Great Barrier Reef

New Australian laws for ‘engineering’ the ocean must balance environment protection and responsible research

Retrieved on:

Monday, July 10, 2023

The Australian Labor government has introduced a bill to regulate “marine geoengineering” – methods to combat climate change by intervening in the ocean environment.

Key Points:

The Australian Labor government has introduced a bill to regulate “marine geoengineering” – methods to combat climate change by intervening in the ocean environment.
Scientists are already experimenting with ways to store more carbon in the ocean or shield vulnerable ecosystems.
Targeted laws are needed to both enable crucial research and protect the marine environment.

Getting to grips with marine geoengineering

Interest in marine geoengineering has grown over several decades as the climate crisis has worsened.
But marine geoengineering proposals also present risks to the marine environment.
"Marine cloud brightening” seeks to limit coral bleaching on the Great Barrier Reef, by spraying sea-salt particles into clouds.
Marine geoengineering could also distract from efforts to cut emissions at source.

Strong rules to protect the marine environment

This amendment also provides for regulating other potentially harmful marine geoengineering research activities should they emerge in the future.
This amendment also provides for regulating other potentially harmful marine geoengineering research activities should they emerge in the future.
The bill makes it an offence to place matter into the ocean for marine geoengineering without a permit.
The bill also establishes offences for loading and exporting material to be used for marine geoengineering without a permit.

Rules limit financial incentives for research

But without future prospects for deployment there may be little incentive to invest in research.
The treaty rules ban ocean-based research directly leading to financial and/or economic gain.
The parliamentary inquiry did not consider the implications of the new rules for Australia’s carbon markets, or on research to save the Great Barrier Reef.

Changes could affect research to save the reef

Since 2019, the Australian government has invested in marine cloud brightening and other interventions to protect the reef from heat stress and coral bleaching.
But modelling suggests a combination of marine cloud brightening and crown-of-thorns starfish control could help protect the reef until 2040.
The government should evaluate how this could affect its investment in marine cloud brightening research and associated programs.
Here's why that's not a great idea
Kerryn Brent receives funding from Australian Research Council, and Green Adelaide.

Global average sea and air temperatures are spiking in 2023, before El Niño has fully arrived. We should be very concerned

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Recent spikes in ocean heat content and average global air temperature have left climate scientists across the world scrambling to find the cause.

Key Points:

Recent spikes in ocean heat content and average global air temperature have left climate scientists across the world scrambling to find the cause.
The global average air temperature, relative to 1850-1900, exceeded the 1.5℃ lower Paris Agreement threshold during part of March and the first days of June.
This last happened in 2020, and before that during the powerful 2015-16 El Niño.
Given the impending El Niño, we all need to take extra notice of what lies ahead for the next few years.

How much warmer are the oceans this year?

Because of this, any significant upward trend in average ocean heat is considered a harbinger for the acceleration of human-driven climate change more generally.
The global sea surface temperature anomaly on June 13 was about 4.5 standard deviations above the baseline global average.
The 36-month running average for the Earth Energy Imbalance is now at a record 1.36 Watts per square metre.

Why is this happening now?

These include rapidly declining sea ice in Antarctica and unusually warm temperatures in many parts of the world.
The submarine volcano Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai erupted in January 2022 and ejected record-breaking amounts of water vapour into the stratosphere.
Water vapour acts as a potent greenhouse gas, and this may be contributing to the currently observed warming.
Both these forms of atmospheric aerosols have a cooling effect, as they reflect a small percentage of sunlight back to space.
Notably, how will the lingering atmospheric water vapour from the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai eruption amplify any El Niño warming?

Holland America Line Set to Sail Most Diverse Asia Cruise Season with 49 Ports Across 10 Countries in 2024-2025

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, June 6, 2023

SEATTLE, June 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- For Holland America Line's 2024-2025 Asia season, the cruise line is set to explore the Far East with departures from Hong Kong, China; Yokohama (Tokyo), Japan; and Singapore to some of the most exciting cities across 10 countries, with a strong focus on Japan.

