Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves en Australia live news: flood evacuation warnings in NSW and Queensland as waters rise after ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred deluge https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/australia-live-news-flood-evacuation-warnings-nsw-and-queensland-waters-rise-after-ex- <p>Major flooding isolates 1,800 people in northern NSW as evacuation routes cut. Follow today’s news live</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/australia-live-news-flood-evacuation-warnings-nsw-and-queensland-waters-rise-after-ex-" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sun, 09 Mar 2025 21:23:16 +0000 admin 99197 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Tree loss from hurricane leaves Asheville vulnerable to new climate shocks https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/tree-loss-hurricane-leaves-asheville-vulnerable-new-climate-shocks <p>Damage to trees in western North Carolina from Hurricane Helene was ‘extraordinary and humbling’ but urban areas face particular problems</p> <p>The city of Asheville and its surrounding areas have been left vulnerable to floods, fires and extreme heat after <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/hurricane-helene">Hurricane Helene</a> uprooted thousands of trees that provided shade and protection from storms.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/tree-loss-hurricane-leaves-asheville-vulnerable-new-climate-shocks" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sun, 09 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000 admin 99196 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Water, water everywhere: the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Alfred – in pictures https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/water-water-everywhere-aftermath-tropical-cyclone-alfred-pictures <p>Millions of people in northern NSW and south-east Queensland are bunkering down for dangerous conditions including flash flooding, heavy rain and intense winds after the storm now downgraded to a tropical low crossed the coast</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/water-water-everywhere-aftermath-tropical-cyclone-alfred-pictures" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sun, 09 Mar 2025 06:24:27 +0000 admin 99195 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Almost 230,000 properties without power as ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred brings more dangerous rain https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/almost-230000-properties-without-power-ex-tropical-cyclone-alfred-brings-more-dangerou <p>South-east Queensland and northern NSW face further heavy downpours and flash flooding</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/almost-230000-properties-without-power-ex-tropical-cyclone-alfred-brings-more-dangerou" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sun, 09 Mar 2025 00:48:56 +0000 admin 99194 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org This land is your land: leaf portraits of Ecuador’s female farmers – in pictures https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/land-your-land-leaf-portraits-ecuador-s-female-farmers-pictures <p>In the Zuleta community in Ecuador, farming is about more than just sustenance: it is about cultivating a deep relationship with the land based on ancestral knowledge. In her travels in the region, Colombo-Ecuadorian photographer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/yinnaphotography/">Yinna Higuera </a>collaborates with rural women, who in exchange share their understanding of medicinal plants and give her leaves from their gardens.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/land-your-land-leaf-portraits-ecuador-s-female-farmers-pictures" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 08 Mar 2025 17:00:27 +0000 admin 99189 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org US exits fund that compensates poorer countries for global heating https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/us-exits-fund-compensates-poorer-countries-global-heating <p>Trump pulls out of Cop28 loss and damage deal that recognises harms done by richer, polluting economies to vulnerable nations</p> <p>The Trump administration has withdrawn the US from a global agreement under which the developed nations most responsible for the climate crisis pledged to partly compensate developing countries for irreversible harms caused by global heating.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/us-exits-fund-compensates-poorer-countries-global-heating" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 07 Mar 2025 18:08:51 +0000 admin 99188 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Trump administration to drop case against plant polluting Louisiana’s ‘Cancer Alley’ https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-administration-drop-case-against-plant-polluting-louisiana-s-cancer-alley <p>Biden-era suit sought to curb emissions of the carcinogen chloroprene at Denka plant formerly owned by DuPont</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump</a> administration has formally agreed to drop a landmark environmental justice case in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/louisiana">Louisiana</a>’s “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/series/cancer-town">Cancer Alley</a>” region, marking a blow to clean air advocates in the region and a win for the Japanese petrochemical giant at the centre of the litigation.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-administration-drop-case-against-plant-polluting-louisiana-s-cancer-alley" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 07 Mar 2025 18:00:17 +0000 admin 99187 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Nearly half of popular tropical plant group related to birds-of-paradise and bananas are threatened with extinction https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/nearly-half-popular-tropical-plant-group-related-birds-paradise-and-bananas-are-threat <p>A new analysis reveals that nearly half of the genus Heliconia, a group of tropical plants popular for their bright, beak-shaped flowers, are threatened with extinction.</p> Fri, 07 Mar 2025 17:56:08 +0000 admin 99190 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Scientists develop advanced forest monitoring systems: Will forests monitor themselves in the future? https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/scientists-develop-advanced-forest-monitoring-systems-will-forests-monitor-themselves- <p>'Forests are among the most important ecosystems in nature, constantly evolving, yet their monitoring is often delayed,' says an expert. Climate change, pests, and human activity are transforming forests faster than we can track them -- some changes become apparent only when the damage is already irreversible.</p> Fri, 07 Mar 2025 17:56:00 +0000 admin 99191 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Switzerland told it must do better on climate after older women’s ECHR win https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/switzerland-told-it-must-do-better-climate-after-older-women-s-echr-win <p>Council of Europe says Swiss government failing to respect human rights court’s ruling on emissions</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/mar/07/ukraine-watershed-moment-bomb-gare-du-nord-eurostar-europe-news-live">Europe live – latest updates</a></li> </ul> <p>The Swiss government has been told it must do more to show that its national climate plans are ambitious enough to comply with a landmark legal ruling.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/switzerland-told-it-must-do-better-climate-after-older-women-s-echr-win" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 07 Mar 2025 15:17:06 +0000 admin 99186 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org