Breaking Waves: Ocean News

‘I’m not voting for either’: fracking’s return stirs fury in Pennsylvania town whose water turned toxic

admin — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 10:00:10 +0000

The small town of Dimock saw its water become brown, undrinkable, even flammable – and its residents are still feeling the effects

Fracking has burst back on to the national stage in the US presidential election contest for the must-win swing state of Pennsylvania. But for one town in this state that saw its water become mud-brown, undrinkable and even flammable 15 years ago, the specter of fracking never went away.

Cop16 at a glance: the big issues that will define talks at Colombia’s UN summit

admin — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 07:00:06 +0000

Delegates from 196 countries are discussing progress in preserving biodiversity. So what are the sticking points?

Every two years, leaders from around the world gather to discuss the state of life on Earth, negotiating agreements to preserve biodiversity and stop the destruction of nature. This week, representatives of 196 countries are gathering in Cali, Colombia, for the 16th UN Conference of the Parties summit (Cop16).

Humanity is on the verge of ‘shattering Earth’s natural limits’, say experts in biodiversity warning

admin — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 05:00:06 +0000

As the Cop16 conference begins, scientists and academics say human activity has pushed the world into a danger zone

Humanity is “on the precipice” of shattering Earth’s limits, and will suffer huge costs if we fail to act on biodiversity loss, experts warn. This week, world leaders meet in Cali, Colombia, for the Cop16 UN biodiversity conference to discuss action on the global crisis. As they prepare for negotiations, scientists and experts around the world have warned that the stakes are high, and there is “no time to waste”.

UK rivers contain ‘cocktail of chemicals and stimulants’ endangering aquatic life

admin — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 05:00:04 +0000

Exclusive: Researchers find 61% of fresh waters in the UK contain high levels of phosphate and nitrate

The UK’s rivers contain a cocktail of chemicals and stimulants including caffeine, antidepressants and painkillers from water company sewage releases, polluting freshwaters at levels which can pose a risk to aquatic life, testing has found.

Australia to toughen rules around acceptable levels of key PFAS chemicals in drinking water under draft guidelines

admin — Mon, 21 Oct 2024 01:12:47 +0000

National Health and Medical Research Council proposal lowers the limits for four PFAS chemicals in drinking water

UK appoints first nature envoy to tackle species decline

admin — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 17:00:49 +0000

Ruth Davis named special representative for nature ‘to put climate and nature at the heart of our foreign policy’

The government has appointed the UK’s first envoy for nature, a former environment campaigner described as “the environmentalist’s environmentalist”, who will be charged with forging global agreement on halting the precipitous decline of species.

Rain and slugs blamed for this year’s green-tinged Halloween pumpkins

admin — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 14:16:33 +0000

It has been a nightmare season for farmers, with England said to have had its second-worst harvest on record

Giant orange pumpkins with ghoulish grins have become a Halloween doorstep tradition but this year trick-or-treaters may be greeted with even spookier green-tinged jack-o-lanterns after a nightmare season for growers.

In Asda, pumpkin displays have signs telling shoppers “don’t worry if I’m slightly green, I will ripen at home and turn orange”.

Cotswold wildlife park successfully breeds endangered Madagascan lemur

admin — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 14:03:06 +0000

Greater bamboo lemur births in captivity are extremely rare and park is only UK collection to have bred it this year

Cotswold wildlife park has successfully bred one of Madagascar’s most endangered lemurs.

The as yet unnamed youngster was born to a breeding male, Raphael, and female, Bijou, at the wildlife park.

The ‘active transport’ ideas from around the world that could make Australians healthier and our cities cleaner

admin — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 14:00:48 +0000

Policies such as cash payouts for bicycle commuters have knock-on effects including reduced pollution and better physical and mental health

University of Toronto’s environment school cuts financial ties to fossil fuels

admin — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 14:00:47 +0000

Princeton University, the only other North American school to do so, rolled back its commitment recently

The University of Toronto’s environment school has announced it will financially dissociate from fossil fuel companies, in a landmark win for climate activists.