Illegal sand-miners flourish in unguarded coastal areas, Malabar Coast, India
Cashing in on scarcity and the high price of river sand in the open market, illegal sand-mining gangs have turned their attention to the coastal areas of Kozhikode – the second largest city and urban agglomeration in Kerala State – and supply salty sand to the construction industry.
Ship noise in coastal habitats could interfere with orca’s communication
The study is unique because it estimates the source levels of larger populations and more classes of ships than in previous studies. Overall, container ships exhibited the highest median source levels.
Disappearing sand forcing swimmers off Mornington beach, near Melbourne
It was once a popular summer swim spot, but now beachgoers are shunning a Mornington beach. That’s the view of those living near Shire Hall Beach, who say sand along the stretch of coast has vanished, leaving a rocky surface beneath the water. Resident suspects work on sea walls along the beach in Mornington could be to blame.
Funding problems hit plan to clean Rio’s polluted waterways ahead of Olympics
With the Olympic Games just months away, Rio de Janeiro has a problem with rubbish. Hundreds of tonnes of unprocessed waste flow into the Guanabara Bay every year. Previous promises from Rio officials to regenerate Rio’s waterways through investment in sanitation have not delivered results.
More than a Billion People Depend on Wetlands
It is estimated that more than a billion people around the world make their living directly from wetlands. And yet some 64 per cent of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1900; many of them converted for agricultural use or urban development. Approximately 40 per cent have been degraded in just over 40 years