Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Immigration’s a hot topic – and it applies to non-native plants, animals and insects, all over the world | Tim Blackburn

admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 11:00:30 +0000

Biodiversity is great in theory, but there are reasons to fend off invasive alien species and the knock-on effect of their presence

We’re facing a ‘forever chemicals’ crisis. We must stop Pfas at the source

admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 10:00:20 +0000

Pfas are poisoning our soil and polluting our lungs. The EPA is finally sounding the alarm – but that’s not enough

Several years ago, I made a movie called Dark Waters, which told the real-life story of a community in West Virginia poisoned by Pfas “forever chemicals”. DuPont – a chemical manufacturing plant – contaminated the local water supply, killing cows and wildlife, making its workers sick and exposing local residents to toxic chemicals. It was an environmental horror story.

It’s still happening across the country.

A cacti-smuggling case with a prickly end: the novel way courts are making poachers pay

admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 10:00:17 +0000

Two Italian cacti smugglers have been fined for illegally trading plants from Chile – and for the cost of restoring the environment. Conservationists hope more cases will follow

Chile’s Atacama desert is one of the driest places on Earth, a surprisingly cool environment, sucked clean of moisture by the cold ocean to the west. This arid, golden landscape is home to many rare species of cacti, which attract professional and amateur botanists from around the world keen to make discoveries and experience the thrill of naming a new species.

Destroying the environment and sending species extinct is one thing, but now I can’t take my dogs to the beach!? | First Dog on the Moon

admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 05:33:56 +0000

The toxic Tasmanian salmon industry has gone too far this time

Cyclone Alfred evacuation centres 'not a solution for homelessness', NSW premier says – video

admin — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 02:04:54 +0000

Chris Minns stresses that the New South Wales evacuation centres set up for people fleeing flooding will be closed once the immediate threat from ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred is over. The premier says his government contributed $5bn for social housing in its last budget. 'Evacuation centres are not going to be long-term solutions for homelessness on the northern rivers,' he says. 'And I just want to be really transparent and clear … They can’t operate longer than they were intended to'

UK government vows to clean up Windermere after sewage criticism

admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 22:30:03 +0000

Environment secretary points to measures to stop lake being ‘choked by unacceptable levels’ of pollution

The government has said it will “clean up Windermere” after criticism over the volume of sewage being pumped into England’s largest lake.

The environment secretary, Steve Reed, pledged “only rainwater” would enter the famous body of water in the Lake District, putting an end to the situation where it Windermere was being “choked by unacceptable levels of sewage pollution”.

NSW and Queensland floods update: BoM defends forecasts after claim coastal community not properly warned

admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 21:29:15 +0000

Bureau urged to review its systems after Fraser Coast mayor says Hervey Bay was pelted with 260mm of rain after being told it was not in firing line

Search for surfer feared taken by shark; more than 8,000 insurance claims submitted after cyclone – as it happened

admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 21:23:16 +0000

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There is a rescue under way in Newmarket Road, Windsor, where cars have tried to drive through flood waters.

Tree loss from hurricane leaves Asheville vulnerable to new climate shocks

admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Damage to trees in western North Carolina from Hurricane Helene was ‘extraordinary and humbling’ but urban areas face particular problems

The city of Asheville and its surrounding areas have been left vulnerable to floods, fires and extreme heat after Hurricane Helene uprooted thousands of trees that provided shade and protection from storms.

Water, water everywhere: the aftermath of Tropical Cyclone Alfred – in pictures

admin — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 06:24:27 +0000

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