Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Synthetic chemicals in food system creating health burden of $2.2tn a year, report finds

admin — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 06:00:43 +0000

Scientists issue urgent warning about chemicals, found to cause cancer and infertility as well as harming environment

Scientists have issued an urgent warning that some of the synthetic chemicals that help underpin the current food system are driving increased rates of cancer, neurodevelopmental conditions and infertility, while degrading the foundations of global agriculture.

‘Even the animals seem confused’: a retreating Kashmir glacier is creating an entire new world in its wake

admin — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 04:00:40 +0000

Kolahoi is one of many glaciers whose decline is disrupting whole ecosystems – water, wildlife and human life that it has supported for centuries

From the slopes above Pahalgam, the Kolahoi glacier is visible as a thinning, rumpled ribbon of ice stretching across the western Himalayas. Once a vast white artery feeding rivers, fields and forests, it is now retreating steadily, leaving bare rock, crevassed ice and newly exposed alpine meadows.

It’s two years since we were told ‘the age of fossil fuels will end’. When will Australia get prepared for what’s coming? | Clear Air

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:26:58 +0000

The decline of the coal export industry could come even faster than expected, and we need to do more to manage the economic risks

Want to get this in your inbox when it publishes? Sign up for the Clear Air Australia newsletter here

‘We call him ... unbearable’: California homeowner laments uninvited beast

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 23:20:23 +0000

The 550lb bear living under Ken Johnson’s home for two weeks is unmoved by ‘lure’, with caramel and cherry smells

A hefty 550lb black bear has laid claim to the crawl space under an Altadena home, marking the latest in a series of bear incursions into the Los Angeles community.

On 25 November, homeowner Ken Johnson noticed the bear leaving the crawl space and later contacted California’s department of fish and wildlife for assistance removing it from below his home. Despite sweet-scented lures and ammonia-towels, the bear has remained in place for more than two weeks.

The Guardian view on waste: the festive season is a good time to think about rubbish | Editorial

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 18:49:27 +0000

Weak regulation is to blame for disastrous failures in relation to pollution. But there are solutions if people get behind them

Ofgem approves early investment in three UK electricity ‘superhighways’

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 18:03:52 +0000

Green light intended to limit amount consumers pay for windfarms to turn off during periods of high generation

Three major UK electricity “superhighways” could move ahead sooner than expected to help limit the amount that households pay for windfarms to turn off during periods of high power generation.

Current grid bottlenecks mean there is not enough capacity to transport the abundance of electricity generated in periods of strong winds to areas where energy demand is highest.

US judge strikes down Trump order blocking wind energy projects

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:16:57 +0000

Federal judge declared January executive order unlawful, ruling in favor of a coalition of state attorneys general

A federal judge on Monday struck down Donald Trump’s executive order blocking wind energy projects, saying the effort to halt virtually all leasing of windfarms on federal lands and waters was “arbitrary and capricious” and violated US law.

Australia’s energy grid must triple capacity by 2050 with major increase to wind and solar, Aemo says

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 13:01:03 +0000

Market operator says capital cost of infrastructure under optimal path would be $128bn in today’s dollars, but price of delay is even higher

‘Food and fossil fuel production causing $5bn of environmental damage an hour’

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 09:00:04 +0000

UN GEO report says ending this harm key to global transformation required ‘before collapse becomes inevitable’

The unsustainable production of food and fossil fuels causes $5bn (£3.8bn) of environmental damage per hour, according to a major UN report.

Ending this harm was a key part of the global transformation of governance, economics and finance required “before collapse becomes inevitable”, the experts said.

UK households bin 168m Christmas lights and ‘fast tech’ items a year

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:02 +0000

Consumers spent £1.7bn on festive lighting last year and much of it is treated as disposable

UK households have thrown away an estimated 168m light-up Christmas items and other “fast-tech” gifts over the past year, a study suggests.

The research by the non-profit group Material Focus found about £1.7bn was spent last year on Christmas lighting, including 39m sets of fairy lights.