Executive Order Could Open Arctic to Drilling, Disney Cruises Lobbys for Pristine Bahamas Island, Whales Might Have Once Swam Over Hollywood, Beluga Sighting in London, Hurricane Aftermath Pollution Overflow, US looks to Asia to Reduce Plastic And More.
1. Newly Signed Executive Order Poised to Lead to More Offshore Drilling
President Trump signed an executive order Friday that could eventually open up Arctic waters and millions of coastal acres off U.S. shores to oil and gas drilling. "Today we're unleashing American energy and clearing the way for thousands and thousands of high paying American energy jobs," said Trump, flanked by Republican lawmakers from energy-producing states during a White House signing ceremony. "Our country is blessed with incredible natural resources including abundant offshore oil and natural gas resources, but the federal government has kept 94% of these offshore areas closed for exploration and production," he said.
-----------------------------------------------
While there have been many concerns about what the planned development at Lighthouse Point could mean – not only for Eleutherans but also for the environment and a historic part of the island the residents want to keep pristine – President of Disney Cruise Line Jeff Vahle, attempted to allay fears on Wednesday as he told Eyewitness News that, because of protests and opposition to the cruise port, there have been major changes to Disney’s original plans.
2. Disney Lobby's Multi-Million Dollar Plan for Pristine Island in Bahamas
While there have been many concerns about what the planned development at Lighthouse Point could mean – not only for Eleutherans but also for the environment and a historic part of the island the residents want to keep pristine – President of Disney Cruise Line Jeff Vahle, attempted to allay fears on Wednesday as he told Eyewitness News that, because of protests and opposition to the cruise port, there have been major changes to Disney’s original plans.
3. Scientists may have Uncovered an Entire New Whale Species that Lived Millions of Years Ago
Scientists believe a fossil found at a landfill in California belongs to an extinct species of whale that lived between 4 and 7 million years ago. The seven-ton fossil was unearthed in June during a construction excavation at the Prima Deshecha landfill in San Juan Capistrano, Orange County Waste & Recycling announced in a statement. A paleontologist with Paleo Solutions Lab, a company employed by the County of Orange --paleontologists must monitor construction excavations under California law -- was working at the site when a large bone was spotted.
-----------------------------------------------
4. Beluga Whale Spotted in the London, Thames
A beluga whale has been seen swimming in the River Thames. It was first spotted by ecologist and ornithologist Dave Andrews, who said it had been feeding around barges near Gravesend in Kent. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation said it was "obviously very lost and quite possibly in trouble". Vessels are being kept clear, with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue urging the public not to get too close and "to watch it from the shore". Tanya Ferry, environment manager at the Port of London Authority which is monitoring the whale, said it was unclear what the whale could eat. "We do have quite a lot of plastic bags, which could be quite an issue," she said.
A beluga whale has been seen swimming in the River Thames. It was first spotted by ecologist and ornithologist Dave Andrews, who said it had been feeding around barges near Gravesend in Kent. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation said it was "obviously very lost and quite possibly in trouble". Vessels are being kept clear, with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue urging the public not to get too close and "to watch it from the shore". Tanya Ferry, environment manager at the Port of London Authority which is monitoring the whale, said it was unclear what the whale could eat. "We do have quite a lot of plastic bags, which could be quite an issue," she said.
-----------------------------------------------
5. NASA Captures Polluted Carolina Rivers Spilling Into the Ocean After Hurricane Florence
-----------------------------------------------
6. Microplastics Found Deep in Sand Where Turtles Nest
Microplastics have been found deep in the sand on beaches where sea turtles lay their eggs. University of Exeter scientists found an average of 5,300 particles of plastic per cubic meter at depths of 60cm (2ft) on beaches in Cyprus used by green turtles and loggerheads. At the surface, up to 130,000 fragments of plastic were found per cubic metre—the second-worst level ever recorded on a beach (the worst was in Guangdong, South China). Researchers say that if conditions worsen such pollution could eventually begin to affect hatching success and even the ratio of male and female turtle hatchlings.
-----------------------------------------------
7. Study Finds First Evidence of Climate Change Impacts on East Antarctic Vegetation
-----------------------------------------------
8. Google’s New Tool to Fight Climate Change
-----------------------------------------------
9. Republicans and Democrats Look to Asia in Addressing Ocean Plastic Crisis
-----------------------------------------------
10. 'No Such Animal as Clean Coal': Mayor of Texas City Powered by Solar and Wind Pokes the Bear
Despite being a Republican, the mayor of a Texas city that runs fully on renewable energy is taking on Donald Trump's pro-coal policies. Georgetown, with a population of almost 70,000, is perhaps the largest city in the United States to look solely to wind and solar to keep the lights on and is the first city in the Lone Star State to do so. Mayor Dale Ross is in Calgary speaking at the 2018 Alberta Climate Summit this week and stopped in to share the story with CBC's The Homestretch.
11. Germany's Coal Habit Proves Hard to Kick
-----------------------------------------------
12. Deepwater Oil Rigs on Brink of Recovery After Years in Doldrums
Deep-sea oil drillers are once again riding the wave of investor enthusiasm that next year will be better for profits. But this time there seems to be a bigger chance it will actually happen, according to analysts at Credit Suisse Group AG and Morgan Stanley. Some of the world’s biggest owners of rigs that drill oil wells in more than two miles of water, including Transocean Ltd., Ensco Plc and Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc., saw rallies in their shares near the end of 2016 and 2017, only to see their stocks tumble by the start of the following year as reality set in.
-----------------------------------------------
13. National Parks Bearing Brunt of Climate Change, Scientists Find
Disappearing glaciers were an early sign of trouble for the nation’s wildlands. But the mark of global warming on the American landscape didn’t end there. Devastating wildfires have since ravaged Yosemite. Rising seas have encroached on the Point Reyes Peninsula. Vast stands of trees have died in and around Kings Canyon.
A study released Monday finds that the country’s national parks, which were designed to set aside and protect the most pristine and coveted spots in the United States, are being hit disproportionately by climate change.
-----------------------------------------------
13. National Parks Bearing Brunt of Climate Change, Scientists Find
A study released Monday finds that the country’s national parks, which were designed to set aside and protect the most pristine and coveted spots in the United States, are being hit disproportionately by climate change.
-----------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------
Be sure to "LIKE" http://facebook.com/SeaSave to ensure our "Week in Review" is delivered to your newsfeed every Friday.
Sea Save Foundation is committed to raising awareness of marine conservation. The Week in Review is a team effort produced by the Sea Save staff to provide a weekly summary of the latest in marine research, policy, and news
