Breaking Waves: Ocean News

UK relies on heat-stressed countries for fruit and veg it could grow itself – report

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 05:00:06 +0000

Food Foundation sounds alarm over supply risks and price shocks as about 40% of Britain’s food is imported

The UK is vulnerable to food price shocks because of its dependence on imports of fruit and vegetable from countries even more exposed to the climate crisis, researchers say.

Carbon pollution has fuelled ‘massive expansion’ of marine heatwaves in Europe, study finds

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 04:00:05 +0000

Hottest periods this year in most sea regions would have been ‘virtually impossible’ in a preindustrial climate

Carbon pollution has fuelled a “massive expansion” of marine heatwaves in Europe this summer, research has found, with some waters recording temperatures 6C higher than normal.

Ulez led to better lung size and function among London children, study finds

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 22:30:02 +0000

Researchers find capacity stunted by pollution was restored after introduction of ultra-low emission zone

Children’s lungs grew bigger and stronger after the most polluting vehicles were restricted from entering London, a study has found.

Examinations of London schoolchildren before and after the introduction of the city’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) found a restoration of lung capacity that had been stunted by exposure to pollution.

Introducing Ulez was my hardest decision as mayor of London – but now we know its astonishing impact | Sadiq Khan

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 22:30:02 +0000

Critics said I was attacking motorists. It’s more important for me that the city’s children are no longer breathing dangerous levels of pollution

Ulez led to better lung size and function among London children, study finds

Trump administration to rescind rule protecting old-growth forests

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 18:51:47 +0000

Almost 45m acres of national forests could be potentially opened to road construction, drilling and logging

The Trump administration said on Tuesday it plans to rescind the “roadless rule” that has protected old-growth forests in the US for 25 years, potentially opening up almost 45m acres of national forests to road construction, drilling and logging.

Rebecca Hendin on Richard Tice and the climate crisis – cartoon

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 15:34:22 +0000

Heavy rain on dry ground may cause UK floods as taps run dry for thousands

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 13:44:49 +0000

Forecasters say ‘first meaningful rain for a long time’ will not reverse widespread drought conditions

Floods and drought could hit the UK at the same time this week, with heavy rain forecast to fall on hard, parched soil.

While some parts of the UK will have the “first meaningful rain for a long time” in the coming days, it will not reverse widespread drought conditions that have put pressure on wildlife, farmers, firefighters and water resources.

‘We humans are inept at taking care of baby animals’: why well-fed orphan bears die in the wild

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 13:00:46 +0000

Scientists surprised to find all but two of 12 grizzlies were dead within a year of ‘feelgood’ release, unable to sustain their high-calorie diet and inclined to approach humans

The orphaned grizzly bear cubs were bulked up with a generous diet of roadkill, watermelon, dog food and snacks donated by the public. Their contact with carers was limited to two people. Then, after up to a year in rehabilitation, they returned home to the wilds of British Columbia.

‘A new normal’: Miami faces worsening seaweed problem as piles of algae wash up on beaches

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 11:30:44 +0000

Officials have had to remove thousands of tons of sargassum from Florida’s beaches amid the climate crisis

Dealing with seaweed is the bulk of Chris Bumpus’s job during the summer. As chief of conservation for Miami-Dade county’s parks, recreation and open spaces department, Bumpus is in charge of cleaning sargassum off 17 miles (27km) of county beaches. But some days, the odds are stacked against him and his team.

More and more sargassum, a kind of floating brown algae, has been washing up on the beaches of south Florida, west Africa, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean.

England’s ancient oak trees dying in extreme hot and dry weather

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 11:00:43 +0000

Woodland Trust says trees struggling in drought stress, with older ‘survivors’ disproportionately affected

England’s ancient oak trees are dying in the summer’s extreme heat and dry weather, according to the Woodland Trust, with trees and ecosystems unable to adapt fast enough to the changing climate.