Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves en Pacific island states urge rich countries to expedite plans to cut emissions https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/pacific-island-states-urge-rich-countries-expedite-plans-cut-emissions <p>Developed countries pressed to submit national plans well before Cop30 as time runs out to avoid 1.5C temperature rise</p> <p>Rich countries are dragging their feet on producing new plans to combat the climate crisis, thereby putting the poor into greater danger, some of the world’s most vulnerable nations have warned.</p> <p>All governments are supposed to publish new plans this year on cutting greenhouse gas emissions, but so far only a small majority have done so, and some of the plans submitted have been inadequate to the scale of action needed.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/pacific-island-states-urge-rich-countries-expedite-plans-cut-emissions" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 26 Apr 2025 04:00:54 +0000 admin 99745 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Six things we learned about the future of energy security at UK summit https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/six-things-we-learned-about-future-energy-security-uk-summit <p>Critical minerals, nuclear power and the ‘weaponisation’ of energy supplies were discussed at international conference</p> <p>The UK and the International Energy Agency gathered ministers and high-level officials from 60 countries to Lancaster House in London for two days of talks on the future of energy security this week. The EU was out in force, the US sent a top official, but China stayed away. Here’s what we learned.</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/apr/25/five-things-we-learned-about-the-future-of-energy-security-at-uk-summit">Continue reading...</a></p> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 18:32:55 +0000 admin 99743 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Britain will find ‘common ground’ with US on energy policy, says Miliband https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/britain-will-find-common-ground-us-energy-policy-says-miliband <p>Energy secretary says countries must work together during conference at which US delegate called net zero ‘dangerous’</p> <p>Britain will find “common ground” with the US on energy and the economy including on nuclear power, despite differences over climate policy, the UK energy secretary, Ed Miliband, has pledged.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/britain-will-find-common-ground-us-energy-policy-says-miliband" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 15:52:43 +0000 admin 99742 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘A sweeping catastrophe’: 20 years after Hurricane Katrina, a photo exhibit honors Mississippi victims https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/sweeping-catastrophe-20-years-after-hurricane-katrina-photo-exhibit-honors-mississippi <p>Hurricane Katrina: Mississippi Remembers captures the grief and resilience of survivors in the Magnolia state</p> <p>Twenty years ago this August, the United States Gulf coast was irrevocably changed when Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest and costliest storms to ever hit the country, made landfall. Making landfall as a strong category 3, the storm, which was so vast it stretched the length of the Mississippi Gulf coast all the way into Alabama, hit the Mississippi-Louisiana coastal border <a href="https://www.weather.gov/bmx/event_katrina2005">before continuing northward</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/sweeping-catastrophe-20-years-after-hurricane-katrina-photo-exhibit-honors-mississippi" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 14:00:36 +0000 admin 99741 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Week in wildlife: wild ponies, a playful jaguar and penguin chicks taking their first swim https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/week-wildlife-wild-ponies-playful-jaguar-and-penguin-chicks-taking-their-first-swim <p>The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2025/apr/25/week-in-wildlife-wild-ponies-a-playful-jaguar-and-penguin-chicks-taking-their-first-swim">Continue reading...</a></p> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 06:00:27 +0000 admin 99740 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Drax needs a better policeman https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/drax-needs-better-policeman <p>Public confidence in the UK biomass industry is low – robust checks are needed to ensure every wood pellet its power plant burns is sustainable</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/drax-needs-better-policeman" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:01:23 +0000 admin 99739 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Lifesize herd of puppet animals begins climate action journey from Africa to Arctic Circle https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/lifesize-herd-puppet-animals-begins-climate-action-journey-africa-arctic-circle <p>The Herds project from the team behind Little Amal will travel 20,000km taking its message on environmental crisis across the world</p> <p>Hundreds of life-size animal puppets have begun a 20,000km (12,400 mile) journey from central Africa to the Arctic Circle as part of an ambitious project created by the team behind <a href="https://www.walkwithamal.org/about-us/little-amal-the-walk/">Little Amal</a>, the giant puppet of a Syrian girl that travelled across the world.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/lifesize-herd-puppet-animals-begins-climate-action-journey-africa-arctic-circle" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 04:00:26 +0000 admin 99738 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Elon Musk’s xAI accused of pollution over Memphis supercomputer https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/elon-musk-s-xai-accused-pollution-over-memphis-supercomputer <p>Hearing scheduled for Friday as residents receive anonymous leaflets that downplay pollution dangers</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/elon-musk-s-xai-accused-pollution-over-memphis-supercomputer" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 02:09:59 +0000 admin 99737 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org MPs question value of billions in subsidies granted to Drax power plant https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/mps-question-value-billions-subsidies-granted-drax-power-plant <p>Spending watchdog warns<strong> </strong>£6.5bn in<strong> </strong>funding may not offer value for public money amid sustainability concerns</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/nils-pratley-on-finance/2025/apr/25/drax-needs-a-better-policeman">Nils Pratley: Drax needs a better policeman</a></li> </ul> <p>A UK government spending watchdog has questioned the value of the multibillion pound subsidies granted to the Drax power plant in North Yorkshire – and said plans to hand over billions more may not represent value for money.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/mps-question-value-billions-subsidies-granted-drax-power-plant" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 24 Apr 2025 23:01:18 +0000 admin 99735 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org UK spending watchdog censures water firms and regulators over sewage failings https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-spending-watchdog-censures-water-firms-and-regulators-over-sewage-failings <p>NAO finds regulatory gaps have enabled overspending on infrastructure building while not improving sewage works</p> <p>Water companies have been getting away with failures to improve sewage works and overspending because of regulatory problems, a damning report by the government’s spending watchdog has found.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-spending-watchdog-censures-water-firms-and-regulators-over-sewage-failings" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 24 Apr 2025 23:00:18 +0000 admin 99736 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org