Breaking Waves: Ocean News

At least 18 people now dead as historic New York cold stretch nears end

admin — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 17:22:24 +0000

City faced one of longest periods of subzero cold since 1961, forcing ‘code blue’ and extreme weather warnings

Deadly cold tests New York’s ability to protect its homeless communities

The death toll related to New York City’s dangerous and enduring cold has risen to 18, officials said on Sunday.

Australian ministers met Japanese gas companies 20 times amid fossil fuel lobbying push

admin — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 14:00:21 +0000

Thinktank analysis suggests Japan campaigns to prolong the carbon industry in Australia and hinder move to clean energy

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US chemical giant to stop producing herbicide called ‘toxic cocktail’ by critics

admin — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 12:00:00 +0000

Corteva will discontinue a mixture of Agent Orange and glyphosate, but another of its herbicides will still use Vietnam war-era defoliant

The chemical giant Corteva will stop producing Enlist Duo, a herbicide considered to be among the most dangerous still used in the US by environmentalists because it contains a mix of Agent Orange and glyphosate, which have both been linked to cancer and widespread ecological damage.

Global economy must move past GDP to avoid planetary disaster, warns UN chief

admin — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 08:00:54 +0000

Exclusive: António Guterres says world’s accounting systems should place true value on the environment

Economic growth is still heating the planet. Is there any way out?

The global economy must be radically transformed to stop it rewarding pollution and waste, UN secretary general António Guterres has warned.

Forests are changing fast and scientists are deeply concerned

admin — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 07:17:56 +0000

Forests around the world are quietly transforming, and not for the better. A massive global analysis of more than 31,000 tree species reveals that forests are becoming more uniform, increasingly dominated by fast-growing “sprinter” trees, while slow-growing, long-lived species are disappearing. These slower species act as the backbone of forest ecosystems, storing carbon, stabilizing environments, and supporting rich webs of life—especially in tropical regions where biodiversity is highest.

Trump’s EPA reapproves contentious weedkiller dicamba for some GM crops

admin — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 16:42:30 +0000

Environmental groups said dicamba drift has damaged vegetable farms, trees and other critical plants

The Environmental Protection Agency on Friday reapproved the weedkiller dicamba for use on genetically modified soybeans and cotton. It is a pesticide that has raised widespread concern over its tendency to drift and destroy nearby crops.

The agency said dicamba was critical for farmers who would otherwise have their crops threatened by fast-growing weeds. To ensure the pesticide is used safely, the agency said it imposed strong protections and limits on its use.

Bank chairs backtracking on climate commitments could face shareholder revolts

admin — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 14:00:37 +0000

Exclusive: Campaign group calls on institutional shareholders to vote against re-election of bosses overseeing net zero row-back

Bank chairs who water down their lenders’ climate commitments this year could face embarrassing shareholder revolts as campaigners try to hold bosses to account for environmental backtracking.

ShareAction, a campaign group for responsible investment, will be issuing detailed reports to pension funds and asset managers in the coming weeks, outlining whether 34 of the world’s largest lenders are sticking to their climate goals.

These US states want polluters to pay for the rising insurance costs of climate disasters

admin — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 14:00:34 +0000

Proposals by California, Hawaii and New York lawmakers aim to hold fossil fuel industry accountable for soaring rates

As climate disasters drive up the price of home insurance, three US states are considering empowering their state prosecutors to sue major polluters for their role in those rising costs.

Office buzz: UK employers turn to beehives to boost workplace wellbeing

admin — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 12:34:33 +0000

Providers report rise in demand as companies seek mental health benefits and increased sense of community

In a growing number of workplaces, the soundtrack of the lunch break is no longer the rustle of sandwiches at a desk, but the quiet hum of bees – housed just outside the office window.

In your face: Close-up Photographer of the Year Awards 2026 – in pictures

admin — Sun, 08 Feb 2026 09:00:26 +0000

Animals, insects, flora and fauna – the world photographed in close-up in the annual competition dedicated to micro and macro photography. Cupoty 7 was won by underwater photographer Ross Gudgeon, triumphing over 12,000 entries from 63 countries