Oceans hit record temperatures in 2024
As 2024 begins with the hottest ocean temperatures ever recorded, our climate situation is looking pretty dire. The world’s oceans reached the hottest temperatures ever recorded early in 2024, serving as a profoundly concerning indication that the Earth is spiraling toward extreme climate breakdown - if greenhouse gas emissions...
Current in Planet
A new ocean is forming in East Africa
In the deserts of Ethiopia, a gigantic crack is forming in the earth. It will eventually split completely, creating a new ocean that alters the geopolitical and economic sphere of the region. Though we may not notice it, our planet is moving and changing all the time. In fact, since...
Human activity is pushing most migratory species to the brink of extinction
According to a new UN report, 1 in 5 migratory animals are threatened with extinction. By publishing the research, the organisation hopes that success stories included in the report will spark collective conservation action around the globe. Every year, billions of animals embark on epic journeys across the world’s continents...
Canada’s oil sands emit 6300% more pollutants than previously thought
The recent study has highlighted the lack of a unified monitoring framework to guide monitoring in the oil sands region, affecting nearby indigenous communities. The oil sands, colloquially known as the tar sands are a mixture of bitumen, water, sand, and clay. Canada’s Athabasca oil sands are one of...
Extraction of raw materials to reportedly rise by 60% by 2060
An unpublished UN document acquired by The Guardian claims that the globe’s extraction of raw materials will increase by 60% by 2060. Such rapid acceleration would inevitably have huge implications for our climate. Despite the fact that the extraction of rare earth metals and minerals accounts for roughly 60%...
Lagos completely bans single-use plastics and styrofoam
Nigeria's Lagos state government has implemented a comprehensive ban on single-use plastics and styrofoam, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of these non-biodegradable materials. Lagos, one of the most populous cities in Africa, has been grappling with the environmental consequences of plastic pollution for decades. Single-use plastics and styrofoam products,...
Seabed trawling may be releasing millions of stored carbon emissions
Trawling the bottom of the ocean is known to destroy large spans of sea-floor ecosystems and all marine life that depend on them. Now, research shows that it may be releasing millions of tons of stored CO2 back into our atmosphere. Using boats to drag large nets across the ocean floor in a process called ‘bottom trawling’ has long been viewed as a controversial method of fishing. Although it is responsible...
Activists to hike 5,000km to raise awareness about health of Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted seas in the world. With the aim of raising public awareness of its state, a group from Lithuania will walk more than 5000km across 250 days. Starting from March 11th, a team of scientists, activists, and volunteers from Lithuania will hike through eight countries over 250 days to raise awareness about the poor health of the Baltic Sea. The ultimate goal of...
Could artificial reefs provide island nations with hurricane protection?
As hurricane season becomes more of a threat due to increasingly warmer ocean temperatures, one island is launching an artificial reef project to protect their coastlines from large storm waves. For many, the arrival of summer brings the promise of days spent relishing in the sun, but if you live on an island within the Atlantic ocean, it also ushers in five months of hurricane season. Running from June 1st to...
Big Oil to be fined for methane emissions following new climate law
Under a new climate law introduced by the Biden administration, US oil and gas companies will soon have to pay a fee for methane emissions that exceed a certain threshold. Could this be an effective deterrent for repeat offenders? It’s a poorly kept secret that methane is an ecological scourge on our planet. In-fact, the gas is responsible for a quarter of recorded climate warming linked to greenhouse gas emissions. Within...
