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] There is a high risk that a lake which formed after the recent landslide near the Nepal-Tibet border may breach its banks. BBC News
• [New] Nepal is continuing to monitor two barrier lakes upstream of the flood zone, with an official warning that flood risks will persist until both lakes fully drain. The Guardian
• [New] An artificial lake had formed after a mudslide hit the Tibet-Nepal border, posing a risk of sending flood waters downstream. The Guardian
• [New] Remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly, which has been downgraded to an open tropical wave, were moving still across the Atlantic Ocean toward the Leeward Islands, and could bring heavy rainfall to parts of the Caribbean this weekend. The Guardian
• [New] Over time, thermal expansion contributes to global sea level rise, increasing risks for coastal communities and low-lying islands. earth.com
• [New] The oceans will keep getting hotter until the current El Nino - a natural temporary warming of parts of the Pacific that then warps weather and raises temperatures globally - reaches its peak, which is expected sometime between November and January. Al Jazeera
• [New] Copernicus warns of 'unprecedented strain' on world's oceans as El Nino and climate change drive up sea surface temperatures. Al Jazeera
• [New] Weather risk is compounding, as El Nino, heat, drought and low water on European rivers and the Panama Canal threaten feedstock and agricultural supply and costs. Kemiex AG
• [New] Swiss startup Riverkin develops river monitoring technology that tracks water, sediment, and flood risks. Vestbee
• [New] El Nino is putting pressure on global marine ingredient production, with reduced raw material availability in Peru and Chile expected to drive much of the decline in 2026. SeafoodNews
• [New] Caused by Pacific Ocean temperatures that are more than 2 degrees Celsius warmer than normal, it will raise global temperatures and disrupt weather patterns around the world. Atlantic Council
• [New] Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities around the world. Live Science
• [New] Reduced sediment delivery threatens the long-term stability of the Irrawaddy Delta, increasing vulnerability to coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and sea-level rise. EBSCO
• [New] Together with international financial institutions, the EU plans to mobilize approximately €2 billion for infrastructure development in the Black Sea region and the South Caucasus. The Astana Times
• [New] Around 120,000 tonnes could remain in the marine environment after decommissioning, with degradation potentially releasing between 4.5 and 500 tonnes of microplastics into the UK North Sea each year. Sustainability Online - A business news platform with a
• [New] Global warming has increased the duration and intensity of MHWs over the last century, and permanent MHWs have been predicted in many areas of the ocean by the end of the 21st century. Geoengineering.global
• [New] By 2050, villages will become small islands in an inland sea. / Bangladesh The Daily Star
• [New] Scientists broadly agree that the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation - the system of ocean currents that helps shape Britain and north-west Europe's climate - will weaken as the planet warms, although there is continued debate about how quickly and severely. Logistics Business
• [New] The PRC may be planning to significantly automate marine detection and law enforcement in the South China Sea by 2030. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• The virus spreading to Australia's sea lion population could be an extinction level event. The Guardian
• Among the benefits of ammonia as a marine fuel are its carbon-neutral potential, global availability and existing infrastructure. WIPO Technology Trends: Future of Transportation
• Beijing could use existing north-south roads and railways from inland southern China to enable overland access to the planned deep-sea ports on the Andaman and Gulf of Thailand coasts. Hudson Institute
• Official documents might raise the possibility of conflict over disputed claims in the South China Sea but are silent on the Taiwan dispute. Hudson Institute

Last updated: 31 August 2026