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] By 2050, ocean plastic will outweigh all of the ocean's fish. Conservation International
• [New] The next five years will be pivotal in transforming marine drones from experimental prototypes into essential components of global ocean stewardship, with significant implications for environmental policy, corporate sustainability strategies, and technological innovation ecosystems. Verified Market Reports
• [New] Emerging markets in Asia-Pacific and Africa will become critical growth nodes, driven by rapid urbanization and increasing marine pollution challenges. Verified Market Reports
• [New] Companies that invest early in modular, scalable drone architectures and sustainable materials will position themselves as industry leaders, capturing long-term value from global environmental policies targeting marine pollution reduction. Verified Market Reports
• [New] Consistent with trends over the past decade, aquaculture feeds will become increasingly reliant on grain products to supply most of their nutrients, while marine ingredients will continue to play a strategic role. Aqua Culture Asia Pacific
• [New] By 2100, there could be about 28 cm of sea level rise specifically from Antarctica. Refractor
• [New] Feedback processes speeding up ice melt (or even ice sheet collapse) in Greenland and Antarctica could further enhance sea level rise. Climate Change Knowledge Portal
• [New] From Scandinavia, it could reach all the way to the Bering Sea across the entire Arctic. Brussels Signal
• [New] Without control over Taiwan, China remains confined to a limited near-seas defence posture, leaving its maritime lifelines persistently exposed to external disruption. E-International Relations
• [New] The compounding effect of Hormuz closure and Red Sea disruption represents an unprecedented simultaneous stress on the global maritime trade system. KBA13 INSIGHT
• [New] Ongoing tensions in key chokepoints like the Red Sea and Panama Canal could reroute traffic, lengthening voyages and raising insurance costs. S.A.I.L.
• [New] PRC military infrastructure in Pakistan could improve PRC power projection in the Indian Ocean and the Middle East. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] The PRC could leverage Pakistan's reliance on its arms industry to exact concessions from Pakistan to aid its regional posture in the Indian Ocean. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] The PRC could use Pakistan's reliance on its military relationship with the PRC to support power projection efforts in the Indian Ocean. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] In 2026, NOAA Ocean Exploration will lead and support expeditions and fieldwork in the Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Lake Michigan. NOAA Ocean Exploration
• Pet goldfish illegally dumped in a lake are endangering native fish species, the Environment Agency has warned. BBC News
• Growing numbers of visitors bring risks including disease, invasive species and pollution to the delicate ecosystems of Antarctica and the remote sub-Antarctic islands that teem with bird life, sea lions and whales. gCaptain
• The world's ocean plastic crisis could be dramatically reduced in just 15 years - and for less than $1bn (£750m). Positive News
• The longer-term goal is to stop 90% of floating plastic pollution from reaching the sea by 2040, while also clearing existing accumulation zones such as the great Pacific garbage patch. Positive News
• Rapid expansion of the salmon farming industry in Chile has been linked to ecological damage and concerns about worker safety, while Norway's wild salmon face an existential threat, with sea lice linked to salmon farms a contributing cause. The Tyee
• The newly formed Marine Minerals Administration (MMA) anticipates holding three offshore lease sales during fiscal years 2026 and 2027, including in waters off American Samoa in August, the Northern Mariana Islands in November, and Alaska in December. IADC.org
• Scientists now know with a fair degree of certainty, for example, that sea levels will rise one to two feet along the Gulf Coast and Eastern Seaboard by 2050, putting millions of homes at risk for regular flooding. Columbia Magazine

Last updated: 18 May 2026