Breaking Waves: Ocean News

‘You basically have free hot water’: how Cyprus became a world leader in solar heating

admin — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 04:00:04 +0000

The country, which has more 300 days of sunshine a year, has embraced rooftop systems that harness the sun’s energy

The Thriamvos company truck pulls up at noon outside the four-storey building in the heart of Nicosia.

It’s the third rooftop installation of a solar-powered water heating system that Petros Mihali and his assistant, Soteris, have made in the Cypriot capital since their working day began at 7am.

‘It’s a warning’: UK nature chief sounds alarm over ecosystem collapse as butterfly numbers halve

admin — Fri, 20 Sep 2024 04:00:01 +0000

In a Guardian interview, Tony Juniper says housebuilding plans could be an opportunity to create ‘wild belts’ around cities to help habitat and species recovery

The collapse in British butterfly populations is a “warning from nature” about the resilience of the UK’s ecosystems, says England’s nature chief, raising concerns about threats to national food security as the planet continues to heat.

Elite US universities rake in millions from big oil donations, research finds

admin — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 19:00:49 +0000

Student-led analyses raise concerns of conflict of interest at six universities, including Princeton, Columbia and Cornell

Prestigious US universities are raking in millions of dollars from fossil fuel interests, raising concerns about conflicts of interest. And one university even appears to have owned a petroleum company from which it has earned millions of dollars, according to a spate of new reports produced by student organizers.

Why unpaid US school lunch debt can prompt a call to child welfare services

admin — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:00:46 +0000

Around the US, policies empower school staff to view an unpaid food tab as proof of possible abuse

Earlier this year, administrators at South Mebane elementary in North Carolina sparked outrage – and a rushed community fundraising effort – after they issued a terse warning to parents in a school newsletter: students with lunch debt would not be allowed to attend an upcoming dance.

Ten children drew their favourite sea creatures. Then Australia’s leading artists responded – in pictures

admin — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 15:00:49 +0000

Ken Done, Jonathan Zawada, Blak Douglas and others created companion pieces to children’s works celebrating sharks and rays. They’re now on display at the Australian Museum

‘Australia’s next rabbit plague’: calls for feral deer in Victoria to be considered a pest instead of wildlife

admin — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 15:00:48 +0000

Victoria is home to perhaps the largest population and the only mainland state with ‘legislative relic’ of protections

A baby pygmy hippo named Moo Deng: she is all we want to look at | Helen Sullivan

admin — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 15:00:45 +0000

In West Africa, Pygmy hippos are said to carry a diamond in their mouths, which they use to light their way through the forest

The thing to know about the pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng is that she is angry, but also she is sweet. In photographs, she is often blurry and at all times, she is shiny. She secretes something known as “blood sweat” which is actually her sunscreen.

Coalition’s nuclear plan will add $665 a year to average power bill, report warns

admin — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 15:00:44 +0000

Opposition disputes costings in study and accuses authors of cherrypicking ‘worst-case scenario projects’ from around the world

Sweden cuts tax on flying despite admitting it would increase emissions

admin — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 13:30:09 +0000

Campaigners criticise decision to scrap tax introduced in 2018 amid rise of ‘flight shame’ movement

Campaigners have accused the Swedish government of doing “everything in its power to stop climate action” after it cut a tax on flying, despite admitting that it would increase emissions.

The flight tax, aimed at cutting pollution from aviation, was introduced in 2018, amid the rise of the “flight shame” (flygskam) movement popularised by Greta Thunberg.

Car industry calls for shift in EU emissions targets amid slowing EV sales

admin — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 12:48:24 +0000

Automotive lobby group warns ‘multibillion-euro fines’ will punish manufacturers without relaxation of rules

Europe’s car industry has called for the relaxation of EU emissions targets after sales of electric cars stalled further in August, adding to growing political pressure that threatens to slow the transition away from fossil fuels.