Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Countries urged to ‘hold the line’ in Geneva plastics treaty negotiations

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 18:59:41 +0000

Talks continue amid warnings from environmental groups over being ‘sold out’ without meaningful or legally binding measures

Talks between nations to hammer out a plastics treaty to end plastic pollution continued behind closed doors in Geneva on Thursday, the final day of negotiations, as civil society groups urged countries to “hold the line” to secure a strong agreement.

Week in wildlife: A wild elephant, a playful dolphin and fighting zebras

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:55:39 +0000

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world

Europe scorched by wildfires – pictures from space

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:59:39 +0000

Satellite imagery shows the impact on Europe after wildfires raged across the south of the continent

Wildfires claim third life in Spain as intense heat continues across Europe

Trump’s space order risks environmental disaster while rewarding Musk and Bezos, experts say

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:53:39 +0000

US president is pushing an ‘end run around’ on safeguards, risking harm to wildlife, air and water, attorney says

A draft executive order from Donald Trump that aims to largely exempt space launches from environmental review is viewed as a gift to commercial space industry players such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and others who have long targeted the regulations.

Plan to extend Queensland coalmine would bulldoze ‘critical’ koala habitat

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:00:07 +0000

Glencore says it is working with state and federal governments to minimise the impact of flora and fauna in the 680ha area west of Mackay

Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

‘Demon’ rabbits growing hornlike warts in Colorado are no danger, scientists say

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:53:12 +0000

Cottontails seen in Fort Collins have mostly harmless Shope papillomavirus, which cannot be spread to other species

A group of rabbits in Colorado with grotesque, hornlike growths may seem straight out of a low-budget horror film, but scientists say there is no reason to be spooked – the furry creatures merely have a relatively common virus.

British Gas owner buys £1.5bn gas terminal in big bet on fossil fuel reliance

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:50:46 +0000

Deal for Europe’s biggest facility for LNG imports comes as overall UK gas demand fell sharply last year

The owner of British Gas has placed a £1.5bn bet on the UK’s future reliance on fossil fuel imports after striking a deal to buy Europe’s biggest gas import terminal.

Centrica plans to partner with a US private equity firm to acquire the Isle of Grain terminal in Kent, which can import 15m tonnes of liquefied natural gas a year, even after Britain’s gas demand fell last year to its lowest level since the early 1990s.

Flash flood in Indian Kashmir leaves at least 56 dead and scores missing

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:44:09 +0000

People on popular pilgrimage route were washed away by flood waters triggered by cloudburst, officials say

At least 56 people have died and 80 are missing after a sudden rainstorm in Indian Kashmir, the second such disaster in the Himalayas in a little over a week.

The incident in the town of Chashoti, Kishtwar district, occurred at a stopover point on a pilgrimage route. Days earlier, a flood and mudslide engulfed a village in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand.

‘Alarmingly high’ levels of forever chemicals found at airports in England, investigation reveals

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 13:30:36 +0000

Exclusive: 17 sites recorded elevated levels, in some cases thousands of times higher than proposed safe limits, as experts warn of potential risk to drinking water

“Alarmingly high” levels of toxic forever chemicals have been detected at English airports – in some cases thousands of times higher than proposed EU safe levels – with experts raising concerns over the potential impact on drinking water sources.

Huge ‘Butchered’ artwork installed on North Sea gas rig by Greenpeace activists

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 11:27:34 +0000

Anish Kapoor work referring to ‘butchering of our environment’ believed to be first fine artwork exhibited from a working gas extraction platform

Greenpeace activists have scaled a gas rig, stretched a 96 sq metre canvas across its side and stained it crimson, in a protest designed with Anish Kapoor.

The work, in the North Sea, is believed to be the first piece of fine art exhibited from a working gas extraction platform.