The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report warns that the region is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, driving more extreme weather and posing serious threats to lives, ecosystems, and economies. In 2024, Asia experienced its warmest or second warmest year on …
Mussels will become inedible within the next 100 years as rising sea temperatures turn the dinner table favourite poisonous to humans, scientists have found. A study has indicated that a change in temperature of just 2 degrees celsius could make mussels, oysters and other popular shellfish too poisonous for humans …
A new paper just published in Science summarizes the projected impacts of climate change on the world’s oceans, and consequently on humans and our economy. The study concludes that global warming beyond the international limit of 2°C above pre-industrial temperatures would pose serious threats to marine ecosystems and their millions …
Greg Hunt, the federal environment minister, has said a UN decision not to list the Great Barrier Reef as in danger shows that Australia is a “role model to the world” in environmental protection. On Wednesday, the 21 nations on Unesco’s world heritage committee unanimously endorsed an earlier draft ruling …
The 2015 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) underscores the importance of science in guiding policy decisions for sustainable development. The report, called for by the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), provides a survey of scientific findings on oceans and livelihoods, sustainable consumption and production (SCP), disaster risk reduction (DRR), …
The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected bids by BP Plc(BP.L) and Anadarko Petroleum Corp(APC.N) to avoid penalties under federal pollution law in connection with the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The high court left in place a June 2014 ruling by the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court …
With the Australian sun illuminating the crystal clear waters of the Great Barrier Reef in all their glory, UNESCO World Heritage delegates snorkeled for hours surrounded by manta rays, dolphins and reef sharks. Their mission was to check the health of the world's largest living ecosystem, thousands of multi-colored coral …
Researchers, including those of Indian-origin, have developed an eco-friendly biodegradable green "herding" agent that can be used to clean up light crude oil spills on water. Derived from the plant-based small molecule phytol abundant in the marine environment, the new substance would potentially replace chemical herders currently in use. According …
Australia’s environment minister Greg Hunt names scientists tasked to advise the government on Great Barrier Reef health priorities Scientists with expertise in climate change and marine science are among a panel of 16 experts announced to advise the federal government on priorities and actions relating to the Great Barrier Reef. …
A month after state’s worst oil leak in decades, the investigation into what went wrong is ongoing. In the meantime, officials are considering a bid to triple output Just over a month after California experienced its worst oil spill in decades, the state is considering allowing a company to triple …
Ocean acidification negatively affects many marine species and is predicted to cause widespread changes to marine ecosystems. Similarly, freshwater ecosystems may potentially be affected by climate-change-related acidification; however, this has received far less attention. Freshwater fish represent 40% of all fishes, and salmon, which rear and spawn in freshwater, are …
The continent and its waters are home to more than 8,000 species with up to 90% endemic, but human activities are taking a toll on its ecosystems The Antarctic and Southern oceans are teeming with life, yet protection measures are weak as the continent faces increased threats from fishing, tourism …
Antarctic biodiversity is much more extensive, ecologically diverse and biogeographically structured than previously thought. Understanding of how this diversity is distributed in marine and terrestrial systems, the mechanisms underlying its spatial variation, and the significance of the microbiota is growing rapidly. Broadly recognizable drivers of diversity variation include energy availability …
The Regional State of Coast Report for the western Indian Ocean (WIO) is the first comprehensive regional synthesis to provide insights into the enormous economic potential around the WIO, the consequential demand for marine ecosystem goods and services to match the increasing human population, the pace and scale of environmental …
The US has more oil spills than we thought and the number doubled after production increased six years ago. 8,000 “Significant” Incidents Richard Stover, PhD, and the Center for Biological Diversity counted nearly 8,000 significant incidents, between 1986 and 2014, in records of the pipeline safety administration. By “significant” they …
Global climate change and ocean acidification pose a serious threat to marine life. Marine invertebrates are particularly susceptible to ocean acidification, especially highly calcareous taxa such as molluscs, echinoderms and corals. The largest of all bivalve molluscs, giant clams, are already threatened by a variety of local pressures, including overharvesting, …
The kind of muddy waters often seen around the Great Barrier Reef increase disease rates in fish and damage their gills, according to reef scientists. A new study by James Cook University researchers simulated the levels of suspended sediment “frequently found” in the reef due to floods, coastal agriculture and …
Diatoms are responsible for ~40% of marine primary productivity, fuelling the oceanic carbon cycle and contributing to natural carbon sequestration in the deep ocean. Diatoms rely on energetically expensive carbon concentrating mechanisms (CCMs) to fix carbon efficiently at modern levels of CO2. How diatoms may respond over the short and …
Mapusa: Captain of ports (CoP) has still not issued permission to dredge the Tiracol river near its mouth. Locals, under the banner of Keri Tiracol Gram Bachao Samiti, still continue to oppose the Aronda jetty project. The group is seeking the support of the people from Aronda in Maharashtra to …
Researchers are launching tests aimed at setting up a huge floating barrier off the Japanese coast, a project that could eventually help remove some of the 5.25 trillion pieces of rubbish polluting the world’s oceans, officials said Thursday. If the study is a success, the southern island of Tsushima could …
An analysis by environmental advocates claims the degradation of the reef meets five out eight possible reasons for listing by the world heritage committee Degradation of the Great Barrier Reef overwhelmingly meets the criteria for an “in danger” listing by Unesco, according to a joint report by environmental lawyers from …
