Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en Stained, warped and terroir rich: the global and shockingly sustainable lives of wine barrels https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/stained-warped-and-terroir-rich-global-and-shockingly-sustainable-lives-wine-barrels <p>Wood barrels circle the world and can be used for more than a century. They tell a story, but they’re imperiled by tariffs</p> <p>No one at Tucson’s Hamilton Distillers knows exactly what wood the cognac barrels holding whiskey are made of.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/stained-warped-and-terroir-rich-global-and-shockingly-sustainable-lives-wine-barrels" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 12 May 2025 18:00:17 +0000 admin 99939 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Invasive salmon, clams and seaweed are next threats to biodiversity in Britain https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/invasive-salmon-clams-and-seaweed-are-next-threats-biodiversity-britain <p>Pink salmon, Purple Asian clams, marine invertebrates that form spaghetti-like colonies and a nematode worm that causes extensive deaths of trees are among the new entries in experts' watchlist of invasive non-native species that could threaten Great Britain in the next 10 years. The latest version of the watchlist again includes known problem species such as the yellow-legged (Asian) hornet, raccoon and twoleaf watermilfoil.</p> Mon, 12 May 2025 17:36:49 +0000 admin 99940 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘A horror movie’: sharks and octopuses among 200 species killed by toxic algae off South Australia https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/horror-movie-sharks-and-octopuses-among-200-species-killed-toxic-algae-south-australia <p><em>Karenia mikimotoi</em> algae can suffocate fish, cause haemorrhaging and act as a neurotoxin, one expert says</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/horror-movie-sharks-and-octopuses-among-200-species-killed-toxic-algae-south-australia" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 12 May 2025 15:00:16 +0000 admin 99936 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org To the new environment minister, Murray Watt: it’s time to get reforms right | Lyndon Schneiders https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/new-environment-minister-murray-watt-it-s-time-get-reforms-right-lyndon-schneiders <p>Long-term reform is not going to be easy, but we have now wasted 15 years and everyone has lost, especially the natural world</p> <ul> <li><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/10/sign-up-for-the-clear-air-australia-environment-newsletter-with-adam-morton">Get Guardian Australia environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as an email</a></li> </ul> <p>Long overdue reform of national environment laws is unfinished business for the 48th parliament and the re-elected Albanese government.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/new-environment-minister-murray-watt-it-s-time-get-reforms-right-lyndon-schneiders" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 12 May 2025 15:00:14 +0000 admin 99938 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Cobalt firm taps in to electric car boom with £174m London stock market float https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/cobalt-firm-taps-electric-car-boom-174m-london-stock-market-float <p>Cobalt Holdings aims to buy up supply of the metal from Glencore as slowing EV growth has pushed down prices</p> <p>A cobalt trading company has said it will raise £174m in rare a stock market float in London, in a bet on demand for car batteries that defies investor nerves around the growth in electric cars.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/cobalt-firm-taps-electric-car-boom-174m-london-stock-market-float" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 12 May 2025 14:54:44 +0000 admin 99937 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Helping birds and floating solar energy coexist https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/helping-birds-and-floating-solar-energy-coexist <p>How might floating solar energy projects impact wild birds and vice versa? A paper outlines key considerations for a growing floating solar industry.</p> Mon, 12 May 2025 14:52:04 +0000 admin 99935 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org UK windfall tax can fund switch to green jobs for North Sea oil workers – report https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-windfall-tax-can-fund-switch-green-jobs-north-sea-oil-workers-report <p>Exclusive: Campaigners call for energy profits levy to be made permanent to enable ‘just transition’ from fossil fuels</p> <p>Making permanent the UK’s windfall tax on oil and gas producers would generate enough cash to enable North Sea workers to move to green jobs, <a href="https://oilchange.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Up-For-Grabs-We-Can-Pay-For-It-UK.pdf">research has found</a>.</p> <p>Cutting current subsidies to fossil fuel producers would free up yet more funds to spend on the shift to a low-carbon economy, according to the report.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-windfall-tax-can-fund-switch-green-jobs-north-sea-oil-workers-report" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 12 May 2025 13:00:11 +0000 admin 99934 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Nature group threatens judicial review against Labour’s planning bill https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/nature-group-threatens-judicial-review-against-labour-s-planning-bill <p>Wild Justice says bill would reduce environmental protections and calls on Angela Rayner to correct statement saying it will not</p> <p>A legal campaign group is planning a judicial review against the UK government’s new planning bill, arguing it will result in a weakening of environmental protections which were fought for and created over decades.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/nature-group-threatens-judicial-review-against-labour-s-planning-bill" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 12 May 2025 08:35:44 +0000 admin 99933 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Climate crisis threatens the banana, the world’s most popular fruit, research shows https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/climate-crisis-threatens-banana-world-s-most-popular-fruit-research-shows <p>Fourth most important food crop in peril as Latin America and Caribbean suffer from slow-onset climate disaster</p> <p>The climate crisis is threatening the future of the world’s most popular fruit, as almost two-thirds of banana-growing areas in Latin America and the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/caribbean">Caribbean</a> may no longer be suitable for growing the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/food/fruit">fruit</a> by 2080, new research has found.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/climate-crisis-threatens-banana-world-s-most-popular-fruit-research-shows" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 12 May 2025 06:00:46 +0000 admin 99932 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org MPs should not accept any murky answers from Thames Water chair on potential sale | Nils Pratley https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/mps-should-not-accept-any-murky-answers-thames-water-chair-potential-sale-nils-pratley <p>Sir Adrian Montague’s appearance on Tuesday offers perhaps the last chance to scrutinise utility’s dealings</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/mps-should-not-accept-any-murky-answers-thames-water-chair-potential-sale-nils-pratley" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 12 May 2025 04:00:44 +0000 admin 99931 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org