Nauru use UN spotlight to confront developed world over climate change
The smallest nation in the UN is about to take the AOSIS chair at a time when low-lying coastal countries are gravely threatened. Nauru is among the islands most threatened by rising sea levels and its economy has been almost wholly dependent on phosphate, which has led to environmental catastrophe on the island, with 80% of the nation’s surface having been strip-mined.
Japan’s irradiated waters: How worried should we be?
For the oceans, this is the largest accidental release of radiation we have ever seen.
Coastal Dunes in Spain Threatened by Poorly Designed Infrastructure
Although the dune ecosystem is unusual, fragile and is protected by the “habitats” directive of the network Natura 2000, its conservation is very vulnerable to the proliferation of car parks, nearby buildings and inadequate boardwalks.
Mangroves excel at storing climate-warming carbon
Mangroves store two to four times the carbon that tropical rainforests do. Part of the reason for mangroves’ efficiency in keeping carbon locked away lies in their location in tidal zones, where their roots are often covered with sea water.
Islands off the Croatian Coast
Along the coast of Croatia lies a multitude of islands of varying shapes and sizes. Archaeological finds indicate that some of the islands have been inhabited since the Stone Age and have supported trade routes since the sixth century BC.
Melting Ice on Arctic Islands a Major Player in Sea Level Rise
Melting glaciers and ice caps on Canadian Arctic islands play a much greater role in sea level rise than scientists previously thought.
One Year On, Photographer Captures Lingering Impacts of the Gulf Oil Spill
AP photographer Gerald Herbert, a New Orleans native, has been covering the Gulf oil spill ever since BP’s Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded. Over the course of the last twelve months, Herbert has been covering the results of that explosion in most poignant and amazing photos.
Summerland Beach’s Oil Seepage Mystery
Before it became the quaint coastal antiquing capital of the Californian South Coast that it is today, with a reputation for stunningly scenic and often empty beaches, Summerland was the hub of Santa Barbara’s oceanic oil rush at the start of the 20th century, the beach providing ground zero for a series of piers and primitive oil rigs harvesting crude from hundreds of offshore wells.
US Coast Guard slams Transocean
The US Coast Guard slammed drilling rig operator Transocean’s “poor safety culture” in a report Friday on the massive explosion and fire that unleashed the biggest maritime oil spill in history.