Our Scans · (LF.14) Life Below Water · Weekly Summary

In September 2015, 193 world leaders agreed to 17 Global Goals for Sustainable Development. If these Goals are completed, it would mean an end to extreme poverty, inequality and climate change by 2030.
Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

• [New] The IDIQ award makes MDA Space eligible to bid on future tasks and service orders under SHIELD, a US defence effort aimed at strengthening protection against threats across land, sea, air, cyberspace, and space domains. Space War
• [New] As the Marine Corps undergoes its heavy lift helicopter transition from the CH-53E Super Stallion to the CH-53K King Stallion, HMHT-302 will continue to play a critical role in developing pilots and crew chiefs as the Marine Corps' sole fleet replacement squadron for the CH-53 platform. DVIDS
• [New] Until the world achieves net-zero carbon emissions, the global ocean heat content will continue to rise. Gizmodo
• [New] Five Caspian countries are developing a 2025-2035 action plan to address sea-level fluctuations. The Astana Times
• [New] S-101 products will be available for all Finnish sea areas before the end of 2026, and for the Saimaa region in 2027. Traficom
• [New] As K2 - 18 b may be a planet completely covered by a water ocean, the detection of dimethyl sulphide in its atmosphere could imply an ongoing supply of it from microbial marine life there. The Conversation
• [New] A unilateral US takeover threatens to disrupt the open scientific collaboration that is helping us understand the threat of global sea-level rise. The Conversation
• [New] The wind energy potential of Azerbaijan's Caspian Sea sector alone is estimated at 157 gigawatts. The Astana Times
• [New] Vancouver plans to have all new construction use only renewable energy by 2030, and it's working to improve its resilience to rising sea levels. Yahoo News
• [New] As long as the Earth's heat continues to increase, ocean heat content will continue to rise and records will continue to fall. The Guardian
• [New] Considering that the Greenland Ice Sheet contains an estimated 24 ft (7.4m) of global sea level equivalent, it could have a serious impact on coastal communities if it melts. New Atlas
• [New] Operations in and around the Red Sea, the Black Sea, the Persian Gulf and Arctic routes are forcing vessels to reroute around exposed corridors, extending voyage times and increasing cumulative risk per policy period. Insurance Business
• [New] Water-walking robots might collect a million tons of ocean plastic by 2040. International Defense Security & Technology
• [New] Microplastics could be impacting the oceans' ability to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) which is critical for regulating Earth's temperature. The Times Of India
• [New] The Trump administration's proposal to dramatically ramp up offshore oil drilling could lead to 4,232 oil spills, dumping 12.1 million gallons of oil into ocean waters. Center for Biological Diversity
• [New] Polymetallic nodules on the ocean floor could supply cobalt, nickel, and rare earths without cutting into terrestrial ecosystems, while critics echo calls for a global deep-sea mining ban until ecological impacts are clearer. Intelligent Living
• [New] Red Sea risk does not stop at Yemen's coastline. oilprice.com
• [New] Recent developments in Yemen have raised Red Sea risk without producing a new attack at sea. oilprice.com
• [New] The U.S. capture of Venezuela's president, shifting Red Sea security dynamics, and rising Iran-related uncertainty are reshaping risk perceptions, even without major supply disruptions. oilprice.com
• [New] The Council of the European Union reached a political agreement on the fishing opportunities in the Baltic Sea for 2026, following the Commission proposal made in August this year. Oceans and fisheries
• [New] Under the updated Baltic Sea Action Plan adopted in 2021, the nine coastal countries have committed to implementing concrete measures by 2030 to reduce pollution, improve water quality and strengthen ecosystem resilience. Caliber.az
• Even a modest number of surviving HIMARS launchers, properly networked with radar and unmanned systems, could pose a serious threat to PLA amphibious shipping, staging areas and nearby bases-giving Taipei a potent tool for sea denial and counter-landing operations. Sino Daily

Last updated: 12 January 2026