Key Points:

"By offering three departure cities we're able to diversify our itineraries and showcase an incredibly robust season.
With 24 ports in Japan alone and two dozen more spread among several countries, our guests are in for an immersive Asia adventure."
Westerdam also heads to Asia on a new 53-day "Majestic Japan" Legendary Voyage roundtrip from Seattle.
For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com .

SHEBA® ARRIVES IN CANADA, BRINGING MORE HOPE TO CORAL REEFS

Retrieved on:

Friday, June 2, 2023

Coral, Partnership, Coral Triangle, Turtle, HOPE, Where Hope Grows, Shark, Bathurst Street, Beauty, Hope, Great Barrier Reef, Growth, Health, Biomass, Tourism, Seaweed, Limestone

Alongside the on-shelf arrival, the SHEBA® brand is continuing to build momentum on Sheba Hope Grows™, the world's largest coral reef restoration program.

Key Points:

Alongside the on-shelf arrival, the SHEBA® brand is continuing to build momentum on Sheba Hope Grows™, the world's largest coral reef restoration program.
The exhibit is designed to let guests dive into the ocean with an underwater simulation of HOPE, the first reef restoration project within the Sheba Hope Grows™ campaign.
Guests will be immersed in the sights and sounds of healthy coral reefs and learn about how the SHEBA® brand is taking action to restore coral reefs.
The Maldives is an ecologically important coral reef ecoregion with some areas and populations of climate resilient corals, representing a key site for coral restoration.

After Successful Pre-Sale Period, Holland America Line Opens Bookings to the Public for 2025 Grand World Voyage and First-Ever Grand Voyage: Pole to Pole

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

With the Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole and Grand World Voyage both departing in January 2025, this will be the first time that Holland America Line is offering two Grand Voyages of more than 120 days simultaneously.

Key Points:

With the Grand Voyage: Pole-to-Pole and Grand World Voyage both departing in January 2025, this will be the first time that Holland America Line is offering two Grand Voyages of more than 120 days simultaneously.
Holland America Line has officially opened bookings to the public for its two newest Grand Voyages.
"We craft one-of-a-kind itineraries that resonate with our world voyage guests, as indicated by pre-bookings on these cruises," said Beth Bodensteiner, Holland America Line's chief commercial officer.
Cruise fares for the 2025 Grand World Voyage begin at $24,999, while cruise fares for the 2025 Grand Voyage: Pole to Pole begin at $26,399, both per person, double occupancy.

WorkBoard Introduces Generative AI Across Its Full Strategy Execution Stack Including Co-Authoring of Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), Action Plans & Scorecards

Retrieved on:

Thursday, May 18, 2023

WorkBoard, the leading SaaS platform for enterprise strategy execution, today announced integration of generative AI (genAI) across its full suite to close crucial alignment and execution gaps that plague enterprise strategy achievement.

Key Points:

WorkBoard, the leading SaaS platform for enterprise strategy execution, today announced integration of generative AI (genAI) across its full suite to close crucial alignment and execution gaps that plague enterprise strategy achievement.
From a set of the team’s OKRs and their plans of action, WorkBoard’s co-author will draft scorecards and business reviews to drive strategy execution and quarter outcomes.
Deidre Paknad, CEO and Co-Founder of WorkBoard, expressed her excitement about the transformative impact of AI when combined with WorkBoard's decade of experience in strategy execution.
WorkBoard is a leading provider of enterprise strategy execution software, offering organization-wide alignment and accountability to companies across the globe.

Yes, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek approved a coal mine. But save the angst for decisions that matter more

Retrieved on:

Monday, May 15, 2023

The outcry was loud and swift last week after Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek approved a new coal mine in central Queensland.

