Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en UK water industry needs ‘fundamental reset’, review finds https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-water-industry-needs-fundamental-reset-review-finds <p>Report finds ‘deep-rooted, systemic’ failures that need stronger regulation, but critics say it is not bold enough</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/jun/03/thames-water-kkr-pulls-out-rescue-deal">Thames Water bidder pulls out of rescue deal</a></p> </li> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2025/jun/03/china-factory-activity-tariffs-kkr-pulls-out-of-thames-water-rescue-talks-global-economy-bank-of-england-business-live">Business live – latest updates</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-water-industry-needs-fundamental-reset-review-finds" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 03 Jun 2025 08:18:55 +0000 admin 100193 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘Half the tree of life’: ecologists’ horror as nature reserves are emptied of insects https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/half-tree-life-ecologists-horror-nature-reserves-are-emptied-insects <p>A new point in history has been reached, entomologists say, as climate-led species’ collapse moves up the food chain even in supposedly protected regions free of pesticides</p> <p>Daniel Janzen only began watching the insects – truly watching them – when his ribcage was shattered. Nearly half a century ago, the young ecologist had been out documenting fruit crops in a dense stretch of Costa Rican forest when he fell in a ravine, landing on his back. The long lens of his camera punched up through three ribs, snapping the bones into his thorax.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/half-tree-life-ecologists-horror-nature-reserves-are-emptied-insects" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 03 Jun 2025 07:00:25 +0000 admin 100192 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Vanuatu criticises Australia for extending gas project while making Cop31 bid https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/vanuatu-criticises-australia-extending-gas-project-while-making-cop31-bid <p>Climate minister says greenlighting North West Shelf project until 2070 is not the leadership Pacific countries expect as Australia seeks to host summit</p> <p>Vanuatu’s climate minister has expressed disappointment over Australia’s decision to extend one of the world’s biggest liquefied natural gas projects and said it raises questions over its bid to co-host the Cop31 summit with Pacific nations.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/vanuatu-criticises-australia-extending-gas-project-while-making-cop31-bid" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 03 Jun 2025 04:49:14 +0000 admin 100191 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Trump officials open up millions of acres in Alaska to drilling and mining https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-officials-open-millions-acres-alaska-drilling-and-mining <p>Doug Burgum says Biden order that banned drilling in 23m-acre National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska will be reversed</p> <p>Millions of acres of Alaska wilderness will lose federal protections and be exposed to drilling and mining in the Trump administration’s latest move to prioritize energy production over the shielding of the US’s open spaces.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-officials-open-millions-acres-alaska-drilling-and-mining" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 02 Jun 2025 22:35:11 +0000 admin 100190 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Indonesia’s stunning microlibraries draw young readers – in pictures https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/indonesia-s-stunning-microlibraries-draw-young-readers-pictures <p>Using passive design and local materials such as ice cream buckets, these modern community spaces offer a respite from urban heat and hustle</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2025/jun/02/indonesia-micro-libraries-photos">Continue reading...</a></p> Mon, 02 Jun 2025 14:00:03 +0000 admin 100188 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘We need new numbers’: Comedian David Cross cracks jokes to spread climate crisis awareness https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/we-need-new-numbers-comedian-david-cross-cracks-jokes-spread-climate-crisis-awareness <p>The Emmy award winning comic teams up with renowned scientist Michael Oppenheimer for a new video campaign</p> <p>David Cross is many things: a famed comic, an Emmy award winner, and a New York Times bestseller. But he is not a climate scientist.</p> <p>That fact might make him the perfect person to communicate the urgency of global heating to mass audiences.</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2025/jun/02/david-cross-comedy-climate-crisis">Continue reading...</a></p> Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:00:02 +0000 admin 100186 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Parks, libraries, museums: here’s why Trump is attacking America’s best-loved institutions | Margaret Sullivan https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/parks-libraries-museums-here-s-why-trump-attacking-america-s-best-loved-institutions-m <p>The president’s funding cuts and bullying are about dividing Americans and tightening his grip on power</p> <p>The author and environmentalist Wallace Stegner called our national parks “America’s best idea”.</p> <p>Certainly, these jewels – 85m acres of parkland throughout all the 50 states – are beloved by the public. So are America’s public libraries, arts organizations and museums.</p> <p>Margaret Sullivan is a Guardian US columnist writing on media, politics and culture</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/parks-libraries-museums-here-s-why-trump-attacking-america-s-best-loved-institutions-m" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 02 Jun 2025 12:00:01 +0000 admin 100187 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Key US weather monitoring offices understaffed as hurricane season starts https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/key-us-weather-monitoring-offices-understaffed-hurricane-season-starts <p>National Weather Service offices are reeling from job cuts and a hiring freeze imposed by Trump</p> <p>More than a dozen National Weather Service (NWS) forecast offices along the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/hurricanes">hurricane</a>-prone Gulf of Mexico coast are understaffed as the US plunges into an expected active season for ruinous storms, data seen by the Guardian shows.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/key-us-weather-monitoring-offices-understaffed-hurricane-season-starts" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 02 Jun 2025 10:00:40 +0000 admin 100185 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Calls for Drax to be forced to fully disclose its biomass sourcing https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/calls-drax-be-forced-fully-disclose-its-biomass-sourcing <p>Campaigners say the publication of key KPMG report must be a condition to MPs extending subsidies scheme</p> <p>The owner of the Drax wood-burning power station should be forced to disclose full details of its tree consumption, campaigners have argued, as MPs review the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/25/mps-question-value-of-billions-in-subsidies-granted-to-drax-power-plant">billions in renewables subsidies</a> the North Yorkshire plant receives.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/calls-drax-be-forced-fully-disclose-its-biomass-sourcing" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 02 Jun 2025 05:00:34 +0000 admin 100182 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org High electricity bill taxes holding us back, say industry groups https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/high-electricity-bill-taxes-holding-us-back-say-industry-groups <p>Make UK tells government that prices threaten to derail industrial strategy as Energy UK calls for charges to be ‘rebalanced’</p> <p>The UK government is being pressed to wipe billions from the energy costs facing households and heavy industry by reforming the high taxes levied on electricity bills.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/high-electricity-bill-taxes-holding-us-back-say-industry-groups" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 02 Jun 2025 05:00:33 +0000 admin 100183 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org