Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Death toll reaches 69 as Sri Lanka is hit by rising flood waters

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 17:20:06 +0000

Heavy rain from Cyclone Ditwah has left people stranded, with more than 18,000 evacuated to temporary shelters

Troops in Sri Lanka were racing to rescue hundreds of people marooned by rising flood waters on Friday as weather-related deaths rose to 69, with another 34 people declared missing.

Helicopters and navy boats carried out rescue operations, plucking people from treetops, roofs and villages cut off by flood waters.

Trump order to keep Michigan power plant open costs taxpayers $113m

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 13:00:08 +0000

Critics say JH Campbell coal-fired plant in western Michigan is expensive and emits high levels of toxic pollution

Trump administration orders to keep an ageing, unneeded Michigan coal-fired power plant online has cost ratepayers from across the US midwest about $113m so far, according to estimates from the plant’s operator and regulators.

Still, the US energy department last week ordered the plant to remain open for another 90 days.

UK energy bill payers will hand £2bn a year to EDF for new power stations

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 11:30:20 +0000

French government-owned company to receive funding for Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C

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UK energy bill payers will hand over £2bn a year in subsidies to EDF, the French company building two nuclear power stations, according to government figures.

Weather tracker: Snowfall cuts power in Poland and flooding devastates Sri Lanka

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:37:59 +0000

Temperatures dip to -8.5C in Poland and 250mm of rain falls in 24-hour period across Sri Lanka

Temperatures plummeted this week across the eastern half of Europe, with the Alps dipping as low as -20C and to -8.5°C in the Polish town of Zakopane in the Tatras Mountains.

Heavy snow also affected other parts of Poland with 15-20cm (about 6-8in) of snow falling in much of the central swathe of the country and more than 40cm in the south towards the mountains.

Africa’s forests transformed from carbon sink to carbon source, study finds

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 10:00:03 +0000

Alarming shift since 2010 means planet’s three main rainforest regions now contribute to climate breakdown

Africa’s forests have turned from a carbon sink into a carbon source, according to research that underscores the need for urgent action to save the world’s great natural climate stabilisers.

Many ships found breaching pollution limits despite tighter controls

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 06:00:58 +0000

Researchers using aircraft to sample exhaust plumes say infringements persist – even in stricter zones

A new study has found that a significant proportion of ships are breaching air pollution limits.

Although the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has set regulations for shipping pollution since 2005, it is hard to know what happens once ships are at sea.

Quality of marine protected areas is critical to achieving global biodiversity targets

admin — Fri, 28 Nov 2025 05:00:00 +0000

npj Ocean Sustainability, Published online: 28 November 2025; doi:10.1038/s44183-025-00169-8

Australia finally acknowledges environment underpins all else. That’s no small thing | Ken Henry

admin — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 22:20:59 +0000

In what are dangerous times for democracies around the world, parliament’s overhaul of nature laws in the EPBC Act shows ambitious reform remains possible

Canada minister resigns from cabinet over Carney’s controversial oil pipeline deal

admin — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 18:05:08 +0000

Minister Steven Guilbeault says Indigenous nations were not consulted and the pipeline would have ‘major environmental impacts’

Mark Carney has agreed an energy deal with Alberta centred on plans for a new heavy oil pipeline reaching from the province’s oil sands to the Pacific coast, a politically volatile project that is expected to face stiff opposition.

Scientists warn of severe climate-related risks to UK economy and security

admin — Thu, 27 Nov 2025 16:21:58 +0000

Experts lay out scale of changes needed in ‘first-of-its-kind national emergency briefing’ in Westminster

A host of eminent scientists have warned politicians, business and community leaders that the UK risks severe climate-related risks to its economy, public health, food systems and national security.

According to its organisers more than 1,000 corporate bosses, senior civil servants and civic leaders were set to assemble in the Methodist central hall in Westminster for the “first-of-its-kind national emergency briefing” on Thursday morning.