In Honduras, Defending Nature Is a Deadly Business

Berta Cáceres fought to protect native lands in Honduras, and paid for it with her life. She is one of hundreds of victims of a disturbing global trend, the killings of environmental activists who try to block development projects. Most believe it was that campaign, against the Agua Zarca dam on the Gualcarque River, that provided the motive for her murder, one of a rash of recent killings of environmental and social activists.

Plan for the recovery of beaches, Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico

The government of Quintana Roo has announced a program to rehabilitate and maintain the state’s beaches, which in some areas are losing between two and six meters of sand every year. Ecology and Environment Secretary said the investment would begin with restoring reefs and beach vegetation to combat erosion.

Beach bashing: Last year’s El Niño resulted in unprecedented erosion of Pacific coastline

Last winter’s El Niño was in fact one of the most powerful climate events of the past 145 years. If such severe El Niño events become more common in the future as some studies suggest they might, the California coast — home to more than 25 million people — may become increasingly vulnerable to coastal hazards. And that’s independent of projected sea level rise.

Severe West Coast Erosion During 2015-16 El Niño

In a study released today, U.S. Geological Survey scientists and their colleagues document how the 2015-16 winter featured one of the most powerful El Niño climate events of the last 145 years. Investigating 29 beaches along the U.S West Coast from Washington to southern California, researchers found that winter beach erosion was 76 percent above normal, by far the highest ever recorded, and most beaches in California eroded beyond historical extremes.

Are we loving our beaches to death? Survey says ‘yes’

A new survey has found almost two-thirds of New Zealanders believed beach erosion was worse than it was 20 years ago, and most were worried that some beaches might vanish forever. In many cases, New Zealand’s beaches were paying the price for overwhelming public popularity.