Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves en How the climate crisis showed up in Americans’ lives this year: ‘The shift has been swift and stark’ https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/how-climate-crisis-showed-americans-lives-year-shift-has-been-swift-and-stark <p>Guardian US readers share how global heating and biodiversity loss affected their lives in ways that don’t always make the headlines </p> <p>The past year was another one of record-setting heat and catastrophic storms. But across the US, the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-crisis">climate crisis</a> showed up in smaller, deeply personal ways too.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/how-climate-crisis-showed-americans-lives-year-shift-has-been-swift-and-stark" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 15:00:13 +0000 admin 102278 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org It’s easy to feel powerless about climate chaos. Here’s what gives me hope | Nina Lakhani https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/it-s-easy-feel-powerless-about-climate-chaos-here-s-what-gives-me-hope-nina-lakhani <p>I’ve spent six years writing about environmental justice. The uncomfortable truth is that we’re not all in it together – but people power is reshaping the fight</p> <p>It’s been another year of climate chaos and inadequate political action. And it’s hard not to feel despondent and powerless.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/it-s-easy-feel-powerless-about-climate-chaos-here-s-what-gives-me-hope-nina-lakhani" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:00:16 +0000 admin 102276 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org From inflation to infighting, the six factors that will shape Australian politics in 2026 https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/inflation-infighting-six-factors-will-shape-australian-politics-2026 <p>Albanese will face a crucial test on the economy while the Coalition deals with existential questions after an election drubbing</p> <ul> <li> <p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p> </li> </ul> <p>Before 14 December, Anthony Albanese was enjoying the most successful year of his long parliamentary career.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/inflation-infighting-six-factors-will-shape-australian-politics-2026" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 14:00:14 +0000 admin 102277 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Seven environmental wins across the US in 2025 despite Trump-era reversals https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/seven-environmental-wins-across-us-2025-despite-trump-era-reversals <p>Environmental advocates notched key wins at local and state levels this year despite Trump rollbacks</p> <p>As 2025 draws to a close, environmental advocates across the US find themselves weighing a year marked by both setbacks and successes.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/seven-environmental-wins-across-us-2025-despite-trump-era-reversals" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:30:10 +0000 admin 102274 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org A polycrisis has shattered our world this year. But with care, we can put it back together | Elif Shafak https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/polycrisis-has-shattered-our-world-year-care-we-can-put-it-back-together-elif-shafak <p>The challenges and strains have been almost too much to take. But in 2025, words of depth and courage have been an antidote to numbness</p> <p>I once saw a young glassblower in Istanbul, still new to his craft, shatter a beautiful vase while taking it out of the furnace. The artisan master standing by his side calmly nodded and said something that I still think about. He told him: “You put too much pressure on it, you kept it unbalanced and you forgot that it, too, has a heart.”</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/polycrisis-has-shattered-our-world-year-care-we-can-put-it-back-together-elif-shafak" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:00:10 +0000 admin 102275 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘They didn’t de-extinct anything’: can Colossal’s genetically engineered animals ever be the real thing? https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/they-didn-t-de-extinct-anything-can-colossal-s-genetically-engineered-animals-ever-be- <p>The bioscience startup has attracted billions in investment – and a flurry of criticism, but founder tells the Guardian plans to bring back the woolly mammoth will not be derailed</p> <p>Death and taxes are supposed to be the things we can depend on in this life. But in 2025, the American <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2025/sep/17/dodo-birds-gene-editing-advance">entrepreneur Ben Lamm</a> sold much of the world on the idea that death did not, after all, need to be for ever.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/they-didn-t-de-extinct-anything-can-colossal-s-genetically-engineered-animals-ever-be-" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 11:00:08 +0000 admin 102273 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Curb the cod, park the prawns: top chefs on how to swap out the ‘big five’ seafood https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/curb-cod-park-prawns-top-chefs-how-swap-out-big-five-seafood <p>From moules marinière to scallop, bacon and garlic butter rolls, here’s how to cast your culinary net wider and embrace more sustainable species</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/curb-cod-park-prawns-top-chefs-how-swap-out-big-five-seafood" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 06:00:02 +0000 admin 102272 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘You could see bones’: Families’ anguish over coastal erosion threat to Norfolk graves https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/you-could-see-bones-families-anguish-over-coastal-erosion-threat-norfolk-graves <p>Bereaved relatives say delays over risks at village churchyards are causing distress and call for council action</p> <p>Families of people buried in graves vulnerable to coastal erosion say indecision over how to tackle the problem is causing them avoidable anguish about the final resting places of their loved ones.</p> <p>North Norfolk district council (NNDC) has identified three church graveyards in the villages of Happisburgh, Trimingham, and Mundesley as being at risk of being engulfed by the sea in the coming decades.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/you-could-see-bones-families-anguish-over-coastal-erosion-threat-norfolk-graves" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 05:00:01 +0000 admin 102270 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org EU legislation intended to fight deforestation has been effectively ‘dismantled’ https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/eu-legislation-intended-fight-deforestation-has-been-effectively-dismantled <p>Law’s original author points to removal of obligations for downstream traders to verify origin of commodities</p> <p>It was hailed by campaigners around the world as a game-changing piece of legislation that would help stop deforestation.</p> <p>But when a bullet-ridden version of the EU’s deforestation regulation, once supposed to be the crown of the Green Deal, finally limped across the legislative line this month, not even its architect was smiling, and one politician said it had been pretty much “dismantled”.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/eu-legislation-intended-fight-deforestation-has-been-effectively-dismantled" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 31 Dec 2025 05:00:00 +0000 admin 102271 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org California snowpack gets a boost from series of December downpours https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/california-snowpack-gets-boost-series-december-downpours <p>Water stored as snow during the winter months feeds waterways in the summer and supplies cities and farms</p> <p>A series of December storms delivered a welcome boost to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california">California</a>’s snowpack, scientists said on Tuesday in a closely watched assessment of the state’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/water">water</a> resources for the year ahead.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/california-snowpack-gets-boost-series-december-downpours" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 30 Dec 2025 23:53:03 +0000 admin 102269 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org