Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Exclusive: Anthony Albanese sought ‘advice on strategy’ as federal and state governments prepared for ‘potential impacts of an adverse decision’ Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here The Albanese government was so worried a court case could halt native forest logging in northern New South Wales that it drew up plans to essentially sidestep federal environment laws in the event of a loss, documents released under freedom of information laws reveal. The prime minister, Anthony Albanese, played a key role as the commonwealth and NSW governments worked to ensure some logging could continue in the face of any “adverse decision” and to manage a potentially volatile situation between loggers and environmentalists. Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter Continue reading...

Dudderhouse Hill in dales is thought to be one of first structures in UK to be communally constructed by humans A rare and remarkable 5,000-year-old monument that is an example of one of the earliest visible structures in England is to receive extra protection because walkers, sometimes innocently, have been removing and moving stones. The Dudderhouse Hill long cairn in the Yorkshire Dales has been granted “scheduled monument” status by the government, making it a site of national importance with greater legal protection. Continue reading...

Activists launch civil disobedience campaign in New York and San Francisco after company dropped climate vows Seven people were arrested as hundreds of climate and Indigenous rights activists participated in non-violent demonstrations at Wells Fargo’s corporate offices in New York City and San Francisco on Wednesday, in what marks the launch of a summer of civil disobedience against billionaires and corporations accused of cowering to Donald Trump. In New York City, dozens of protesters stormed the lobby of the bank’s corporate offices, disrupting employees by blocking the entrance and calling out what they describe as Wells Fargo’s complicity in the climate crisis. Continue reading...

As Senate establishes inquiry into the ‘human-mediated disaster’, a report is calling for more long-term action Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Scientists are warning the wildlife impacts of a marine heatwave that has driven a catastrophic algal bloom off South Australia are likely to be equivalent to those from the black summer bushfires, and demand a similar response from governments. Experts from five Australian universities say “one of the worst marine disasters in living memory” requires rapid investigation by federal and state governments to identify any at-risk species and fund emergency interventions if necessary. Continue reading...