Breaking Waves: Ocean News

11/01/2024 - 03:07
Planned two-day protest that involves thousands of protesters poses a safety risk, police argue Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast A plan by climate activists to shut down the Port of Newcastle for 50 hours has been challenged by New South Wales police who have argued in a court challenge against the protest going ahead. Police are challenging the protest – which is planned for 19 November – in the supreme court. It’s the second time in a month police have challenged a protest in court. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
11/01/2024 - 02:00
The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...
10/31/2024 - 21:53
LNP urged to release details of its alternative energy plans within first 100 days of government Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Conservation groups say the new Queensland government must quickly announce details of its alternative energy plans, after confirmation the new LNP administration will scrap the state’s attempts to build the “world’s largest” hydroelectricity project. The premier, David Crisafulli, has confirmed the LNP would, as promised during the election campaign, end planning for a proposed 5GW Pioneer Burdekin pumped hydro scheme that would have constructed a massive energy storage dam in central Queensland. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
10/31/2024 - 20:31
Wild squirrel that was taken in by Mark Longo seven years ago was confiscated after conservation officials received reports of ‘potentially unsafe housing of wildlife’ A New York man who turned a rescued squirrel into a social media star called Peanut is pleading with state authorities to return his beloved pet after they seized it during a raid that also yielded a raccoon named Fred. Multiple anonymous complaints about Peanut – also spelled P’Nut or PNUT – brought at least six officers from the state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to Mark Longo’s home on Wednesday, Longo said. Continue reading...
10/31/2024 - 19:24
Sydney’s jacaranda trees are in full bloom, blanketing the city in purple and attracting crowds of people trying to capture that perfect frame Australia’s best photos of the month – October 2024 Five things to see at the 2025 Sydney festival Continue reading...
10/31/2024 - 13:00
As wildfires become more frequent and intense due to the climate crisis, combining the First Nations practice with western techniques is ‘crucial’ Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Indigenous cultural burning practices halved the shrub cover across south-east Australia thousands of years before colonisation, reducing the intensity of bushfires, new research suggests. The study’s authors argue that “wide-scale re-integration” of cultural burning practices, in combination with western fire management techniques, is “crucial” at a time when wildfires are becoming more frequent and intense due to the climate crisis. Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...
10/31/2024 - 13:00
Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat is a backer of the controversial Willow oil drilling project The administration of Alaska’s Republican governor, Mike Dunleavy, awarded at least $1m in state funds to a group claiming to represent a consensus of Indigenous support for new Arctic oil drilling, new research shows. The group, called Voice of the Arctic Iñupiat (VAI), had just months earlier communicated with the governor’s office on ways to counter other Alaska Native groups opposed to new drilling. Continue reading...
10/31/2024 - 10:23
Campaigners say car park extension at Manningtree station inhibits access to Dedham Vale and threatens habitats A commuter car park in Essex is to be one of the first test cases of whether the government will enforce new legislation aimed at protecting national parks and landscapes in England. Dedham Vale is a designated “national landscape” on the border of Essex and Suffolk, home to increasingly rare species including hazel dormice and hedgehogs. Within it is Manningtree station, where the train operator Greater Anglia built an extension to the car park to cope with increased traffic. Continue reading...
10/31/2024 - 10:09
African giant pouched rats trained to alert their handlers when they find illegally trafficked wildlife products Rats could be the latest weapon deployed in the fight against endangered wildlife trafficking, according to a study of rodents trained to sniff out pangolin scales, rhino horns, elephant tusks and hardwood. Researchers trained eight African giant pouched rats to sniff out the contraband, even when it was hidden among items commonly used to hide trafficked goods, including peanuts, leaves, wigs and washing powder. Continue reading...
10/31/2024 - 08:26
Steve Reed’s letter to campaign groups ahead of demonstration met with anger from those who say he has ignored the key issue of privatisation The environment secretary has caused a backlash among groups demanding an end to the pollution of rivers by water companies after a direct appeal ahead of a demonstration backfired. The intervention by Steve Reed, who wrote to activists saying they could trust him with forging change within the water industry, was met with anger by campaigners who said he was avoiding the key issue – that water privatisation has failed. In his letter to members from the 130 groups taking part in the March for Clean Water on Sunday, who include Surfers Against Sewage, the GMB union, the Wildlife Trusts and the RSPB, Reed said he shared their anger about record levels of sewage pollution. He wished them a well-attended march and said he looked forward to working with them towards a shared ambition of cleaning up rivers, lakes and seas for good. Continue reading...