Water & Oceans

"Sharks Often Get A Bad Rap, But Oceans Need Them"

"It's that time of the year again: Shark Week. The TV program is so long-running that if you're under 37, you've never known a life without it. In honor of this oft misunderstood critter, we revisit our conversation with shark scientist Melissa Christina Marquez. She explains just how important sharks are to keeping the oceans healthy, including their role in mitigating climate change. Plus, there may be some talk about shark poop."

Source: NPR, 07/09/2024

Will the Coming Plastics Treaty Solve the Problem Or Enshrine It?

A major intergovernmental gathering later this year will address plastic pollution, including in oceans. But an overview from our Issue Backgrounder notes that the likelihood of solving the problem may be small. One reason? Petrochemical industry lobbying. Another? The shifting world market for plastic waste. And there are more concerns, such as the effectiveness of incineration and chemical recycling techniques. More, including questions to ask, in Backgrounder.

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"Fight Over Seabed Agency Leadership Turns Nasty"

"Allegations of possible payments to help secure votes. Claims of abuse of agency funds by top diplomats. A possible job offer to entice a candidate to withdraw from a race. These are not the shenanigans of a corrupt election in an unstable country. Rather, they are efforts in the seemingly genteel parlors of a United Nations-affiliated agency, meant to sway decisions related to the start of seabed mining of the metals used in electric vehicles."

Source: NYTimes, 07/08/2024

Failed Minnesota Dam One of Nearly 200 Across Midwest in ‘Poor’ Condition

"Especially in the Midwest, climate change presents a growing threat to the nation’s nearly 92,000 dams, many more than 100 years old, as heavy rainfall, flooding and other forms of extreme weather become more common and severe."

Source: Inside Climate News, 07/08/2024

‘Endangered’ USGS Pesticide Database Shows Wide Chemical Impact

Pesticides are a major environmental and public health issue — harming vulnerable human populations, as well as contributing to declines in insect populations and even the birds that feed on them. The latest Reporter’s Toolbox explores an invaluable government database that reports estimates of county-level use of a wide array of these chemicals, but which recently faced severe cutbacks. Read more about the Pesticide National Synthesis Project.

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November 25, 2024 to December 1, 2024

UNEP Fifth Session (INC-5) on Plastic Pollution

The United Nation Environment Programme's fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5), takes place in Busan, Republic of Korea.

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Financing of Meat and Dairy Giants Grows Thanks to Big American Banks

"The world’s biggest banks and investors are continuing to funnel billions of dollars to carbon-intensive industrial livestock companies, undermining their own pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions and fueling an ongoing boom in meat and milk production that threatens global climate goals."

Source: Inside Climate News, 07/03/2024

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