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] A report from researchers at the University of Johannesburg said that it poses risk to aquatic biodiversity due to ocean deoxygenation. SlashGear
• [New] Scientists are aiming to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030, with more sustainable fishing practices that guarantee the future of marine life. Yahoo News
• [New] Scientists are working towards protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030 and promoting sustainable fishing practices to mitigate the environmental impact of bottom trawling. Yahoo News
• [New] Some of the world's oxygen-deprived oceans could eventually regain higher oxygen levels in the centuries ahead, even as the planet continues to warm. SciTechDaily
• [New] The small Pacific Ocean island of Palau is helping communities build resilience against the dangers of climate change-driven extreme weather with the establishment of a network of emergency refuges - thanks to support from the United Nations. UN News
• [New] The Matrix could potentially take advantage of AutoFlight's other recent innovation: a solar-powered floating airport where VTOLs can land and take off from along rivers or coastlines. New Atlas
• [New] The Northern Sea Route could reduce the distance between Shanghai and Rotterdam by approximately 3,000 nautical miles. Brookings
• [New] Global container liners anticipate reduced profits in 2026 as the potential Red Sea route reopening threatens to depress freight rates. Economic Times
• [New] Japan and Australia's security relationship will become stronger, so expect to see more Australian ships and aircraft heading north to operate in joint task forces in the South and East China Sea. Ben Morgan's Substack
• [New] Latin America and the Caribbean, home to more than 25% of the world's marine biodiversity, have a unique potential to lead the sustainable blue economy. CAF
• [New] The single greatest threat to the world's coastal environment is the emergence of megacities along the sea. Testbook
• [New] In Bangladesh's river basins, improving forecasts meant understanding how communities interpret flood risk. The Conversation
• [New] Melting ice from West Antarctica once delivered huge amounts of iron to the Southern Ocean, but algae growth did not increase as expected. ScienceDaily
• [New] Cold air mass from China will bring thunderstorms, drop in temperature, and strong winds to Thailand, with rough seas expected in Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea. null
• [New] The Coast Guard's duties patrolling the northern Atlantic Ocean for iceberg dangers could be entirely replaced by long-range drones. Roll Call
• [New] In recent years, accelerated ice melting due to climate change has provided longer and broader navigation opportunities in the Arctic Ocean, while new maritime routes that could shorten the distance between Asia and Europe are increasingly being discussed. SeaNews
• [New] The irreversible melting of polar ice sheets, the collapse of key ocean currents and the dieback of the Amazon rainforest are next in line, with devastating risks for people and nature. The Guardian
• [New] In the Pacific Ocean, an island of plastics believed to be twice the size of Texas is interfering with ships' navigation and threatening marine life. DTN Progressive Farmer
• [New] By 2100, future flood exposure will be more strongly determined by policy decisions on land use than by the magnitude of sea-level rise itself, making strategic spatial planning paramount. Climate Scorecard
• [New] If agreed, a Global Ocean Treaty would be a crucial step towards covering international waters in a network of ocean sanctuaries - areas off-limits to destructive human activities like industrial fishing and the emerging threat of deep sea mining. Greenpeace International

Last updated: 09 February 2026