Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves en Miliband’s ‘break the link’ plan is not a magic formula for lowering energy bills https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/miliband-s-break-link-plan-not-magic-formula-lowering-energy-bills <p>The government’s plan to de-link gas and electricity prices will have a modest effect – more promising are plans on EVs and heat pumps</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/money/2026/apr/21/uk-electricity-prices-gas-energy-bills">Why are UK electricity prices linked to gas – and what does it mean for bills?</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/miliband-s-break-link-plan-not-magic-formula-lowering-energy-bills" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:45:45 +0000 admin 103113 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Wildlife and humans thriving in Unesco-protected sites https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/wildlife-and-humans-thriving-unesco-protected-sites <p>While wildlife populations crash globally, research finds designated areas enable recovery of threatened species </p> <p>Wildlife and humans are thriving within sites recognised by Unesco, research has found, allowing for the recovery of threatened species and habitats around the world.</p> <p>While wildlife populations have crashed globally by nearly three-quarters since 1970, those within Unesco-protected areas have remained largely stable.</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/21/wildlife-humans-thriving-unesco-protected-sites">Continue reading...</a></p> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 11:00:48 +0000 admin 103111 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Sam Neill says New Zealand goldmine supporters have threatened him with violence https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/sam-neill-says-new-zealand-goldmine-supporters-have-threatened-him-violence <p>Actor, who has publicly objected to plans to fast-track project near his farm, says he has received personal abuse</p> <p>The actor <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/11/sam-neill-vineyard-bendigo-ophir-goldmine-otago-santana-minerals">Sam Neill</a> says he has received threats of violence from supporters of a controversial goldmine that could be opened several kilometres away from his farm in New Zealand’s Central Otago district, after he publicly objected to the government’s plans to fast-track the mine.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/sam-neill-says-new-zealand-goldmine-supporters-have-threatened-him-violence" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:25:40 +0000 admin 103110 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Experts call for restrictions on pet flea treatments that harm UK songbirds https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/experts-call-restrictions-pet-flea-treatments-harm-uk-songbirds <p>Chemicals known to affect brains of common garden birds, and to kill unborn chicks, found in most feather samples</p> <p>Conservationists have called for restrictions on pet flea treatments after research found songbird feathers widely contaminated with substances that can damage the birds’ brains and kill unborn chicks.</p> <p>Almost every feather sample tested from five common species of UK garden birds contained either permethrin, imidacloprid or fipronil – all insecticides that are banned for agricultural use but still common in pet tick and flea treatments.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/experts-call-restrictions-pet-flea-treatments-harm-uk-songbirds" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 09:00:20 +0000 admin 103109 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘They come right past the house’: learning to live with rhinos as numbers soar in Nepal https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/they-come-right-past-house-learning-live-rhinos-numbers-soar-nepal <p>The country is seeing an increase in human-wildlife conflict as the number of megafauna, including rhinos and tigers, grows. But there are efforts to tackle the problem around Chitwan national park through education and training</p> <p>The tourists lining the steep embankment buzzed with excitement, phones out, snapping away in the twilight as a wild Indian rhinoceros grazed below the Nepali village of Sauraha. Climbing to the main street, the rhino ambled down the middle of the road.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/they-come-right-past-house-learning-live-rhinos-numbers-soar-nepal" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:00:19 +0000 admin 103108 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Cattle breed whose ancestors lived with Celts added to priority at-risk list https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/cattle-breed-whose-ancestors-lived-celts-added-priority-risk-list <p>UK’s Rare Breeds Survival Trust says calf numbers of white park cattle last year were less than two-thirds of 2022 level</p> <p>An ancient breed of cattle whose ancestors are thought to have accompanied the Celts as they were pushed to Britain’s fringes by the Romans has been designated as urgently at risk by a UK conservation charity.</p> <p>Publishing its 2026 watchlist on Tuesday, the Rare Breeds Survival Trust moved white park cattle to its “priority” category as new calf numbers sank last year to less than two-thirds of their 2022 level.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/cattle-breed-whose-ancestors-lived-celts-added-priority-risk-list" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:00:18 +0000 admin 103107 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org England wildlife watchdog ‘has stopped designating special sites for protection’ https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/england-wildlife-watchdog-has-stopped-designating-special-sites-protection <p>Exclusive: Report finds Natural England has created no new SSSIs, which protect areas from development, since 2023</p> <p>The government’s wildlife watchdog for England is failing to save nature because it has stopped giving protection to rare wildlife and habitats, according to a new report.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/england-wildlife-watchdog-has-stopped-designating-special-sites-protection" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:00:16 +0000 admin 103105 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Labour’s great green energy plan could be a legacy as vital as the NHS | Polly Toynbee https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/labour-s-great-green-energy-plan-could-be-legacy-vital-nhs-polly-toynbee <p>Ed Miliband has a rare chance to do for the climate what Nye Bevan did for health: create something future generations will be proud of</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/labour-s-great-green-energy-plan-could-be-legacy-vital-nhs-polly-toynbee" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:00:16 +0000 admin 103106 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Trump signs memos to boost US fossil-fuel production for ‘defense readiness’ https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-signs-memos-boost-us-fossil-fuel-production-defense-readiness <p>President claims ‘inadequate’ supply presents security threat and orders expansion of oil, coal and gas production</p> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump</a> on Monday released a series of memos that doubled down on his support of increased domestic <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/fossil-fuels">fossil fuel</a> production for purported “defense readiness”.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-signs-memos-boost-us-fossil-fuel-production-defense-readiness" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 20 Apr 2026 22:26:24 +0000 admin 103112 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Climate groups sue US government over approval of new BP project in Gulf of Mexico https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/climate-groups-sue-us-government-over-approval-new-bp-project-gulf-mexico <p>Advocates expressed alarm as new project drills deeper into ocean bed, pointing to company’s failures at Deepwater Horizon spill</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/feb/17/sign-up-for-the-breaking-news-us-email-to-get-newsletter-alerts-direct-to-your-inbox?utm_medium=ACQUISITIONS_STANDFIRST&amp;utm_campaign=BN22326&amp;utm_content=signup&amp;utm_term=standfirst&amp;utm_source=GUARDIAN_WEB">Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inbox</a></p> </li> </ul> <p><br /></p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/climate-groups-sue-us-government-over-approval-new-bp-project-gulf-mexico" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:22:29 +0000 admin 103103 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org