Breaking Waves: Ocean News

RHS unveils plans to protect UK gardens from future water shortages

admin — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:00:33 +0000

Environmental charity to prioritise water capture and storage as it urges gardeners to prepare for ‘new normal’

The Royal Horticultural Society has unveiled emergency plans to protect its gardens from major water shortages in the future.

The environmental charity, which owns and operates five renowned public gardens in England, said on Saturday it will invest in more water-capture and water-management projects in 2026 after severe droughts last year.

From scorpions to peacocks: the species thriving in London’s hidden microclimates

admin — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 06:00:36 +0000

An extraordinary mosaic of wildlife has made Britain’s urban jungle its home

London is the only place in the UK where you can find scorpions, snakes, turtles, seals, peacocks, falcons all in one city – and not London zoo. Step outside and you will encounter a patchwork of writhing, buzzing, bubbling urban microclimates.

Sam Davenport, the director of nature recovery at the London Wildlife Trust, emphasises the sheer variation in habitats that you find in UK cities, which creates an amazing “mosaic” of wildlife.

‘We cannot say for sure these wolves come from Russia’: Finns try to fathom cause of record reindeer deaths

admin — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 05:00:29 +0000

Wolves killed more than 2,100 reindeer in Finland last year, and herders are blaming the Ukraine war

Juha Kujala no longer knows how many reindeer will return to his farm from the forest each December. The 54-year-old herder releases his animals into the wilderness on the 830-mile Finnish-Russian border each spring to grow fat on lichens, grass and mushrooms, just as his ancestors have done for generations.

'The world's ugliest lawn' isn't really that ugly, according to its Australian owner – video

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 21:29:45 +0000

Jarno Coone, the winner of the international 'world's ugliest lawn' competition, says he doesn't let his garden grow wild to annoy his neighbours in the regional Victorian town of Kyneton. He says he is 'proud to get the message out there for water conservation and living more harmoniously with nature'. 'I really do believe it is better for the environment,' he says

Trump says the big US winter storm is proof of climate hoax – here’s why he’s wrong

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 17:17:13 +0000

US president asks ‘whatever happened to global warming?’ Well, it could be making our winter storms worse

Donald Trump has erroneously cited an enormous winter storm that is set to deliver freezing temperatures and heavy snow to half of the US as supposed proof that the world is not heating up due to the burning of fossil fuels.

Put north of England ‘front and centre’ of net zero strategy, Reeves urged

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 14:00:13 +0000

Region has higher share of net zero economic output, data shows, and Labour leaders fear Reform would dismantle industry if it wins power

Rachel Reeves has been urged to put the north of England at the heart of the UK’s net zero strategy as research shows the sector contributes a larger share of the region’s economy than it does nationally.

The Labour peer Julie Elliott said the north must be “front and centre” of the Treasury’s growth strategy for clean energy.

Privatisation not the problem for England’s water, says author of review

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 13:00:10 +0000

Architect of government’s water plan says nationalisation might not fix everything and the current system can work

The privatisation of water in England is not the reason for its failings, the architect of the government’s water plan has said, as he warned there was no one “simple solution” such as nationalisation.

Piper James autopsy finds ‘evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites’

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 10:45:18 +0000

Canadian backpacker, 19, was found dead on K’gari island earlier this week surrounded by pack of wild dingoes

The autopsy of Piper James, whose body was found on K’gari surrounded by a pack of dingoes, has found “physical evidence consistent with drowning and injuries consistent with dingo bites”.

Week in wildlife: a proud eagle, an adorable axolotl and a goofy seal

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:00:11 +0000

This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world

Dramatic rise in water-related violence recorded since 2022

admin — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 06:00:07 +0000

Experts say climate crisis, corruption and lack or misuse of infrastructure among factors driving water conflicts

Water-related violence has almost doubled since 2022 and little is being done to understand and address the trend and prevent new and escalating risks, experts have said.

There were 419 incidents of water-related violence recorded in 2024, up from 235 in 2022, according to the Pacific Institute, a US-based thinktank.