Breaking Waves: Ocean News

First-of-its-kind Hawaii bill raises tourist taxes to fund climate relief

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 17:25:03 +0000

Governor is expected to sign the ‘green fee’, which adds 0.75% levy to state’s existing tax on short-term lodging

Lawmakers in Hawaii have passed first-of-its-kind legislation that will increase the state’s lodging tax to raise money for environmental protection and strengthening defenses against natural disasters fueled by the climate crisis.

Democratic-led states sue Trump for blocking wind energy projects

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 17:19:00 +0000

Lawsuit also filed over administration’s cuts to health and human services that destroy life-saving programs

A coalition of Democratic state attorneys general sued on Monday in an attempt to block Donald Trump’s move to suspend leasing and permitting of new wind projects, saying it threatens to cripple the wind industry and a key source of clean energy.

Ancient poems tell the story of charismatic river porpoise's decline over the past 1,400 years

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 16:14:26 +0000

Endemic to China's Yangtze River, the Yangtze finless porpoise is known for its intelligence and charismatic appearance; it looks like it has a perpetual smile on its face. To track how this critically endangered porpoise's habitat range has changed over time, a team of biodiversity and conservation experts compiled 724 ancient Chinese poems referencing the porpoise from historic collections across China. Their results show that the porpoise's range has decreased by at least 65% over the past 1,400 years, with the majority of this decline occurring in the past century.

New York’s serene Central Park makeover fixes years of neglect: in pictures

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 15:14:36 +0000

Officials have unveiled dramatic changes to the northern edge of Central Park. The $160m project is the park’s most expansive update in years

Australia has backed a rapid shift to renewable energy - and given Labor a chance on climate. How will it act? | Clear Air

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 15:00:39 +0000

After a landslide election win, there will never be a better chance to shake off old policy impasses and deliver a more ambitious plan for the environment

Two Britons to challenge UK’s ‘weak’ response to climate crisis in Strasbourg court

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 13:50:56 +0000

Doug Paulley and Kevin Jordan say their lives being ruined, and lack of effective strategy infringes their human rights

Two men who say they are being failed by the UK’s flawed response to climate breakdown are taking their case to Europe’s top human rights court.

Doug Paulley and Kevin Jordan say their lives have been ruined by the rising temperatures and extreme weather caused by the climate crisis, and that the government’s response fails to respect their human rights.

Trump cuts will lead to more deaths in disasters, expert warns: ‘It is really scary’

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 11:09:18 +0000

Layoffs and funding cuts to Fema and Noaa will impact how they predict and respond to disasters, warns professor Samantha Montano

The Trump administration’s sweeping cuts to disaster management will cost lives in the US, with hollowed-out agencies unable to accurately predict, prepare for or respond to extreme weather events, earthquakes and pandemics, a leading expert has warned.

Green deputy launches leadership bid with UK ‘eco-populism’ vision

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 05:00:30 +0000

Exclusive: Surprise challenger Zack Polanski says party can learn from success of Nigel Farage and Reform UK

A leading Green has launched a surprise campaign to oust Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay as party leaders, saying the party needs to be less timid and transform itself into a radical, mass-membership “eco-populism” movement.

Zack Polanski, who has been deputy leader since 2022 and serves as a London assembly member, will challenge Denyer and Ramsay this summer despite them taking the party to its best-ever general election result last year, winning four seats.

Labor must heed the warnings wrapped up in its election win. Young voters are crying out for action | Intifar Chowdhury

admin — Mon, 05 May 2025 02:11:34 +0000

Gen Z want the government to address the big structural problems: housing supply, inequality and climate

Sweden’s Great Moose Migration live stream ends after 478 hours’ viewing

admin — Sun, 04 May 2025 22:26:01 +0000

Seventh season of hit ‘slow TV’ show followed annual trek of moose (or elk) heading to summer pastures

For thousands of years, moose have crossed rivers, navigated thawing forests and quietly followed ancient trails toward their summer pastures in northern Sweden.

A 24-hour live stream gave millions of viewers front-row seats to watch every unhurried step of the journey.