‘Peace parks’ that establish protected areas across borders are one idea from those working to protect marine ecosystems in a region rife with geopolitical sensitivities
‘In Sweden they train crows to pick those up,” shouts a passerby, unhelpfully, as my colleague and I fill our jam jars with hundreds of cigarette butts. Half an hour later, it’s plastic bottles, tin cans and a pair of boxer shorts.
Our team of a dozen volunteers are snorkelling and scuba-diving their way around the Dubai coastline of the Gulf – specifically a stretch of La Mer Bay that has been adopted by Chloe Griffin, a diving instructor who organises these “debris dives” for students.
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Breaking Waves: Ocean News
12/08/2023 - 08:00
12/08/2023 - 07:33
Exclusive: Figures reveal growing push by fossil fuel sector for technologies that scientists say will not stop global heating
Cop28 organisers granted attendance to at least 475 lobbyists working on carbon capture and storage (CCS), unproven technologies that climate scientists say will not curtail global heating, the Guardian can reveal.
The figure was calculated by the Centre for Environmental Law (Ciel) and shared exclusively with the Guardian, and is the first attempt to monitor the growing influence of the CCS subset of the fossil fuel industry within the UN climate talks.
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12/08/2023 - 06:00
The Guardian asks five climate experts to explain the key differences between 1.5C and 2C
The world’s most ambitious climate target is under threat, both from physics and politics. But what would it mean for the planet and its inhabitants if humanity were to abandon the goal to limit global heating to 1.5C above preindustrial levels?
The inclusion of 1.5C (2.7F) was hailed as one of the great triumphs of the Paris climate agreement of 2015. Until then, international ambition had been limited to 2C (3.6F), much to the frustration of small island states and others on the frontline of climate disruption.
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12/08/2023 - 05:46
Exclusive: plant from South America, also known as Gunnera, found to spread rapidly and choke native flora
With its dramatic leaves and sprawling structure, the giant rhubarb has long been a popular garden plant, gracing the grounds of stately homes and multiple National Trust properties.
But the UK government is now to enact a ban – similar to that on Japanese knotweed – on the plant, also known as Gunnera, meaning it cannot be sold or cultivated, and those who have it in their gardens must ensure it does not spread.
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12/08/2023 - 03:00
The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world
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12/08/2023 - 01:39
Sultan Al Jaber holds press conference at start of second week as summit focuses on children, education and food
Canada has been asked by the Cop28 president, Sultan Al Jaber, to help develop language on the potential phase down or phase out of fossil fuels, its environment minister told reporters on Friday morning.
Steven Guilbeault, a former activist who is environment minister for the fourth largest oil and gas producer in the world, announced that Canada would require its fossil fuel industry to cut its emissions between 35% to 38% below 2019 levels starting in 2030 on Thursday.
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12/08/2023 - 00:00
Researchers warn of one of ‘largest ecological disasters of modern times’ if the highly contagious disease reaches penguin colonies
Bird flu is spreading in the Antarctic, with hundreds of elephant seals found dead, and fears it could bring “one of the largest ecological disasters of modern times” if the highly contagious virus reaches the remote penguin populations.
The virus was first reported among brown skua on Bird Island, off South Georgia. Since then, researchers and observers have reported mass deaths of elephant seals, as well as increased deaths of fur seals, kelp gulls and brown skua at several other sites. Cases have been confirmed 900 miles (1,500km) west of South Georgia, among southern fulmar on the Falkland Islands.
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12/08/2023 - 00:00
npj Ocean Sustainability, Published online: 08 December 2023; doi:10.1038/s44183-023-00031-9
Fisheries subsidies exacerbate inequities in accessing seafood nutrients in the Indian Ocean
12/07/2023 - 23:00
UN climate chief calls for ‘highest ambition’ as nations wrangle over draft agreement
Negotiations on how the world can slash greenhouse gas emissions and stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis will reach a fresh intensity over the next few days, with nations wrangling over whether to phase out or phase down fossil fuels.
For the remaining five negotiating days of the Cop28 UN climate summit in Dubai ministers will hold a series of meetings to try to break the impasse and present a text that sets out a roadmap for staying within a rise of 1.5C of global heating above preindustrial levels.
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12/07/2023 - 20:59
This episode features a prime example of the power of relationship-building and community-building in the world of ocean advocacy. Jenna and her guest, Casey Darling Kniffin, originally crossed paths during one of Healthy Ocean Coalition(HOC)'s Healthy Ocean Advocacy Academies. Following the Academy, Casey became an active and valued member of the HOC community, stepped into an ocean advocacy leadership role as Florida Oceanographic Society's Advocacy Coordinator, and now, as announced on the show, Conservation Policy Director for Florida Wildlife Federation. Casey is a driven changemaker whose leadership is very much needed in the conservation space. She's a true partner and visionary in this work, and Jenna is honored to call her a friend - and feature her story on this month's episode.
