"In the country that gave the world the word tsunami, the Japanese nuclear establishment largely disregarded the potentially destructive force of the walls of water. The word did not even appear in government guidelines until 2006, decades after plants — including the Fukushima Daiichi facility that firefighters are still struggling to get under control — began dotting the Japanese coastline."
"Global warming is now projected to exceed previous estimates, with even the most optimistic scenario seeing average temperatures rise to 1.7-1.8 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by mid-century, a UN report showed on Wednesday."
"Reuters conducted a data-driven examination of global temperatures that shows heat waves have surged in size and frequency since the 1960s. These are the key takeaways."
"After two wildfires in 2024 charred hillsides above Ruidoso, New Mexico, experts warned dangerous flash floods could affect large parts of the tourist town."
"The White House is using federal disaster relief as leverage while Republicans fight to keep power in Washington, with President Trump saying on one occasion that voting for Democrats could mean less money for states."
"Across hundreds of miles of the northern Gulf of Mexico, a deep-water ecosystem collapsed after the massive 2011 Deepwater Horizon oil and gas spill, and recovery is uncertain, new research concludes."
As a veteran of reporting on the marine environment, David Helvarg is encouraged by recent improvements in the quality of ocean journalism, but sees a pressing need for more hands on deck. Offering inspiration from his own career, he notes that the world’s rapidly changing oceans hold an abundance of stories and urges others to dive in and explore them.
"Strong Santa Ana winds that fueled a rash of wildfires in Southern California have abated, and crews were turning a corner Sunday on the blazes that closed highways, damaged a military base and destroyed multimillion-dollar homes. But an incoming storm system could pose new risks for the region as crews continue to brace for more wild weather this fall."
"Healthy ecosystems may give some of the world’s most vulnerable islands a better shot at survival, new research shows."
