Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Spiky blue devils and chocolate lilies: Victorian grassland bursts with wildflowers after ecological ‘reset’

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 19:00:03 +0000

Careful management including weed control and a burn laid the groundwork for floral abundance in Boorhaman reserve

Row over who will pay $1tn climate fund drags Cop29 talks past the deadline

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 18:53:46 +0000

Rich countries resist increasing their contributions to poor countries that are bearing the brunt of global heating

Talks on a new trillion-dollar global deal to tackle the climate crisis dragged on late into Saturday night, as rich and poor countries fought over how much cash was needed, and who should pay.

Makeup, floss and hair dye use in pregnancy leads to more PFAS in breast milk – study

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 15:00:45 +0000

‘Forever chemicals’ pose health threat to developing children and linked with preterm birth, shorter lactation

Higher usage of personal care products among pregnant or nursing women leads to higher levels of toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” in their blood and breast milk, new research shows, presenting a serious health threat to developing children.

Revealed: Saudi Arabia accused of modifying official Cop29 negotiating text

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 14:49:49 +0000

Exclusive: News of changes to usually non-editable document ‘risks placing climate summit in jeopardy'

A Saudi Arabian delegate has been accused of directly making changes to an official Cop29 negotiating text, it can be revealed.

Cop presidencies usually circulate negotiating texts as non-editable PDF documents to all countries simultaneously, and they are then discussed. Giving one party editing access “risks placing this entire Cop in jeopardy”, one expert said.

‘Catastrophic’ marine heatwaves are killing sealife and causing mass disruption to UK fisheries

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 12:00:41 +0000

Targeted research must be launched urgently to save sea creatures and plant life, oceanography centre warns

Britain is facing a future of increasingly catastrophic marine heatwaves that could destroy shellfish colonies and fisheries and have devastating impacts on communities around the coast of the UK.

Huge election year worldwide sees weakening commitment to act on climate crisis

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 11:00:40 +0000

Among sweeping rightwing electoral victories across the globe, the ‘big loser of the elections has been climate’

An unprecedented year of elections around the world has underscored a sobering trend – in many countries the commitment to act on the climate crisis has either stalled or is eroding, even as disasters and record temperatures continue to mount.

First grey seal pup of the season born on Suffolk coast

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 10:00:39 +0000

Fourth consecutive year that seals have bred at Orford Ness, where more than 130 pups were born last season

The first grey seal pup of the season has been born at a remote shingle spit that was once a cold war weapons-testing site.

The birth at Orford Ness on the Suffolk coast marks the fourth consecutive year of seals breeding there, which began in 2021 after a reduction in visitor access because of the Covid pandemic.

Cop29: wealthy countries agree to raise climate finance offer to $300bn a year

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 07:45:50 +0000

EU and nations including the UK, US and Australia indicate they will make the increase in exchange for changes to a draft text, sources say

Major rich countries at UN climate talks in Azerbaijan have agreed to lift a global financial offer to help developing nations tackle the climate crisis to $300bn a year, as ministers met through the night in a bid to salvage a deal.

Cop29: Deal hanging in the balance after new draft texts published

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 06:46:37 +0000

The latest version of the texts has finally been published and now there is growing optimism that a deal may actually be done

Marching in silence with their arms crossed high, activists from around the world protested the draft deal at the Cop29 venue last night.

“Pay up or shut up!” the campaign group Demand Climate Justice said in a post on social media.

Slovenian girl, 12, saves project aiming to reintroduce cicadas to New Forest

admin — Sat, 23 Nov 2024 06:00:35 +0000

Conservationists failed to capture elusive insects this summer, so Kristina Kenda offered to step in

When British conservationists flew to Slovenia this summer hoping to catch enough singing cicadas to reintroduce the species to the New Forest, the grasshopper-sized insects proved impossible to locate, flying elusively at great height between trees.