Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en Water plant that caused Tunbridge Wells supply failure was given risk notice in 2024 https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/water-plant-caused-tunbridge-wells-supply-failure-was-given-risk-notice-2024 <p>Watchdog investigating South East Water contamination issue had previously warned of potential health danger</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/dec/04/reform-uk-nigel-farage-richard-tice-keir-starmer-kemi-badenoch-uk-politics-live-news-updates">UK politics live – latest updates</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/water-plant-caused-tunbridge-wells-supply-failure-was-given-risk-notice-2024" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 04 Dec 2025 12:55:02 +0000 admin 102082 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Households face higher energy bills as £28bn grid upgrade gets go-ahead https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/households-face-higher-energy-bills-28bn-grid-upgrade-gets-go-ahead <p>Plan to improve gas networks and rewire electricity systems across Great Britain likely to add £30 to average annual bill</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2025/dec/04/uk-energy-network-28bn-upgrade-ofgem-construction-car-sales-stock-markets-business-live-news-updates">Business live – latest updates</a></p> </li> </ul> <p>Energy companies have been given the green light to spend £28bn on Great Britain’s gas and electricity grids, raising fears of higher household bills.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/households-face-higher-energy-bills-28bn-grid-upgrade-gets-go-ahead" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 04 Dec 2025 08:26:25 +0000 admin 102083 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org High levels of ‘forever chemical’ found in cereal products across Europe – study https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/high-levels-forever-chemical-found-cereal-products-across-europe-study <p>Pesticide Action Network Europe study finds average concentrations 100 times higher than in tap water</p> <p>High levels of a toxic “forever chemical” have been found in cereal products across Europe because of its presence in pesticides.</p> <p>The most contaminated food is breakfast cereal, according to a study by Pesticide Action Network Europe (PAN), with average concentrations 100 times higher than in tap water.</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/04/high-levels-of-forever-chemical-found-in-cereal-products-across-europe-study">Continue reading...</a></p> Thu, 04 Dec 2025 06:00:07 +0000 admin 102080 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org New England warming faster than most places on Earth, study finds https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/new-england-warming-faster-most-places-earth-study-finds <p>Pace of area’s temperature rise, outpaced in US only by Alaskan Arctic, apparently increased in past five years</p> <p>The US region called New England is widely known for its colonial history, maple syrup and frigid, snow-bound winters. Many of these norms are in the process of being upended, however, by a rapidly altering climate, with new research finding the area is heating up faster than almost anywhere else on Earth.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/new-england-warming-faster-most-places-earth-study-finds" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 04 Dec 2025 05:01:04 +0000 admin 102078 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org How an invasion of purple flowers made Iceland an Instagram paradise – and caused a biodiversity crisis https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/how-invasion-purple-flowers-made-iceland-instagram-paradise-and-caused-biodiversity-cr <p>Nootka lupins, introduced in the 1940s to repair damaged soil, are rampaging across the island, threatening its native species</p> <p>It was only when huge areas of Iceland started turning purple that authorities realised they had made a mistake. By then, it was too late. The Nootka lupin, native to Alaska, had coated the sides of fjords, sent tendrils across mountain tops and covered lava fields, grasslands and protected areas.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/how-invasion-purple-flowers-made-iceland-instagram-paradise-and-caused-biodiversity-cr" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 04 Dec 2025 05:00:05 +0000 admin 102079 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Reply to: “Comment to ‘Rethinking maritime security from the bottom up: four principles to broaden perspectives and centre humans and ecosystems’” https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/reply-comment-rethinking-maritime-security-bottom-four-principles-broaden-perspectives <p>npj Ocean Sustainability, Published online: 04 December 2025; <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44183-025-00155-0">doi:10.1038/s44183-025-00155-0</a></p> <p>Reply to: “Comment to ‘Rethinking maritime security from the bottom up: four principles to broaden perspectives and centre humans and ecosystems’”</p> Thu, 04 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000 admin 102081 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org UK farmers lose £800m after heat and drought cause one of worst harvests on record https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-farmers-lose-800m-after-heat-and-drought-cause-one-worst-harvests-record <p>Many now concerned about ability to make living in fast-changing climate after one of worst grain harvests recorded</p> <p>Record heat and drought cost Britain’s arable farmers more than £800m in lost production in 2025 in one of the worst harvests recorded, analysis has estimated.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-farmers-lose-800m-after-heat-and-drought-cause-one-worst-harvests-record" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:01:58 +0000 admin 102077 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Trump says he will repeal Biden-era fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-says-he-will-repeal-biden-era-fuel-efficiency-standards-cars-and-trucks <p>Move marks president’s latest effort to dismantle pollution regulations and support for cleaner-running vehicles</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump</a> announced on Wednesday that he is repealing the Biden-era federal fuel economy standards, significantly weakening fuel efficiency requirements for tens of millions of new gasoline-powered cars and light trucks.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-says-he-will-repeal-biden-era-fuel-efficiency-standards-cars-and-trucks" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 03 Dec 2025 22:04:09 +0000 admin 102076 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org The environmental costs of corn: should the US change how it grows its dominant crop? https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/node/102075 <p>Amid concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, the Trump administration has abolished climate-friendly farming incentives</p> <p><em>This article was produced in partnership </em><em>with <a href="https://floodlightnews.org/">Floodlight</a></em></p> <p>For decades, corn has reigned over American agriculture. It sprawls across 90m acres – about the size of Montana – and goes into everything from livestock feed and processed foods to the ethanol blended into most of the nation’s gasoline.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/node/102075" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:00:34 +0000 admin 102075 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org The environmental costs of corn: should the US change how it grows its dominant crop? https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/environmental-costs-corn-should-us-change-how-it-grows-its-dominant-crop <p>Amid concerns over greenhouse gas emissions, the Trump administration has abolished climate-friendly farming incentives</p> <p><em>This article was produced in partnership </em><em>with <a href="https://floodlightnews.org/">Floodlight</a></em></p> <p>For decades, corn has reigned over American agriculture. It sprawls across 90m acres – about the size of Montana – and goes into everything from livestock feed and processed foods to the ethanol blended into most of the nation’s gasoline.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/environmental-costs-corn-should-us-change-how-it-grows-its-dominant-crop" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 03 Dec 2025 13:00:34 +0000 admin 102074 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org