Key Points:

The outcry was loud and swift last week after Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek approved a new coal mine in central Queensland.
It’s the first coal mine Labor has approved since coming to power a year ago.
The project, the Isaac River mine, will extract metallurgical coal to be burned for steel-making.

A lesson in spin-doctoring

But in reality, scuppering the mines was an easy and relatively uncontroversial decision for Plibersek.
Indeed, MacMines abandoned its proposal in 2019 and the phone number for its Darwin office is no longer even connected.
That news came six days later, when details of the Isaac River mine approval were quietly uploaded to the federal environment department’s website.
The coal mine, east of Moranbah, will reportedly produce about 500,000 tonnes of metallurgical coal each year for five years.

Thermal vs coking coal

In weighing up the merits of Plibersek’s decision on the Isaac River mine, we must make a distinction between thermal coal, used in electricity generation, and metallurgical or “coking” coal, used in steel-making.
Metallurgical coal accounts for about half of Australia’s coal exports by tonnage, but the great majority by value.
By continuing to export thermal coal, Australia is delaying the inevitable transition for the sake of short-term profits.

Let’s not get distracted

That approval was not the only decision made by Plibersek last week, or the most important one.
She also allowed three other mine projects – two in New South Wales and one in Queensland – to proceed to the next stage of environmental assessment.
These projects had been sent back to Plibersek for further consideration after an environment group requested the effects of climate change be considered.
It would produce about 12 million tonnes of thermal coal a year – more than the Adani Carmichael mine.

Big coal tests remain

But none of the approval decisions announced by Labor so far differ from those we might have expected under the Coalition.
Many more federal decisions on coal mining projects are yet to come.
Read more:
Tanya Plibersek killed off Clive Palmer's coal mine.

Tiny aquatic athletes: how baby Nemo can ‘just keeping swimming’ from the open ocean to the reef

Retrieved on:

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Marathon swimming performances are a vital part of early life for the vast majority of coral reef fish.

Key Points:

Marathon swimming performances are a vital part of early life for the vast majority of coral reef fish.
Baby (larval) reef fish – smaller than the size of your thumbnail – hatch from eggs laid on the reef and spend a few weeks in the open ocean before swimming back to the reef.
We found larval clownfish dramatically alter their physiology to complete their journey from the ocean back to the reef.

Mini athletes swimming 10-50 body lengths per second

However, landmark studies from the early 1990s documented the impressive swimming capabilities of baby reef fish.
Previous research has provided overwhelming evidence coral reef fishes are capable of amazing swimming performance as babies.
Some of these tiny athletes are capable of swimming 10-50 body lengths per second as a larva.
For comparison, Olympic multi-gold medallist Michael Phelps races at just under two body lengths per second.

Measuring the traits of an athlete

My colleagues and I measured physiological traits required to be an athletic swimmer across the entire larval phase of a clownfish.
These traits included swimming speed, oxygen uptake rates, gene expression patterns, and tolerance to low oxygen (hypoxia).
At night, when it’s no longer possible to use sunshine and carbon dioxide to make energy by photosynthesis, corals and plants breathe in oxygen to make energy.
The changes in haemoglobin and myoglobin genes also correspond to when these baby fish start to increase their hypoxia tolerance.

Why our research matters

It’s likely other coral reef fish follow similar developmental pathways.
Reef fish – of all shapes, sizes, and colours – are integral for maintaining coral reef health and persistence of future coral reefs.
What I saw still makes me nauseous
Adam Downie receives funding from the University of Queensland, and the Goodman Foundation Research Grant Scheme through the Morton Bay Research station.

If the budget ditched the Stage 3 tax cuts, Australia could save every threatened species – and lots more

Retrieved on:

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Given the parlous state of nature in Australia, these commitments are important.

Key Points:

Given the parlous state of nature in Australia, these commitments are important.
The promises include ending new extinctions, fixing national nature laws and protecting 30% of our land and waters.
In our view, the budget takes very small steps towards making good on the many government’s promises, but falls well short of what is needed.

