Hi everyone,
Ready for this week's wrap-up?
Scientists find that the oceans CAN be restored
A new report in the scientific journal, Nature, has found that the oceans can not only be restored, but that this is achievable within 30 years. Scientists looked at the threats, both past and present, on marine ecosystems and assessed current scientific capacity as well as conservation projects. What they discovered is that the environment is already regenerating in response to conservation efforts and if this could be extended to larger and more thorough action, the oceans could fully recover and human impacts could be reversed. This is an important reminder to remember the amazing technology and skills we already have and to use these right now to heal our planet.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52122447
Mining under reservoirs could affect water quality
The NSW government has approved plans to mine for coal under the Woronora reservoir which supplies water to some parts of South Sydney and the Northern Illawarra. While the plans were reviewed by independent experts, environmental activists and the National Parks and Wildlife Association worry that the project has not been fully assessed for risks to drinking water supplies and surrounding ecosystems.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/31/fears-for-water-quality-after-nsw-allows-coalmining-extension-under-sydneys-worona-reservoir
Green sea turtle returns to wild
A green sea turtle named Yoda has returned to the wild after 5 months after she was taken to Quoin Island Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in QLD very underweight, sunburnt and covered in barnacles. Since 2011, the centre has rescued over 200 turtles, the carers saying that fishing nets are one of the biggest problems for turtles who can easily become tangled in the nets and sustain injuries or be unable to eat. Hopes are that Yoda will continue breeding in the wild and potentially lay 1000 eggs during the rest of her life.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-29/yoda-the-green-sea-turtle-returns-to-the-wild/12097982
Another mass bleaching for the Great Barrier Reef
For the third time in five years, the Great Barrier Reef has experienced mass coral bleaching. Scientists surveying the reef have said that this is a severe event and worry that corals that have been re-bleached after surviving similar circumstances in 2017 will not survive. Areas that were the healthiest that had been such as reefs around Heron Island have bleached and scientists are deeply concerned at the long-term damage we could see from this. This comes as the UNESCO world heritage committee plans to re-assess the reef’s status this year, the first time after the back-to-back bleaching of 2016 and 2017.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/25/great-barrier-reef-suffers-third-mass-coral-bleaching-event-in-five-years
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/01/climate-crisis-may-have-pushed-worlds-tropical-coral-reefs-to-tipping-point-of-near-annual-bleaching
Huge increase in land-clearing in NSW
A report has found that approvals for land-clearing in NSW have increased 13-fold since laws were relaxed in 2016. An independent MP threatened legal action if the government did not release the secret report detailing these findings. More than 37 000 ha were allowed for clearing last year after approvals jumped 70% at the beginning of 2019. This clearing poses a massive threat to native biodiversity and experts worry that this problem is going under the radar.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/27/nsw-land-clearing-approvals-increased-13-fold-since-laws-relaxed-in-2016
Ready for this week's wrap-up?
Scientists find that the oceans CAN be restored
A new report in the scientific journal, Nature, has found that the oceans can not only be restored, but that this is achievable within 30 years. Scientists looked at the threats, both past and present, on marine ecosystems and assessed current scientific capacity as well as conservation projects. What they discovered is that the environment is already regenerating in response to conservation efforts and if this could be extended to larger and more thorough action, the oceans could fully recover and human impacts could be reversed. This is an important reminder to remember the amazing technology and skills we already have and to use these right now to heal our planet.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-52122447
Mining under reservoirs could affect water quality
The NSW government has approved plans to mine for coal under the Woronora reservoir which supplies water to some parts of South Sydney and the Northern Illawarra. While the plans were reviewed by independent experts, environmental activists and the National Parks and Wildlife Association worry that the project has not been fully assessed for risks to drinking water supplies and surrounding ecosystems.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/31/fears-for-water-quality-after-nsw-allows-coalmining-extension-under-sydneys-worona-reservoir
Green sea turtle returns to wild
A green sea turtle named Yoda has returned to the wild after 5 months after she was taken to Quoin Island Turtle Rehabilitation Centre in QLD very underweight, sunburnt and covered in barnacles. Since 2011, the centre has rescued over 200 turtles, the carers saying that fishing nets are one of the biggest problems for turtles who can easily become tangled in the nets and sustain injuries or be unable to eat. Hopes are that Yoda will continue breeding in the wild and potentially lay 1000 eggs during the rest of her life.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-29/yoda-the-green-sea-turtle-returns-to-the-wild/12097982
Another mass bleaching for the Great Barrier Reef
For the third time in five years, the Great Barrier Reef has experienced mass coral bleaching. Scientists surveying the reef have said that this is a severe event and worry that corals that have been re-bleached after surviving similar circumstances in 2017 will not survive. Areas that were the healthiest that had been such as reefs around Heron Island have bleached and scientists are deeply concerned at the long-term damage we could see from this. This comes as the UNESCO world heritage committee plans to re-assess the reef’s status this year, the first time after the back-to-back bleaching of 2016 and 2017.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/25/great-barrier-reef-suffers-third-mass-coral-bleaching-event-in-five-years
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/apr/01/climate-crisis-may-have-pushed-worlds-tropical-coral-reefs-to-tipping-point-of-near-annual-bleaching
Huge increase in land-clearing in NSW
A report has found that approvals for land-clearing in NSW have increased 13-fold since laws were relaxed in 2016. An independent MP threatened legal action if the government did not release the secret report detailing these findings. More than 37 000 ha were allowed for clearing last year after approvals jumped 70% at the beginning of 2019. This clearing poses a massive threat to native biodiversity and experts worry that this problem is going under the radar.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/mar/27/nsw-land-clearing-approvals-increased-13-fold-since-laws-relaxed-in-2016