Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Gas boiler fittings outnumbered heat pumps by 15 to one in UK last year – report

admin — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 05:00:19 +0000

Poorer households shut out of heat pump market and grants should be increased to speed up rollout, thinktank says

Gas boiler fittings outnumbered new heat pump installations by more than 15 to one last year, and only one in eight new homes were equipped with the low-carbon alternative despite the government’s clean energy targets.

Streams of medicines: how Switzerland cleaned up its act – podcast

admin — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 04:00:19 +0000

Switzerland is leading the world in purifying its water of micropollutants, a concoction of chemicals often found in bodies of water that look crystal clear. They include common medicines like antidepressants and antihistamines, but have unknown and potentially damaging consequences for human and ecosystem health.

Energy demands from AI datacentres to quadruple by 2030, says report

admin — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 04:00:18 +0000

The IEA forecast indicates a sharp rise in the requirements of AI, but said threat to the climate was ‘overstated’

The global rush to AI technology will require almost as much energy by the end of this decade as Japan uses today, but only about half of the demand is likely to be met from renewable sources.

Processing data, mainly for AI, will consume more electricity in the US alone by 2030 than manufacturing steel, cement, chemicals and all other energy-intensive goods combined, according to a report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

Elon Musk’s xAI powering its facility in Memphis with ‘illegal’ generators

admin — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 01:07:13 +0000

Advocacy group says the firm has doubled the number of methane gas burning turbines it’s using without permits

KeShaun Pearson took a seat in front of the Shelby county board of commissioners in Memphis, Tennessee, on Wednesday morning. In the gallery behind him, a small group of people held up signs that said “Our air = our lives” and “Our water, Our future.” With a manner-of-fact demeanor, Pearson addressed the commissioners.

White House ends funding for key US climate body: ‘No coming back from this’

admin — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 20:11:18 +0000

Nasa cuts contract that convened USGCRP, which released assessments impacting environmental decision-making

The White House is ending funding for the body that produces the federal government’s pre-eminent climate report, which summarizes the impacts of rising global temperatures on the United States.

Trump takes aim at city and state climate laws in executive order

admin — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 16:10:28 +0000

President orders justice department to stop enforcement of critical policies holding fossil fuel companies accountable

Coalition nuclear plan will plough $58bn wrecking ball through renewable energy projects, analysis warns

admin — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 15:00:06 +0000

Going nuclear will cost ‘real dollars for farmers, real dollars for country towns and real blue-collar jobs’, Clean Energy Council says

Adani names two dead Australian war veterans in documents alleging protest conspiracy against it

admin — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 15:00:04 +0000

Exclusive: Judge says case appears to be making ‘no real progress towards trial’ as mining company files fourth statement of claim since 2020

US against plan for levy on carbon emissions from ships, leak suggests

admin — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 14:21:35 +0000

Document says levy would be ‘blatantly unfair’ and inconsistent with international law of the sea

Plans for a levy on the carbon produced by ships are being opposed by the US government, on the apparent basis they would “impose substantial economic burdens” and “drive inflation”.

Pet dogs have ‘extensive and multifarious’ impact on environment, new research finds

admin — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 14:05:01 +0000

Scale of environmental damage attributed to huge number of dogs globally as well as ‘lax or uninformed behaviour of dog owners’

Dogs have “extensive and multifarious” environmental impacts, disturbing wildlife, polluting waterways and contributing to carbon emissions, new research has found.

An Australian review of existing studies has argued that “the environmental impact of owned dogs is far greater, more insidious, and more concerning than is generally recognised”.