Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en Coogee beach among Sydney swimming spots ranked most polluted with faecal matter https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/coogee-beach-among-sydney-swimming-spots-ranked-most-polluted-faecal-matter <p>Annual survey finds about 21% of 249 swimming sites across NSW received ratings of ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ for water quality</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>Coogee beach and Shelly beach in Manly have ranked among the Sydney swimming sites most polluted with faecal matter in the city, a government report has found.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/coogee-beach-among-sydney-swimming-spots-ranked-most-polluted-faecal-matter" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 05:52:34 +0000 admin 101605 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Atlantic dolphins are dying much younger. Scientists sound the alarm https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/atlantic-dolphins-are-dying-much-younger-scientists-sound-alarm <p>Common dolphins in the North Atlantic are living significantly shorter lives, with female longevity dropping seven years since the 1990s. Researchers found this decline by analyzing stranded dolphins, revealing a 2.4% drop in population growth linked to bycatch deaths and environmental pressures. The findings expose flaws in traditional counting methods and call for adaptive conservation measures, such as smarter fishing restrictions.</p> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 05:46:39 +0000 admin 101606 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ARE YOUR PETS OK?! How to keep them safe from climate-induced record-breaking everything everywhere | First Dog on the Moon https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/are-your-pets-ok-how-keep-them-safe-climate-induced-record-breaking-everything-everywh <p>Get out of the Honda Gwyneth!</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/16/-sp-first-dog-on-the-moon-subscribe-by-email">Sign up here to get an email</a> whenever First Dog cartoons are published</p> </li> </ul> <ul> <li> <p><a href="http://firstshoponthemoon.com/">Get all your needs met at the First Dog shop</a> if what you need is First Dog merchandise and prints</p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/are-your-pets-ok-how-keep-them-safe-climate-induced-record-breaking-everything-everywh" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 05:37:08 +0000 admin 101604 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org No prosecutions made after 15,195 wood-burning complaints in a year in England https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/no-prosecutions-made-after-15195-wood-burning-complaints-year-england <p>Campaigners say figures reveal a lack of enforcement with just 24 fines issued by councils for rule violations</p> <p>Not one prosecution for illegal wood burning has been made in the past year, despite 15,195 complaints across England, data shows.</p> <p>Additionally, just 24 fines were issued by local authorities between September 2024 and August 2025, responses to freedom of information requests by the campaign group Mums for Lungs revealed.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/no-prosecutions-made-after-15195-wood-burning-complaints-year-england" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 05:00:56 +0000 admin 101603 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Global use of coal hit record high in 2024 https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/global-use-coal-hit-record-high-2024 <p>Bleak report finds greenhouse gas emissions are still rising despite ‘exponential’ growth of renewables</p> <p>Coal use hit a record high around the world last year despite efforts to switch to clean energy, imperilling the world’s attempts to rein in global heating.</p> <p>The share of coal in electricity generation dropped as renewable energy surged ahead. But the general increase in power demand meant that more coal was used overall, according to the <a href="https://systemschangelab.org/state-climate-action-2025">annual State of Climate Action report</a>, published on Wednesday.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/global-use-coal-hit-record-high-2024" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 04:01:54 +0000 admin 101601 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Ancient elephant migration routes are being blocked off – can anything stop the rising death toll? https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/ancient-elephant-migration-routes-are-being-blocked-can-anything-stop-rising-death-tol <p>Human-wildlife conflict has now overtaken poaching as a cause of fatalities – and is deadly for people too. Some villages are finding new ways to live alongside them</p> <ul> <li> <p>Photographs by Edwin Ndeke</p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/ancient-elephant-migration-routes-are-being-blocked-can-anything-stop-rising-death-tol" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 04:00:55 +0000 admin 101602 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Sydney temperatures soar 10C in 90 minutes as wild winds and weather batter Victoria https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/sydney-temperatures-soar-10c-90-minutes-wild-winds-and-weather-batter-victoria <p>Sydney’s Observatory Hill peaks at 37C on Wednesday – below the 39C forecast – as the mercury in other parts of the city neared 40C</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/oct/22/australia-news-live-weather-nsw-qld-heat-record-melbourne-destructive-wind-rex-airlines-bid-albanese-washington-sussan-ley-labor-coalition-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/sydney-temperatures-soar-10c-90-minutes-wild-winds-and-weather-batter-victoria" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 01:26:43 +0000 admin 101599 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Photographer captures timelapse of 'red lightning' in New Zealand – video https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/photographer-captures-timelapse-red-lightning-new-zealand-video <p>Dan Zafra captured a timelapse of something he could only dream of - red sprites, also known as red lightning, flashing above the Milky Way - while photographing from the Clay Cliffs in New Zealand's south island on 11 October. Red sprites are brief, large-scale electrical discharges that occur high above thunderstorms, reaching altitudes of up to 90km. They are almost impossible to see with the naked eye and last just a few milliseconds</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/video/2025/oct/22/timelapse-red-lightning-sprites-video">Continue reading...</a></p> Wed, 22 Oct 2025 01:00:35 +0000 admin 101600 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org No major banks have yet committed to stop funding new oil, gas and coal, research finds https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/no-major-banks-have-yet-committed-stop-funding-new-oil-gas-and-coal-research-finds <p>‘The objectives of the Paris agreement are slipping further out of reach,’ say researchers from LSE</p> <p>No major bank has yet committed to stop funding new oil and gas fields or coal capacity, research has found.</p> <p>Most banks that have recently updated their climate policies have weakened them, according to the research by the TPI Global Climate Transition Centre (TPI) at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/no-major-banks-have-yet-committed-stop-funding-new-oil-gas-and-coal-research-finds" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 23:01:48 +0000 admin 101598 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Water firms in England could face harsher sewage fines under new Environment Agency powers https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/water-firms-england-could-face-harsher-sewage-fines-under-new-environment-agency-power <p>Government consults on allowing regulator to use lower civil standard of proof and introducing automatic penalties</p> <p>Water companies in England could face more, and automatic, fines for sewage dumping under new Environment Agency powers.</p> <p>The government is consulting on allowing the regulator to use a lower, civil, standard of proof instead of the higher criminal standard, for minor to moderate environmental offences.</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/oct/21/water-firms-england-sewage-fines-environment-agency">Continue reading...</a></p> Tue, 21 Oct 2025 21:30:47 +0000 admin 101597 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org