Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Nato’s 2023 military spending produced about 233m metric tonnes of CO2 – report

admin — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 09:00:46 +0000

Report says member states poured $1.34tn into their militaries last year – an increase of $126bn from 2022

As leaders from member countries gather to mark the 75th anniversary of Nato in Washington DC, researchers are warning that their military budgets are eroding the climate, producing an estimated 233m metric tonnes of greenhouse gas, more planet-heating pollution than some entire countries.

Rise in sewage pollution from Thames Water’s ageing treatment works

admin — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 08:45:58 +0000

Incidents from sites and pipe network increased by 19 last year to 350 amid delays in investment, company says

Thames Water to tap investors for funds as it will run out of cash by next June

Sewage pollution from ageing Thames Water treatment works that have not been upgraded increased last year, causing the company to again fail to meet its legal targets, according to its financial report.

DNA testing could be used to detect elusive crocodiles, Queensland officials say

admin — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 08:39:05 +0000

Wildlife authorities are hopeful about a new technique to identify which waterways have crocs without needing to sight them

Devastation as world’s biggest wetland burns: ‘those that cannot run don’t stand a chance’

admin — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 07:00:42 +0000

Blackened trees, dead animals and scorched earth – early wildfires have already devastated Brazil’s Pantanal and local people worry they may lose the battle to save them

Perched atop blackened trees, howler monkeys survey the ashes around them. A flock of emus treads, disoriented, in search of water. The skeletons of alligators lie lifeless and charred.

Climate protesters won’t be deterred by fines, jail or political mixed messages on the environment | Adam Morton

admin — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 06:47:30 +0000

Activists are convinced a wartime campaign of resistance is the only way to highlight the existing system’s failure to meet the moment

Three dead and millions without power as Tropical Storm Beryl hits Texas

admin — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 23:17:58 +0000

Man, 53, and woman, 74, killed by fallen trees and third person drowns amid howling winds and torrential rain

Tropical Storm Beryl made landfall in south-east Texas on Monday with howling winds and torrential rains, causing the deaths of at least three people, closing oil ports, and knocking out power to more than 2.5 million homes and businesses.

Modern-day dingoes already established across Australia thousands of years ago, research finds

admin — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 19:00:28 +0000

Newly recovered DNA shows the predators share little genetic ancestry with domestic dogs and are descended from ancient animals from China

Scientists have for the first time recovered DNA from the remains of dingoes between 400 and 2,700 years old to find the predator’s population was well established across the Australian continent thousands of years ago.

Rachel Reeves says new government has inherited ‘worst set of circumstances since second world war’ – as it happened

admin — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 17:14:30 +0000

This live blog is closed.

Rachel Reeves has finished the speech, in which she confirmed a range of measures to speed up planning. I will post a full summary shortly.

She is now taking questions.

I have repeatedly warned that whoever won the general election would inherit the worst set of circumstances since the second world war.

Labour must resist housebuilders’ pleas to weaken green standards, experts say

admin — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:46:05 +0000

Government urged to enforce more stringent rules amid target to build 1.5m new homes this parliament

Labour must stand firm against special pleading from housebuilders, who are likely to argue against fitting out new homes to stringent green standards, experts have warned.

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, laid out sweeping changes to the planning system on Monday in her first speech on reviving economic growth while pursuing the climate goal of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Watchdog investigates Defra over authorisation of bee-killing pesticide

admin — Mon, 08 Jul 2024 16:07:07 +0000

Neonicotinoid was given emergency clearance under Conservative government in 2023 and 2024

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is being investigated by the environmental watchdog after Conservative ministers authorised a bee-killing pesticide that was banned by the EU.