Browsing: Environmental News

People who deny that humans are wreaking havoc on the planet’s life-support systems astound me.…

Corals are typically found within an optimal range of environmental conditions, e.g. shallow, clear and…

Some thoughts on rubbish in the marine environment and how we can help stem the…

Next time you see someone throw plastic into the ocean, inform the offender that 8.8 million metric tons of plastic waste are dumped into oceans every year. China is responsible for 2.4 million metric tons. It is time to end such destructive behaviour.

No Blue, No Green! Next time you see someone throw plastic into the ocean, inform…

Most people understand that human-caused climate change is a real and serious threat. True, some still reject the mountains of evidence amassed by scientists from around the world over many decades, and accepted by every legitimate scientific academy and institution. But as the physical evidence builds daily — from increasingly frequent and intense extreme weather events like droughts and floods to disappearing polar ice to rising sea levels — it takes an incredible amount of denial to claim we have no reason to worry.

Most people understand that human-caused climate change is a real and serious threat. True, some…

A Spanish biologist and amateur beekeeper, Federica Bertocchini, has discovered a plastic-eating caterpillar that could be the solution to global plastic pollution. The caterpillar’s ability to consume plastic was accidentally discovered during routine bee hive maintenance and it’s has since been studied by Bertocchini and her peers at the University of Cambridge. Their findings have been published in Current Biology in April 2017.

Amateur beekeeper accidentally discovers plastic-eating caterpillar that could solve global plastic pollution. A Spanish biologist…

Up to 10.3 million tonnes of sea life is unintentionally caught each year around the world, captured in nets, lines and other gear. Some of this is kept and sold, or released safely; but far too much is put back in the ocean, either dead or dying. In Canada, this includes endangered and threatened species like whales, turtles, sharks and fish.

Up to 10.3 million tonnes of sea life is unintentionally caught each year around the…

In 1926, U.S. automaker Henry Ford reduced his employees’ workweek from six eight-hour days to five, with no pay cuts. It’s something workers and labour unions had been calling for, and it followed previous reductions in work schedules that had been as high as 84 to 100 hours over seven days a week.

In 1926, U.S. automaker Henry Ford reduced his employees’ workweek from six eight-hour days to…

It has been almost three months since February’s mass stranding of pilot whales in Farewell Spit. With time to gather some perspective, we’re reflecting on the sheer magnitude of the event. It was the largest stranding in 99 years and had the largest human response ever. Between 220-250 whales died, but with volunteers help, over 450 whales survived!

It has been almost three months since February’s mass stranding of pilot whales in Farewell…

Following the well-publicised killing of a huge resident smooth ray on 2 April at Rye Pier Melbourne, that sparked a petition of over 26,000 signatures to ban the killing of rays in Port Phillip Bay, another attack occurred at the same pier on Wednesday evening, 3 May. Four fiddler rays (more commonly known as ‘banjo sharks’) were caught by an unidentified individual on the pier before being dealt a severe cranial split.

Now that the weather has stabilised, we are enjoying wonderful dives again at Sail Rock, Anghton Marine Park and Koh Tao, yet I remember the unusual weather we had last January, which let many tourists down. Their frustration was understandable. They came to Thailand expecting sunshine, without considering an unwanted consequence of their own lifestyle: climate change.

Greenpeace dumped a 2.5 tonne ocean plastic sculpture outside Coca-Cola’s headquarters in London during April 2017. The sculpture, made from sand and waste Coca-Cola bottles, was created in protest of the company’s role in ocean plastic pollution.

Greenpeace protests Coca-Cola’s role in ocean plastic pollution with giant sculpture outside their London headquarters.…

WWF-New Zealand has written to the Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett and senior officials in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and Ministry for the Environment, urging them to use diplomacy to encourage the United States of America to remain in the Paris Agreement, the global treaty on climate change.

WWF-New Zealand has written to the Deputy Prime Minister Paula Bennett and senior officials in…

Today, WWF-New Zealand officially launched the Māui Dolphin Challenge, a fundraising campaign to save one of New Zealand’s most endangered and beloved animals. The campaign challenges New Zealanders to fundraise by pledging to do something involving the number 63. Whether it’s walking 63 kilometres or picking up 63 kilograms of rubbish, people across the country are already signing up to take part in creative fundraising challenges.

What would you do to save the last 63 Māui dolphins? Today, WWF-New Zealand officially…

Whether through following Oceana Canada or recent news stories, chances are you’ve heard about the problem of seafood fraud – the dishonest practice of swapping one type of fish for another species or mislabeling seafood products. Even more likely is that at one point or another, you’ve been the victim of a seafood scam.

Whether through following Oceana Canada or recent news stories, chances are you’ve heard about the…

We’ve long known extracting oil and gas comes with negative consequences, and rapid expansion of hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, increases the problems and adds new ones — excessive water use and contamination, earthquakes, destruction of habitat and agricultural lands and methane emissions among them.

We’ve long known extracting oil and gas comes with negative consequences, and rapid expansion of…

In celebration of World Oceans Day, Coral Restoration Foundation is hosting its 3rd Annual Coralpalooza.…

Today, Moana New Zealand and WWF-New Zealand announced the first set of achievements resulting from…

China’s largest airline, China Southern, has banned the carriage of shark fin on all its…

A Virgin StartUp-backed company, ARC Marine, is creating an artificial reef at premier UK diving site Vobster Quay in 2017. They aim to protect the globally endangered white-clawed crayfish, which is threatened with extinction in the next twenty to thirty years.

A Virgin StartUp-backed company, ARC Marine, is creating an artificial reef at premier UK diving…

Grizzly bears venturing from dens in search of food this spring will face landscapes dominated by mines, roads, pipelines, clearcuts and ever-expanding towns and cities. As in years past, they’ll also face the possibility of painful death at the hands of trophy hunters.

Grizzly bears venturing from dens in search of food this spring will face landscapes dominated by mines, roads, pipelines, clearcuts and…

Researchers working in Queensland, Australia have discovered humpback whales breach to communicate with other pods of whales over 4 km (2.5 miles) apart. Wanting to know why these whales breach when migrating, researchers observed 94 different groups of whales during their migration to Antarctica. Their findings were published in Marine Mammal Science in November 2016.

Seals are cute and lovable but their slaughter in Canada’s annual spring hunt is neither. The mass killing is seem as inhumane by many people. It has also taken a huge toll on the species.

Seals are cute and lovable but their slaughter in Canada’s annual spring hunt is neither.…

With Earth Day just a few days away, PADI® is building on its longstanding history…

Science isn’t everything. But it is crucial to governing, decision-making, protecting human health and the environment and resolving questions and challenges around our existence.

Science isn’t everything. But it is crucial to governing, decision-making, protecting human health and the…

Real or near real time management of Pacific purse seine tuna fisheries is now possible for the first time in history, changing the game for fisheries management.

Majuro, Marshall Islands: Real or near real time management of Pacific purse seine tuna fisheries is…

Richelieu Rock, a dive site that is part of the Mu Koh Surin marine park in Thailand, has been destroyed. The site was recently captured on film, which showed the area covered in dead fish and with cracked areas of coral. The reef was known as one of the best diving sites in the world.

The Samoa and Tonga Sevens teams have been raising awareness for shark conservation with the Hong Kong Shark Foundation (HKSF), Hong Kong Rugby Union (HKRU) and Tuen Mun Sharks Mini rugby club. They joined forces to share the plight of sharks during the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens in April 2017.

The Samoa and Tonga Sevens teams have been raising awareness for shark conservation with the…