Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Real-world geoengineering experiments revealed by UK agency

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 10:42:58 +0000

Trials will test ways to block sunlight and slow climate crisis that threatens to trigger catastrophic tipping points

Real-world geoengineering experiments spanning the globe from the Arctic to the Great Barrier Reef are being funded by the UK government. They will test sun-reflecting particles in the stratosphere, brightening reflective clouds using sprays of seawater and pumping water on to sea ice to thicken it.

‘It’s like putting a whale in a blender’: the rise of deadly ship collisions in Chile

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 10:00:11 +0000

On average, five fatal whale strikes occur in the country’s waters each year, the highest in the world – and just a fraction of the total number killed, say researchers

Photographs by Francis Pérez

The memory of a blue whale gliding past his small boat haunts Patricio Ortiz. A deep wound disfigured the cetacean’s giant body – a big chunk had been ripped from its dorsal fin. Cargo ships are the only adversary capable of inflicting such harm on a blue whale, he says.

“Nothing can be done when they’re up against those floating monsters.”

New reports tell us cattle and sheep farming can be sustainable – don’t believe them, it’s all bull | George Monbiot

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 09:53:06 +0000

Feeding the world sustainably is an incredibly complex challenge, yet some people are trying to sell us a bucolic fairytale

Two-thirds of global heating caused by richest 10%, study suggests

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 09:00:10 +0000

Paper in Nature Climate Change journal reveals major role wealthy emitters play in driving climate extremes

The world’s wealthiest 10% are responsible for two-thirds of global heating since 1990, driving droughts and heatwaves in the poorest parts of the world, according to a study.

Danish firm shelves huge UK windfarm project over rising costs

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 08:11:10 +0000

Ørsted cancels fourth stage of Hornsea project off Yorkshire coast, which was set to include enough turbines to power 1m homes

The world’s biggest wind power developer has cancelled plans for one of the UK’s largest offshore windfarms in a significant blow to the government’s green energy targets.

The Danish wind power company Ørsted said the Hornsea 4 project no longer made economic sense because of soaring costs in the industry’s global supply chain, after it won a government contract two years ago.

More than 40% of electricity used in Australia’s main power grid at start of year was renewable

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 05:53:30 +0000

Data suggests pollution from energy is falling again after previously stalling, but experts say faster growth needed to achieve Labor goal of 82% renewable electricity by 2030

Abandoned infrastructure one of the biggest polluters in the world – report

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 05:00:07 +0000

Emissions from abandoned coalmines, oil and gas wells globally are larger than any single country except China, the US and Russia

Abandoned coalmines and oil and gas wells are now one of the biggest sources of the powerful greenhouse gas methane, new data shows, and little effort is being made to clean them up.

The methane emissions from abandoned fossil fuel infrastructure now exceed those from Iran, and if considered as a country would be the fourth biggest source in the world, behind China, the US and Russia.

UK government admits almost no evidence nature protections block development

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 05:00:06 +0000

Whitehall analysis provides no data or research to support the government argument that environmental legislation holds up building

There is very little evidence that protections for nature are a blocker to development, the government has admitted in its own impact assessment of the controversial new planning and infrastructure bill.

The analysis by Whitehall officials provides no data or research to back up the government’s central argument that it is environmental legislation that holds up building.

Russian drone strike caused tens of millions worth of damage to Chornobyl

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 04:00:05 +0000

Exclusive: Attack damaged €1.5bn containment structure over nuclear reactor with repair costs likely to be borne by western governments

A Russian Shahed drone costing up to £75,000 is estimated to have inflicted tens of millions worth of damage to the site of the Chornobyl nuclear power plant, according to initial assessments and engineering experts.

Replanted rainforests may benefit from termite transplants

admin — Wed, 07 May 2025 02:43:50 +0000

Termites -- infamous for their ability to destroy wood -- are rarely welcomed into rainforests that have been painstakingly replanted. But a new paper suggests that termite transplants may be necessary to help regenerating forests to thrive. Scientists found that termites are not thriving in replanted rainforests in Australia. Because decomposers like termites are essential for recycling nutrients and carbon, the researchers worry that the insect's slow recovery could hinder the growth and health of the young forests.