Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en Huge plumes of smoke rise over Florida as Everglades wildfire rages – video https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/huge-plumes-smoke-rise-over-florida-everglades-wildfire-rages-video <p>South Florida fires that burnt through 45 sq km (11,000 acres) of land over the weekend spread on Monday as emergency crews worked to contain them. </p> <p>Florida Forest Service said 'the growing fires were producing smoky conditions with reduced visibility'. No serious injuries or property damage have been reported. </p> <p>Dry conditions have led to wildfires in other parts the country, including fires that destroyed dozens of homes in southern Georgia last month</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/huge-plumes-smoke-rise-over-florida-everglades-wildfire-rages-video" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 12 May 2026 13:36:00 +0000 admin 103291 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Trump’s rollback of toxic gas rules limits EPA’s authority to protect public health, analysis says https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-s-rollback-toxic-gas-rules-limits-epa-s-authority-protect-public-health-analysis <p>Ethylene oxide (EtO) is about 60 times more carcinogenic than believed in 2006, research finds</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-s-rollback-toxic-gas-rules-limits-epa-s-authority-protect-public-health-analysis" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:46 +0000 admin 103289 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Lotus boss calls for UK government support as it commits to Norfolk plant https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/lotus-boss-calls-uk-government-support-it-commits-norfolk-plant <p>Sports carmaker extends lifespan of petrol-engined Emira, made in Norfolk, to continue to cater for US market</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/live/2026/may/12/uk-bond-yields-borrowing-costs-pound-falls-oil-inflation-live-updates">Business live – latest updates</a></p> </li> </ul> <p>The boss of the luxury sports carmaker Lotus has called for government support for its UK factory as the Chinese-owned company insisted it will not abandon its British roots.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/lotus-boss-calls-uk-government-support-it-commits-norfolk-plant" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 12 May 2026 10:56:44 +0000 admin 103288 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org The global sand crisis: it’s being used up faster than it can be replaced https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/global-sand-crisis-it-s-being-used-faster-it-can-be-replaced <p>It is the most extracted solid material on Earth – but this extraction can threaten ecosystems and livelihoods</p> <p>Malé is one of the world’s most overcrowded cities, but it faces double pressure. As well as a growing population, the capital of the Maldives is also threatened by rising sea levels. Owing to climate breakdown, its living space is shrinking.</p> <p>So the justification for a land reclamation project seemed clear. Take sand from elsewhere in the archipelago and use it to build up the land available for Malé’s people. What could go wrong? After all, it’s only sand, right?</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/global-sand-crisis-it-s-being-used-faster-it-can-be-replaced" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 12 May 2026 10:00:54 +0000 admin 103286 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org The budget in seven graphs: no big surprises but this may be one of the most ambitious moves to fix Australia’s finances | Greg Jericho https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/budget-seven-graphs-no-big-surprises-may-be-one-most-ambitious-moves-fix-australia-s-f <p>With some long-awaited sanity on housing and taxes, including CGT and negative gearing changes, it’s one of the most important for good – but will still leave some out in the cold</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/may/12/budget-2026-live-updates-federal-treasurer-jim-chalmers-speech-time-tonight-latest-news-ntwnfb">Federal budget 2026 LIVE updates: Australia government budget announcement and speech – latest news</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/budget-seven-graphs-no-big-surprises-may-be-one-most-ambitious-moves-fix-australia-s-f" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 12 May 2026 09:59:07 +0000 admin 103287 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘Six lanes of tarmac and vehicles doing 70mph’: can ‘green bridges’ help animals cross the UK’s motorways in safety? https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/six-lanes-tarmac-and-vehicles-doing-70mph-can-green-bridges-help-animals-cross-uk-s-mo <p>Cockrow Bridge in Surrey will open in the coming weeks to provide wildlife, including lizards and insects, with the ability to move between fragmented habitats</p> <p>When James Herd moved near to Wisley Common 17 years ago, the heathland nature reserve was teeming with wildlife. “I’d take the dog around the common in spring and summer, and every few hundred metres I’d hear the rustle of a lizard in the undergrowth – and I’d see adders,” he says.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/six-lanes-tarmac-and-vehicles-doing-70mph-can-green-bridges-help-animals-cross-uk-s-mo" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 12 May 2026 09:00:43 +0000 admin 103285 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Datacentres should be forced to invest in wind and solar energy, all states agree – except Queensland https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/datacentres-should-be-forced-invest-wind-and-solar-energy-all-states-agree-except-quee <p>State and federal energy ministers say investments in new renewable energy and storage should ‘fully offset’ new datacentres’ energy needs</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/may/12/budget-2026-live-updates-federal-treasurer-jim-chalmers-speech-time-tonight-latest-news-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/datacentres-should-be-forced-invest-wind-and-solar-energy-all-states-agree-except-quee" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 12 May 2026 05:16:37 +0000 admin 103284 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Deep differences: expanding the marine social sciences and humanities into the deep ocean https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/deep-differences-expanding-marine-social-sciences-and-humanities-deep-ocean <p>npj Ocean Sustainability, Published online: 12 May 2026; <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s44183-026-00200-6">doi:10.1038/s44183-026-00200-6</a></p> <p>Deep differences: expanding the marine social sciences and humanities into the deep ocean</p> Tue, 12 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000 admin 103283 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Trump officials cancel rule that made conservation a ‘use’ of public lands https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-officials-cancel-rule-made-conservation-use-public-lands <p>Move comes as administration seeks to boost drilling, logging, mining and grazing on taxpayer-owned land</p> <p>The interior department is canceling a rule that put conservation on equal footing with development, as <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump">Donald Trump</a>’s administration eases restrictions on industries and seeks to boost drilling, logging, mining and grazing on taxpayer-owned land.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-officials-cancel-rule-made-conservation-use-public-lands" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 12 May 2026 00:50:09 +0000 admin 103282 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Supermarket foods claiming to be ‘natural’ or ‘sustainable’ mostly just using marketing terms, researchers find https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/supermarket-foods-claiming-be-natural-or-sustainable-mostly-just-using-marketing-terms <p>Survey of 27,000 Australian supermarket items found some products boasting environmental benefits had significantly higher emissions than unlabelled counterparts</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/may/12/budget-2026-live-updates-federal-treasurer-jim-chalmers-speech-time-tonight-latest-news-ntwnfb">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/supermarket-foods-claiming-be-natural-or-sustainable-mostly-just-using-marketing-terms" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 11 May 2026 15:08:58 +0000 admin 103281 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org