Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Flights at Germany’s busiest airport ‘gradually resuming’ on second day of coordinated ‘oil kills’ protests Climate activists have disrupted flights at Frankfurt and Oslo airports on the second day of coordinated Europe-wide “oil kills” protests. Demanding an end to fossil fuels by 2030, supporters of Letzte Generation (Last Generation) briefly suspended flights at Frankfurt airport on Thursday morning. The activists said they had cut a wire fence, entered on bicycles and skateboards and glued themselves to the tarmac. Continue reading...

Brazil court freezes assets of Dirceu Kruger to pay climate compensation for illegal deforestation A Brazilian cattle rancher has been ordered to pay more than $50m (£39m) for destroying part of the Amazon rainforest and ordered to restore the precious carbon sink. Last week, a federal court in Brazil froze the assets of Dirceu Kruger to pay compensation for the damage he had caused to the climate through illegal deforestation. The case was brought by Brazil’s attorney general’s office, representing the Brazilian institute of environment and renewable natural resources (Ibama). It is the largest civil case brought for climate crimes in Brazil to date and the start of a legal push to repair and deter damage to the rainforest. Continue reading...

Prime minister says energy plans will bring down bills and help planet as hae accuses Tories of shortsightedness The former Lib Dem leader Vince Cable is testifying at the inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal today. My colleague Mark Sweney will be sharing updates on that in the live blog here: “The days of government ministers waging culture wars against civil servants are over,” chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, has said. Yesterday I met the civil service unions together with my colleague, the new minister [Georgia Gould]. We had a very positive discussion covering a whole range of issues. I made it clear that the days of government ministers waging culture wars against civil servants are over. Instead, we want a civil service that’s motivated, valued and helps the government deliver its priorities. And on this specific issue of pay, the government will have more to say on civil service pay before the summer recess.” We do value civil servants, and of course we want all public servants to be properly and fairly rewarded, and, like any public expenditure, what’s spent on pay has to be balanced against other priorities and fair to taxpayers as a whole.” Departments do have flexibility on pay, they can direct pay towards the needs of their own workforces.” Continue reading...

This week all eyes will be on Teahupo’o as it hosts the world’s best surfers. Many islanders welcome the new infrastructure brought by the 2024 Paris Games, but are concerned that any benefits will be undone by longer-term damage Photographs by Atea Lee Chip Sao Peva Levy, often called the “godfather” of Teahupo’o, has witnessed his home town change from remote fishing village to surfing mecca in a matter of decades. Levy was a child of the ocean. He grew up swimming and fishing and was one of the first to bodysurf the “secret” wave beyond the reef, a dangerously thrilling, near-perfect barrel known only to local people. Levy couldn’t have known that the wave would one day attract the world’s leading surfers and, eventually, the Olympic Games. “When someone says ‘Teahupo’o’ these days, the first thing that everyone thinks of is the wave, because it has become such a mythical spot,” says Levy, in his handbuilt house overlooking the lagoon. Continue reading...