Breaking Waves: Ocean News

09/08/2026 - 12:37
Appeals court dismisses lawsuit from Jackson residents claiming that tainted drinking water violated their rights A US appellate court has decided that the federal constitution does not guarantee a right to clean water. That legal opinion came in the form of a decision on Friday from the fifth circuit court of appeals to uphold a lower court’s dismissal of a 2022 lawsuit from several Jackson, Mississippi, residents claiming that tainted drinking water violated their constitutional rights. Continue reading...
09/08/2026 - 11:18
Center of storm passed west of the islands and was moving away but flooding and mudslides will continue to be a risk Damaging winds and heavy rains from Hurricane Lowell pelted Hawaii’s western islands on Tuesday, knocking out power and bringing the threat of flash floods and mudslides. Fierce winds downed trees and caused widespread power outages on the island of Kauai, home to 73,000 residents. The Kauai island utility cooperative reported that nearly all of its members were without power early Tuesday. Continue reading...
09/08/2026 - 07:06
More than 140 clubs breached licences, with a third caught taking water illegally, analysis shows – but no fines issued More than 140 golf clubs in England have breached their water extraction licences in the past five years, according to data analysis by the Guardian. More than a third of these clubs were caught taking water illegally from the environment, either by taking more than permitted or by removing it outside the permitted period. Continue reading...
09/08/2026 - 07:05
Man, who had arrived in Turin from Miami via Istanbul, under investigation for smuggling and faces fine or prison An Italian man is facing a hefty fine or possible prison term after the dried head of a critically endangered crocodile was found in his luggage at Turin’s Caselle airport. The man had arrived at the airport in the northern Italian city on a flight from Miami via Istanbul, the Turin unit of Italy’s financial police squad said in a statement. Continue reading...
09/08/2026 - 06:47
From rare bacteria to ‘forever chemicals’, a series of cases of violations or alleged pollution has prompted alarm When officials in Wyoming conducted a routine test on the water that was being discharged from a massive under-construction Meta datacenter, it was a shock to find it contained a rare and potentially hazardous bacterium. While the wastewater flushed into sewers in Cheyenne, Wyoming, was never destined for the public drinking supply, the presence of Cupriavidus gilardii bacterium in 801,000 gallons of water ejected by a contractor for the datacenter earlier this year was still unnerving. Continue reading...
09/07/2026 - 23:00
Anglers will help scientists investigate the porbeagle, tope and blue shark to boost knowledge and conservation ‘We have really cool sharks,” says Dr Lucy Hawkes. She is not referring to animals in the rich coastal waters of South Africa or Mexico, but instead talking about the species that live around Britain. Hawkes, an associate professor at the University of Exeter, is co-leading a new three-year project to investigate the lives of three of England’s most vulnerable shark species. “I like the porbeagle, which looks like a baby great white shark,” she says. “Surfers could see one and absolutely poop their pants, but they’re not dangerous. It’s amazing that we share the water with some pretty exciting animals.” Continue reading...
09/07/2026 - 23:00
npj Ocean Sustainability, Published online: 08 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s44183-026-00238-6 Linking blue economy sectors to ecosystem services and socio-economic priorities: a framework for integrated maritime spatial planning
09/07/2026 - 23:00
npj Ocean Sustainability, Published online: 08 September 2026; doi:10.1038/s44183-026-00242-w Dynamics of distant water fishing fleets in Southeast Asian countries
09/07/2026 - 19:58
Foreign minister Shisir Khanal tells the Guardian the world’s biggest economies need to help Nepal, which contributes less than 0.1% of global greenhouse gas emissions Nepal is demanding $20m in climate compensation for the recent devastating floods, as a senior minister called on the world’s most polluting countries to “wake up” and accept shared responsibility for a disaster that led to the death or disappearance of more than 6,000 people. Scientists believe the climate crisis had a role to play in the floods, which were triggered when a melting glacier partially collapsed and set off a deadly landslide and flash flooding through Chinese-controlled Tibet and Nepal in late August. So far, more than 1,300 are confirmed dead and more than 5,500 still missing, with hopes of their survival diminished after 12 days of rescue operations. Continue reading...
09/07/2026 - 19:00
Researchers urge governments to help worst afflicted countries, such as Nigeria and Algeria, which rely on oil revenues for public services Conflict, migration and economic upheaval will accompany the global move away from oil, unless governments act urgently to help the worst afflicted countries to cope, research has found. Nigeria, Iran, Angola and Algeria are among the countries that will be severely affected, as they rely strongly on oil revenues for their government and provision of public services, but have little diversification and too little capital to cushion the blow. Continue reading...