Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves en ‘Even the animals seem confused’: a retreating Kashmir glacier is creating an entire new world in its wake https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/even-animals-seem-confused-retreating-kashmir-glacier-creating-entire-new-world-its-wa <p>Kolahoi is one of many glaciers whose decline is disrupting whole ecosystems – water, wildlife and human life that it has supported for centuries</p> <p>From the slopes above Pahalgam, the Kolahoi glacier is visible as a thinning, rumpled ribbon of ice stretching across the western Himalayas. Once a vast white artery feeding rivers, fields and forests, it is now retreating steadily, leaving bare rock, crevassed ice and newly exposed alpine meadows.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/even-animals-seem-confused-retreating-kashmir-glacier-creating-entire-new-world-its-wa" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:00:40 +0000 admin 102127 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org It’s two years since we were told ‘the age of fossil fuels will end’. When will Australia get prepared for what’s coming? | Clear Air https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/it-s-two-years-we-were-told-age-fossil-fuels-will-end-when-will-australia-get-prepared <p>The decline of the coal export industry could come even faster than expected, and we need to do more to manage the economic risks</p> <ul> <li> <p>Want to get this in your inbox when it publishes?<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/10/sign-up-for-the-clear-air-australia-environment-newsletter-with-adam-morton?CMP=cvau_sfl"> Sign up for the Clear Air Australia newsletter here</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/it-s-two-years-we-were-told-age-fossil-fuels-will-end-when-will-australia-get-prepared" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:26:58 +0000 admin 102126 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘We call him ... unbearable’: California homeowner laments uninvited beast https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/we-call-him-unbearable-california-homeowner-laments-uninvited-beast <p>The 550lb bear living under Ken Johnson’s home for two weeks is unmoved by ‘lure’, with caramel and cherry smells</p> <p>A hefty 550lb black bear has laid claim to the crawl space under an Altadena home, marking the latest in a series of bear incursions into the Los Angeles community.</p> <p>On 25 November, homeowner Ken Johnson noticed the bear leaving the crawl space and later contacted California’s department of fish and wildlife for assistance removing it from below his home. Despite sweet-scented lures and ammonia-towels, the bear has remained in place for more than two weeks.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/we-call-him-unbearable-california-homeowner-laments-uninvited-beast" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:20:23 +0000 admin 102125 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org The Guardian view on waste: the festive season is a good time to think about rubbish | Editorial https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/guardian-view-waste-festive-season-good-time-think-about-rubbish-editorial <p>Weak regulation is to blame for disastrous failures in relation to pollution. But there are solutions if people get behind them</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/guardian-view-waste-festive-season-good-time-think-about-rubbish-editorial" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 18:49:27 +0000 admin 102123 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Ofgem approves early investment in three UK electricity ‘superhighways’ https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/ofgem-approves-early-investment-three-uk-electricity-superhighways <p>Green light intended to limit amount consumers pay for windfarms to turn off during periods of high generation</p> <p>Three major UK electricity “superhighways” could move ahead sooner than expected to help limit the amount that households pay for windfarms to turn off during periods of high power generation.</p> <p>Current grid bottlenecks mean there is not enough capacity to transport the abundance of electricity generated in periods of strong winds to areas where energy demand is highest.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/ofgem-approves-early-investment-three-uk-electricity-superhighways" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 18:03:52 +0000 admin 102122 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org US judge strikes down Trump order blocking wind energy projects https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/us-judge-strikes-down-trump-order-blocking-wind-energy-projects <p>Federal judge declared January executive order unlawful, ruling in favor of a coalition of state attorneys general</p> <p>A federal judge on Monday struck down <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump</a>’s executive order blocking wind energy projects, saying the effort to halt virtually all leasing of windfarms on federal lands and waters was “arbitrary and capricious” and violated US law.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/us-judge-strikes-down-trump-order-blocking-wind-energy-projects" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:16:57 +0000 admin 102121 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Australia’s energy grid must triple capacity by 2050 with major increase to wind and solar, Aemo says https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/australia-s-energy-grid-must-triple-capacity-2050-major-increase-wind-and-solar-aemo-s <p>Market operator says capital cost of infrastructure under optimal path would be $128bn in today’s dollars, but price of delay is even higher</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/10/sign-up-for-the-clear-air-australia-environment-newsletter-with-adam-morton?CMP=cvau_sfl">Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/australia-s-energy-grid-must-triple-capacity-2050-major-increase-wind-and-solar-aemo-s" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:01:03 +0000 admin 102124 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘Food and fossil fuel production causing $5bn of environmental damage an hour’ https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/food-and-fossil-fuel-production-causing-5bn-environmental-damage-hour <p>UN GEO report says ending this harm key to global transformation required ‘before collapse becomes inevitable’</p> <p>The unsustainable production of food and fossil fuels causes $5bn (£3.8bn) of environmental damage per hour, according to a major UN report.</p> <p>Ending this harm was a key part of the global transformation of governance, economics and finance required “before collapse becomes inevitable”, the experts said.</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/09/food-fossil-fuel-production-5bn-environmental-damage-an-hour-un-geo-report-">Continue reading...</a></p> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 09:00:04 +0000 admin 102120 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org UK households bin 168m Christmas lights and ‘fast tech’ items a year https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-households-bin-168m-christmas-lights-and-fast-tech-items-year <p>Consumers spent £1.7bn on festive lighting last year and much of it is treated as disposable</p> <p>UK households have thrown away an estimated 168m light-up Christmas items and other “fast-tech” gifts over the past year, a study suggests.</p> <p>The research by the non-profit group Material Focus found about £1.7bn was spent last year on Christmas lighting, including 39m sets of fairy lights.</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/09/uk-households-bin-christmas-lights-fast-tech-items">Continue reading...</a></p> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:02 +0000 admin 102119 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Caribbean reefs have lost 48% of hard coral since 1980, study finds https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/caribbean-reefs-have-lost-48-hard-coral-1980-study-finds <p>‘Destructive’ marine heatwaves driving loss of microalgae that feed coral, says Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network </p> <p>Caribbean reefs have half as much hard coral now as they did in 1980, <a href="https://gcrmn.net/caribbean-report-2025-v1/">a study</a> has found.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/caribbean-reefs-have-lost-48-hard-coral-1980-study-finds" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:00:01 +0000 admin 102118 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org