Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en Plan for Australia’s largest carbon capture project near Darwin criticised as creating ‘dumping ground’ https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/plan-australia-s-largest-carbon-capture-project-near-darwin-criticised-creating-dumpin <p>Climate advocates fear the project, proposed by Japanese oil and gas giant Inpex, would turn the area into the ‘world’s largest carbon dumping ground’</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/mar/10/sign-up-for-the-clear-air-australia-environment-newsletter-with-adam-morton?CMP=cvau_sfl">Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/plan-australia-s-largest-carbon-capture-project-near-darwin-criticised-creating-dumpin" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 14 Nov 2025 04:29:30 +0000 admin 101856 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org The great escape: seal flees killer whales by jumping on to photographer’s boat https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/great-escape-seal-flees-killer-whales-jumping-photographer-s-boat <p>Charvet Drucker captures dramatic video and photos of seal being hunted by orcas in Salish Sea, north-west of Seattle</p> <p>A wildlife photographer on a whale-watching trip in waters off Seattle captured dramatic video and photos of a pod of killer whales hunting a seal that survived only by clambering on to the stern of her boat.</p> <p>Charvet Drucker was on a rented 20ft (6 metre) boat near her home on an island in the Salish Sea about 40 miles north-west of Seattle when she spotted a pod of at least eight killer whales, also known as orcas.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/great-escape-seal-flees-killer-whales-jumping-photographer-s-boat" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 23:59:02 +0000 admin 101855 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Labor must not partner with climate vandals on Australia’s new environmental laws | Tim Flannery https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/labor-must-not-partner-climate-vandals-australia-s-new-environmental-laws-tim-flannery <p>If the government cuts a deal with them, it risks repeating the mistakes of the Abbott era, sacrificing progress for politics</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/labor-must-not-partner-climate-vandals-australia-s-new-environmental-laws-tim-flannery" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 22:50:51 +0000 admin 101854 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Hundreds of thousands to lose heat pump subsidies in Reeves’s budget plan https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/hundreds-thousands-lose-heat-pump-subsidies-reeves-s-budget-plan <p>Exclusive: Supporters say grants largely going to middle-class households, but experts warn move will slow transition from gas boilers</p> <p>Hundreds of thousands of homeowners will lose their right to subsidies for eco-friendly heat pumps as a result of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/nov/04/chancellor-considers-cut-green-levies-reduce-cost-of-energy-bills-rachel-reeves">government plans</a> to bring down energy bills at the budget.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/hundreds-thousands-lose-heat-pump-subsidies-reeves-s-budget-plan" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 16:59:29 +0000 admin 101853 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Fears for elephant seals as bird flu kills half of population in South Atlantic https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/fears-elephant-seals-bird-flu-kills-half-population-south-atlantic <p>Study estimates 53,000 females have died on South Georgia since 2023, with ‘dramatic impact’ on future of the species</p> <p>Bird flu has wiped out half of South Georgia’s breeding elephant seals, according to a study that warns of “serious implications” for the future of the species.</p> <p>The remote island in the South Atlantic Ocean is home to the world’s largest southern elephant seal population. Researchers estimate 53,000 females died after bird flu hit in 2023.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/fears-elephant-seals-bird-flu-kills-half-population-south-atlantic" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 16:00:46 +0000 admin 101852 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Major US broadcasters sit out Cop30 climate talks: ‘They’re missing a lot’ https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/major-us-broadcasters-sit-out-cop30-climate-talks-they-re-missing-lot <p>Figures show none of US ‘big four’ – CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox – appear to have sent teams to cover summit in Belém</p> <p>Thousands of media professionals are at the United Nations climate talks in Brazil. Almost none of them appear to be from the four major US broadcasters.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/major-us-broadcasters-sit-out-cop30-climate-talks-they-re-missing-lot" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 16:00:12 +0000 admin 101851 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Row over definition of ‘gender’ hangs over Cop30 plans to support women https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/row-over-definition-gender-hangs-over-cop30-plans-support-women <p>Advocates say conservative states’ push to define gender as ‘biological sex’ would backslide on decade-old language within the UN</p> <p>A row over the definition of the term “gender” threatens to bog down pivotal talks at the Cop30 climate summit.</p> <p>Before the UN talks in Brazil, hardline conservative states have pushed to define gender as “biological sex” over their concerns trans and non-binary people could be included in a major plan to ensure climate action addresses gender inequality and empowers women.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/row-over-definition-gender-hangs-over-cop30-plans-support-women" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:19:53 +0000 admin 101850 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Body of missing coal miner found in flooded West Virginia mine, governor says https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/body-missing-coal-miner-found-flooded-west-virginia-mine-governor-says <p>Mining crew had hit unknown pocket of water last Saturday about three-quarters of a mile into the mine</p> <p>Crews have found the body of the coal miner <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/11/west-virginia-miner-trapped-search">missing since</a> a West Virginia mine flooded on Saturday, said the state’s governor, Patrick Morrisey, on Thursday.</p> <p>Crews found the body inside Alpha Metallurgical Resources Inc’s Rolling Thunder Mine near Belva, about 50 miles east of the state capital of Charleston.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/body-missing-coal-miner-found-flooded-west-virginia-mine-governor-says" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 15:05:44 +0000 admin 101849 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Cop30: ‘We will exterminate ourselves’ if we keep extracting fossil fuels, activists say – as it happened https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/cop30-we-will-exterminate-ourselves-if-we-keep-extracting-fossil-fuels-activists-say-i <p>Climate Action Tracker report finds pledges made in past year have not cut the forecast for global heating</p> <p><strong>More than half of all delegation members at Cop30 have withheld or obscured details of their affiliations</strong>, potentially concealing conflicts of interest and undermining trust in the Cop process, warns Transparency International.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/cop30-we-will-exterminate-ourselves-if-we-keep-extracting-fossil-fuels-activists-say-i" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 13:30:15 +0000 admin 101848 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Oversupply of oil could create glut of 4m barrels a day, says energy watchdog https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/oversupply-oil-could-create-glut-4m-barrels-day-says-energy-watchdog <p>Warning comes as scenario in which global demand continues to grow until 2050 is included in IEA outlook report</p> <p>The world is producing more oil than it needs and by next year there could be a glut of 4m excess barrels a day entering the market, according to the global energy watchdog.</p> <p>The International Energy Agency said the surplus in 2026 was likely to be larger than previously forecast, despite a decision from the biggest oil producers to pause their plan to increase crude exports.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/oversupply-oil-could-create-glut-4m-barrels-day-says-energy-watchdog" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 13 Nov 2025 12:12:51 +0000 admin 101847 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org