Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Firework noise limit should be drastically cut to protect wild animals, UK government told

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 11:47:33 +0000

Ministers urged to go further than proposed cut to 110 decibels to ease acute stress on birds and others animals

Campaigners are calling on the UK government to protect the welfare of wild animals by cutting the maximum noise level of fireworks sold to the public from 120 to 90 decibels.

The Center for Wild Animal Welfare (CWAW) has said lowering the limit to 90dB – which is about one-eighth of the loudness of 120dB – would help to protect millions of wild animals from acute stress by reducing the area over which a firework disturbs surrounding wildlife.

Funding to help poorer countries cope with climate crisis has stalled, says UN

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 11:00:09 +0000

Report reveals financial support promised by rich nations for adaptation measures is well behind the pace that is needed

Flows of money to help poor countries cope with the climate crisis have been flat or falling since 2022, despite growing impacts from extreme weather and warnings from scientists that global heating may be accelerating.

How a scientist went from hero to traitor in a US water crisis - video

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 10:47:01 +0000

When the water in Flint, Michigan, became contaminated with dangerous levels of lead, Dr Siddhartha Roy, then a third year PhD student, was part of the team of scientists who publicly contradicted state and federal claims that it was safe. He became a local hero until a new piece of research challenged the idea that children in Flint had been left permanently brain damaged by the crisis. His adherence to the evidence, no matter who it offended, has earned him the 2026 Maddox prize, which recognises individuals who stand up for science and evidence, despite challenges or hostility.

How penguin poo is making Antarctic snow melt faster

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:27 +0000

Researchers find the birds’ guano feeds algal blooms that absorb significantly more solar energy

Penguin poo is making the Antarctic snow melt faster, a study shows. As temperatures rise, penguins are waddling closer to the south pole, with potential for this previously unrecognised phenomenon to affect a wider area.

Snow algae are tiny single-celled plants that make a home in some of the coldest places on Earth. When nutrients are scarce, the algae produces red pigments to protect itself from the sun and slow growth.

Rogue UK energy bosses and brokers face crackdown on mis-selling

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:27 +0000

Exclusive: Ofgem to be given powers to issue fines and rein in bonuses for executives who ‘reward themselves while customers suffer’

Energy bosses in the UK will have their bonuses curtailed when suppliers and brokers break the rules under a crackdown on mis-selling.

Through the energy independence bill, which will be introduced on Wednesday, Ofgem will be given new powers to order compensation, impose fines and ban rogue operators that have pushed businesses and households into overpriced contracts.

The next global pandemic could be brewing on a mink farm in Utah – and little is being done to stop it | George Monbiot

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 06:00:26 +0000

Mink farms are the perfect petri dishes for deadly flu strains to emerge. Yet officials appear to be protecting business interests over human lives

Could this be ground zero? Could it be the spot where the next pandemic begins? It’s certainly a candidate, not least because the chain of events that could trigger a plague far worse than Covid-19 looks like the opening sequence of a disaster movie. A really bad disaster movie, in which the levels of carelessness and turpitude defy belief.

Kashmir’s potato pits are vanishing – and generations of knowledge could be buried for ever

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2026 03:00:22 +0000

Farmers in Gurez store their harvests underground to last the Himalayan winter. As the practice fades, local varieties and handed-down skills are disappearing too

Hajra Begum rolls a potato in her hands, checking its skin for cuts, soft spots and signs of rot. After a day harvesting in her family’s field in Chorwan, a remote mountain village in Gurez, Indian-administered Kashmir, she is sorting the crop for winter storage. Some of the potatoes will feed her family through the cold months; others will be saved for planting in spring.

UK makes huge aid cuts to Commonwealth nations despite warm words at Chogm

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 17:22:58 +0000

Nations in the group fare worse than others, with funding for nature projects especially hard hit even as climate crisis intensifies global need

The UK government has slashed overseas aid to Commonwealth countries, the Guardian can reveal, in contrast to the warm words for the group from King Charles and the prime minister, Andy Burnham, this week.

Great Britain’s worst-ever bluetongue season ‘a major animal welfare crisis’

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 15:50:12 +0000

British Veterinary Association president tells MPs surge in cases putting farmers under severe pressure and stress

The worst bluetongue season on record has been a major animal welfare crisis in Great Britain, MPs have been told, putting farmers under “severe emotional stress”.

Bluetongue, a viral disease that affects sheep, cattle and goats, can cause fever, lesions, stillbirths and death. The tongue may go blue and protrude from the mouth.

Snowy Hydro 2.0 executives awarded bonuses totalling $751,925 despite cost blowout

admin — Tue, 03 Nov 2026 14:00:44 +0000

Annual reports show NSW renewable company’s CEO opted out of cash bonus, while CSIRO’s chief received an extra $200,000

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