emissions rising by 50%, the most comprehensive global analysis to date has revealed.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/used-taxis-soaring-private-jet-flights-drive-climate-heating-emissions" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:00:44 +0000 admin 97806 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Plastic pollution is changing entire Earth system, scientists find https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/plastic-pollution-changing-entire-earth-system-scientists-find <p>Pollution is affecting the climate, biodiversity, ecosystems, ocean acidification and human health, according to analysis</p> <p>Plastic pollution is changing the processes of the entire Earth system, exacerbating climate change, biodiversity loss, ocean acidification, and the use of freshwater and land, according to scientific analysis.</p> <p>Plastic must not be treated as a waste problem alone, the authors said, but as a product that poses harm to ecosystems and human health.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/plastic-pollution-changing-entire-earth-system-scientists-find" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:00:43 +0000 admin 97807 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org