European Commission Tackles Marine Litter in Mediterranean

A meeting of the European Commission last week to determine a course of action on protecting the Mediterranean Sea has had positive results so far, with commissioner Janez Potočnik inviting suggestions on how to reduce plastic pollution levels from the Commission and the public.

Survey of Supposed Deep-Sea Chemical Munitions Dump Off Southern California

A total of 32 chemical munitions dumping areas are shown on nautical charts of United States waters. Seven of these lie off the California coast, between San Francisco and the Mexican border. However, little or no information is available about the amount, location, or nature of the materials that were dumped at most of these sites.

Spill by Daniel Beltrá – In Pictures

Spill is the first book from photographer Daniel Beltrá, who documented, 3,000ft above the Louisiana coastline, one of the world’s most destructive environmental disasters in human history: the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill.

China’s Great Dam Boom: A Major Assault

China is engaged in a push to build hydroelectric dams on a scale unprecedented in human history. While being touted for producing lower-emission electricity, these massive dam projects are wreaking havoc on river systems across China and Southeast Asia.

NASA Finds Reducing Salt Is Bad for Glacial Health

A new NASA-led study has discovered an intriguing link between sea ice conditions and the melting rate of glacier. The discovery adds to our understanding of how ice sheets interact with the ocean, and may improve our ability to forecast and prepare for future sea level rise.