Breaking Waves: Ocean News

‘Everyone thought it would cause gridlock’: the highway that Seoul turned into a stream

admin — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 06:00:22 +0000

Cheonggyecheon stream in the South Korean capital has become an attraction – and helps with flood management, fighting air pollution and cooling the city

On a crisp December morning, office workers and tourists stroll along a tree-lined stream in central Seoul, pausing on stepping stones that cross its flowing waters. It’s difficult to imagine that just over 20 years ago, this was a vast elevated highway carrying 168,000 cars daily through the heart of South Korea’s capital.

Colombian tree frog found by Sheffield florist highlights invasive species threat

admin — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 05:00:22 +0000

Scientists say frog’s journey shows difficulty of spotting insects or fungi spread by global plant trade

A tiny tree frog hitchhiking in a bunch of roses to Sheffield from Colombia has inspired a study into invasive species reaching the UK’s shores.

Scottish government must do more to control salmon farming, inquiry finds

admin — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 05:00:21 +0000

Report criticises ‘slow progress’ on industry regulation, amid record fish mortality and concerns over welfare and environmental pollution

The Scottish government has been criticised for its “slow progress” on regulating the salmon farming industry by a parliamentary inquiry that took evidence for five months before reaching its conclusion.

Wildfires drive record leap in global level of climate-heating CO2

admin — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 05:00:20 +0000

Data for 2024 shows humanity is moving yet deeper into a dangerous world of supercharged extreme weather

Wildfires that blazed around the world in 2024 helped to drive a record annual leap in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, surprising scientists. The data shows humanity is moving yet deeper into a dangerous world of supercharged extreme weather.

I’ve been climbing Tasmanian mountains for years – but I’m terrified of heights | Ben Walter

admin — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 02:01:21 +0000

Our society emphasises the value of conquering and overcoming your fears – but I can live with the idea of not climbing every mountain

Earlier this year, I finally climbed Mount Anne. This has taken an unlikely amount of time – I’ve been climbing Tasmanian mountains for years, but had never been up one of the island’s signature summits.

Australia is becoming an uninsurable nation. There may only be one solution | Nicki Hutley

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 22:24:57 +0000

With the outlook for risk of fire, flood and other disasters increasing, this is not a problem that will go away

As we watch the horror of the Los Angeles fires, Australians are painfully reminded of our own vulnerability to climate change, which continues to exacerbate the impact and frequency of these unnatural disasters.

The images of loss and destruction in LA are particularly painful to those who have experienced such losses first-hand in Australia.

Nicki Hutley is an independent economist and councillor with the Climate Council

Fleeing mountain lions and scorched earth: can wildlife survive California’s wildfires?

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 16:00:16 +0000

The fires have been devastating for humans and taken a toll on nature, but many of California’s ecosystems will be able to regenerate

Beth Pratt has spent her career protecting Los Angeles’ mountain lions, which roam an area currently engulfed by wildfires. These apex predators, also known as cougars or pumas, share a scrubby landscape with lavish private homes and a dense network of roads. When major fires take out huge areas of open space, their options are limited.

‘A ton of unknowns’: months ago, LA residents lost wildfire insurance. Then the fires came

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 15:00:15 +0000

After insurers like State Farm dropped policies, to switch to the state’s Fair plan was prohibitively pricey for many

When James Borow realized last Tuesday that his Palisades house was on fire, he was 300 miles away in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show. The power was out at his house but a friend suggested he remotely turn on his Tesla and see if the cameras showed anything.

UK accused of undermining democratic rights with climate protest crackdown

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 14:00:16 +0000

British director of Human Rights Watch attacks ‘dangerous hypocrisy’ of government

Britain’s crackdown on climate protest is setting “a dangerous precedent” around the world and undermining democratic rights, the UK director of Human Rights Watch has said.

Yasmine Ahmed accused the Labour government of hypocrisy over its claims to be committed to human rights and international law.

A town torched by LA fires rallies to revive its community: ‘Everybody wants to come back’

admin — Thu, 16 Jan 2025 13:00:13 +0000

Eaton fire tore through Altadena, burning buildings and killing many. Its residents are only now taking in the scale of devastation

A week after wildfires tore through the community of Altadena, the smell of destruction still hangs in the air. The acrid smoke seeped into the walls of homes that survived the Eaton fire, which burned 7,000 buildings and killed at least 15 people.