As Seas Rise, Tropical Pacific Islands Face a Perfect Storm
Although they have done little to contribute to global warming, Pacific islanders may face some of the most dire consequences of rising seas. In a Yale e360 interview, geologist Chip Fletcher describes the threats confronting Hawaii and other islands and discusses potential adaptation strategies.
Earth already in midst of sixth mass extinction, scientists say – video report
The scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has reported that the Earth is already in the stages of the sixth mass extinction, which will see the world’s wildlife and plants die out. The research found that species, including those which are not endangered, had reduced in number due to habitation shrinkage, hunting, pollution and climate change
Seven right whales found dead in ‘devastating’ blow to endangered animal
Seven North Atlantic right whales have been found floating lifelessly in the Gulf of St Lawrence, off Canada, in recent weeks, in what is being described as a “catastrophic” blow to one of the world’s most endangered whales.
Indigenous Artists Turn Ghost Nets — Which Destroy Australia’s Ocean Life — Into Artwork
Ghost nets — the name given to abandoned or discarded fishing nets — are dangerous traps for marine life and are a particular problem on Australia’s far north coast. But one group, GhostNets Australia, is dedicated to removing the nets and cleaning up the ocean. And a group of indigenous artists are turning those nets into powerful works of art.
Unique coral reef at risk as oil companies plan to drill near Amazon river mouth
Oil companies planning to drill near a vast coral reef at the mouth of the Amazon river have calculated that the unique ecosystem has a 30% chance of being affected in the event of an oil spill. The unique reef system astonished marine biologists when its existence was widely revealed last year, and is believed it could be the home for dozens of previously unknown species.
Alarm as mangrove forests at the Kenyan Coast rapidly disappear
A recent study carried out at Tudor Creek – the water body separating Mombasa Island from the mainland – shows that more than 80 per cent of mangroves along the Indian Ocean coast in the area have been wiped out.
Sea shells: A new source of sustainable biomaterials
Over 7 million tons of mollusc shells are discarded by the seafood industry each year as unwanted waste, and the vast majority of these shells are either thrown in landfills or dumped at sea. Researchers are looking at environmentally and economically sustainable options for these biomaterials.
Trump’s alarming environmental rollback: what’s been scrapped so far
Since January, the White House, Congress and EPA have engineered a dizzying reversal of regulations designed to protect the environment and public health.
A Call for a Hippocratic Oath on Protecting the World’s Oceans
An international group of marine conservation experts called for the creation of a code of conduct called a Hippocratic Oath for marine conservation, to ensure that the rights of local people are not trampled as the number of marine protected areas grows worldwide.