Breaking Waves: Ocean News

US judge strikes down Trump order blocking wind energy projects

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 15:16:57 +0000

Federal judge declared January executive order unlawful, ruling in favor of a coalition of state attorneys general

A federal judge on Monday struck down Donald Trump’s executive order blocking wind energy projects, saying the effort to halt virtually all leasing of windfarms on federal lands and waters was “arbitrary and capricious” and violates US law.

‘Food and fossil fuel production causing $5bn of environmental damage an hour’

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 09:00:04 +0000

UN GEO report says ending this harm key to global transformation required ‘before collapse becomes inevitable’

The unsustainable production of food and fossil fuels causes $5bn (£3.8bn) of environmental damage per hour, according to a major UN report.

Ending this harm was a key part of the global transformation of governance, economics and finance required “before collapse becomes inevitable”, the experts said.

UK households bin 168m Christmas lights and ‘fast tech’ items a year

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 08:00:02 +0000

Consumers spent £1.7bn on festive lighting last year and much of it is treated as disposable

UK households have thrown away an estimated 168m light-up Christmas items and other “fast-tech” gifts over the past year, a study suggests.

The research by the non-profit group Material Focus found about £1.7bn was spent last year on Christmas lighting, including 39m sets of fairy lights.

Caribbean reefs have lost 48% of hard coral since 1980, study finds

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 06:00:01 +0000

‘Destructive’ marine heatwaves driving loss of microalgae that feed coral, says Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network

Caribbean reefs have half as much hard coral now as they did in 1980, a study has found.

It’s the world’s rarest ape. Now a billion-dollar dig for gold threatens its future

admin — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 05:00:01 +0000

Tapanuli orangutans survive only in Indonesia’s Sumatran rainforest where a mine expansion will cut through their home. Yet the mining company says the alternative will be worse

Drinking water contaminated with Pfas probably increases risk of infant mortality, study finds

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 20:00:47 +0000

Study of 11,000 births in New Hampshire shows residents’ reproductive outcomes near contaminated sites

Drinking water contaminated with Pfas chemicals probably increases the risk of infant mortality and other harm to newborns, a new peer-reviewed study of 11,000 births in New Hampshire finds.

The first-of-its-kind University of Arizona research found drinking well water down gradient from a Pfas-contaminated site was tied to an increase in infant mortality of 191%, pre-term birth of 20%, and low-weight birth of 43%.

The Guardian view on solar geoengineering: Africa has a point about this risky technology | Editorial

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 18:08:03 +0000

Sun-dimming risks putting the planet’s thermostat under Donald Trump’s control. Better to adopt the precautionary principle with high-stakes science

‘It’s Scotland’s energy’: SNP to focus on renewables in Holyrood election

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 18:05:05 +0000

Leader John Swinney says independence could cut household energy bills by a third in the long term

The future of Scottish renewables will underpin the Scottish National party’s Holyrood election campaign, the party leader, John Swinney, has said, as he claimed independence could cut household energy bills by a third in the long term.

Cornish activist injured as police remove her from tree-felling protest

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 17:30:33 +0000

Charity worker had joined 40 demonstrators ‘bearing witness’ to the loss of three lime trees in Falmouth

A charity worker suffered a head injury when police tried to remove her from a protest against trees being felled in a Cornish seaside town.

Debs Newman, 60, was “bearing witness” to the loss of three mature lime trees in Falmouth when she was seized by officers.

Australia’s bushfires were held at bay by five wet years — but experts warn the country is ‘ready to burn’

admin — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 14:00:46 +0000

Blazes in NSW and Tasmania have already led to a firefighter losing his life and close to 40 homes being destroyed as an ominous fire season begins

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