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] MIT engineers' design could lead to a new class of aerial-aquatic vehicles for ocean exploration. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• [New] The Middle East and Africa region is expected to maintain its strategic importance for high-end yacht logistics over the next few years due to the ongoing development of luxury marine destinations, with the United Arab Emirates and South Africa serving as primary hubs. Market Data Forecast
• [New] The current high temperatures are expected to drag out over a sweltering 10 days and the oppressive heat on land has been accompanied by high global ocean temperatures that experts warn could cause mass-mortality events for some species. The Guardian
• [New] China's National Climate Center expects up to six typhoons to form in the Northwest Pacific and South China Sea in July, more than the average of 3.8. Insurance Journal
• [New] Researchers will collect data from waters around Alaska and the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, deploying autonomous observation equipment and carrying out studies on changing sea ice conditions, marine ecosystems, and the impacts of climate change. gCaptain
• [New] The MPA Legal Coalition, comprising 11 organizations, will push the European Commission to take action against several member states that are failing to comply with their legal obligations to protect marine ecosystems, and will support legal action at the national level. Positive News
• [New] An IUCN update in April declared emperor penguins officially in danger of extinction owing to the mass drowning of chicks as sea ice is melted by the climate crisis. The Guardian
• [New] The rising mercury coincides a with major marine heat wave across the Pacific Ocean that has the potential to affect weather events around the world, bringing months of warmer oceans, which trigger thunderstorms and extreme heat thousands of miles away. Los Angeles Times
• [New] Across Asia and the Pacific, heat is intensifying multi-hazard risks, intersecting with food systems, public health, infrastructure and oceans, and placing new pressures on health and livelihoods. UN News
• [New] Beyond California, scientists are raising alarms over the planet's warming oceans, which - coupled with a strong El Nino - could increase temperatures for land dwellers in the coming weeks. Los Angeles Times
• [New] Maritime and Space Security Risks: Over 90% of India's trade by volume moves through sea routes, making maritime security vital. Current Affairs - NEXT IAS
• [New] The South China Sea will likely be a critical staging ground in that hypothetical war, so even just by dint of geography, the fates of Taiwan and the South China Sea are intertwined. Acled
• [New] South Florida's unique vulnerability to sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, and extreme weather is generating a new category of litigation in 2026. The Farber Law Firm
• [New] As climate change pushes oceans higher, many of the world's biggest coastal cities are confronting a second, less visible threat beneath their streets. SciTechDaily
• [New] Projections of future plastic pollution at current levels - the 'high emissions' scenario - estimate that by 2060 there will be 2.8 times more oceanic plastic than today, with levels rising across all oceans. Environment
• [New] An El Nino summer could suppress tropical storm development in the Atlantic Ocean, influencing NOAA's below-normal hurricane season prediction. Drought.gov
• [New] Ice Sheet Liquefaction: Warmer baselines threaten to accelerate ice sheet loss in Greenland and West Antarctica, causing sea levels to rise. Insights IAS
• While mining has been halted until 2029, that still only provides a narrow window to catalog species and establish marine protected areas before permanent extraction begins. The Arctic Institute - Center for Circumpolar Security
• El Nino - a climate cycle that causes unusually warm ocean surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, altering global weather patterns - has begun and is expected to grow to historical strength. vancouversun
• The onset of a potentially powerful El Nino weather pattern could boost global heat in the oceans and atmosphere even further in 2026 and into next year. GorakhaPatra

Last updated: 13 July 2026