A suite of big promises

In the words of the government’s own report, “the challenges to the existence of the plants and animals that define Australia are bigger than ever”.
It will also strengthen national nature laws, otherwise known as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
This includes pledges to create ten new Indigenous Protected Areas and double the number of Indigenous Rangers.

Getting tough on environmental laws

And it will only be effective if new environmental laws – currently being negotiated – give it the powers to prevent further biodiversity loss.
This body would provide high quality environmental data to support environmental regulation, planning and reporting.
There is also growing demand for biodiversity data for environmental accounting, business disclosures and the proposed Nature Repair Market.

What else for nature?

Effective protected area management needs stronger investment and active conservation, including management of invasive species and restoring degrading environments.
Many of Australia’s existing protected areas are badly damaged by feral pests such as weeds, foxes and feral cats, as well as inappropriate fire regimes and more.
Our current Commonwealth reserve system is already under-managed and many species and ecosystems are being neglected.
The budget also contains $28 million to develop a much-needed national climate risk assessment, which includes risks to biodiversity.

Getting our priorities straight

Research suggests Australia must spend $2 billion a year to save its 1,900 most-imperilled species.
And an additional $2 billion a year for 30 years could also restore 13 million hectares of Australia’s degraded land.
Meanwhile, the cost of adequately conserving our World Heritage areas and Ramsar wetlands is not yet known.
We must seriously examine our national priorities, and demand that Australian governments invest our national wealth in the species and ecosystems we depend on.

Tail first and making an early splash, some whales just can't wait to be born

Retrieved on:

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Whale, Travel, Atmosphere, Breeding, Great Barrier Reef, Mammal, Eye, Instinct, Ship, Mother, Milk, Climate change, Time, Water, Thar, Humpback whale, Rest, Banda Sea, News, Fasting, Calf, Female, Dairy, Whaling, Antarctic

From the moment they’re born, their first instinct is to swim to the surface for air.

Key Points:

From the moment they’re born, their first instinct is to swim to the surface for air.
While most enjoy the comforts of hanging out in mum’s tummy until she reaches warm northern Australian waters, some just can’t wait to enter the big blue.
While this sighting is rare, it’s not likely to be the last mother and calf whale sighting we’ll see this year.

Why are whales coming here?

Generally speaking, whales migrate to Australian waters in the winter to breed.
Depending on where you are on the Australian coast, you’ll probably see at least the main migratory baleen (toothless) whale species.
In contrast, pygmy blue whales typically stay in Australian waters over summer.

The making of a whale calf

A female humpback whale may mate with multiple males.
A humpback whale mother may produce a calf every two to three years.
This is a relatively quick turnaround and is likely one reason why Australian humpback whale numbers have been recovering well post-whaling.

The ultimate water birth

This is one reason why humpback whales travel to warmer water to breed.
Newborn calves are born with very little body insulation, so warm Australian waters are an ideal environment to be born into.
Traditionally, northern breeding grounds for humpback whales in Australian waters occur in the Kimberley region on the west coast and in the Great Barrier Reef on the east.

Why do we sometimes see mothers with calves travelling north?

Sometimes we see mothers with newborn calves well south of traditional breeding grounds.
On the east coast of Australia, both humpback and dwarf minke whale mothers have been observed travelling north with bubs in recent years.

On the swim for multitasking mothers

Once a calf is born, mothers continue to swim with the calf alongside her.
This is the most efficient position where the calf is able to swim in her slipstream.
Impressively, she is also likely to be fasting at the same time, relying on energy stores obtained in Antarctic waters.

How can you see a mother with calf?

Although your chances of spotting a mother and calf pair is highest in those northern breeding areas, you could also spot them as they migrate northward, or on their return journey south to Antarctic waters.
The good news is, whale watching can be done from both land and on the water, depending on where you are in Australia.
Read more:
Humpback whales have been spotted 'bubble-net feeding' for the first time in Australia (and we have it on camera)