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] Plastics accumulating in the ocean will reach 76 million tonnes by 2040 and 141 million tonnes by 2060. Plastic Bank
• [New] Globally ambitious action across the plastics lifecycle can prevent up to 61 million tonnes of additional ocean plastic by 2060. Plastic Bank
• [New] The world's ocean plastic crisis could be dramatically reduced within the next 15 years - and for less than $1bn (£750m). Positive News
• [New] Although the Antarctic Ice Sheet is currently contributing less to global sea level compared to either mountain glaciers or Greenland, it carries even greater threat to global sea-level rise. Climate Judiciary Project
• [New] Antarctica's Doomsday Glacier is about to lose an ice shelf that protects it from warming ocean waters, which could have devastating long-term consequences for hundreds of millions of people affected by rising sea levels. Live Science
• [New] West Antarctica's Doomsday Glacier is on the brink of losing its ice shelf, further compromising the already melting ice mass and threatening to unleash devastating sea-level rises. Live Science
• [New] Long term projections (beyond 2100) indicate a large dependence of the sea-level response to future carbon emissions trajectories (mainly from the Antarctic Ice Sheet). Climate Judiciary Project
• [New] The most recent UK Climate Projections confirm that we can expect increases to extreme coastal water levels as a result of the increase in mean sea level, and that there is potential for changes in the severity of future storm surge events. RMetS
• [New] Protecting 30% of Canada's ocean by 2030 is science-based, achievable, and essential to ensure a sustainable future. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
• [New] Canada then joined 196 countries in committing to the more ambitious 30×30 targets, which were meant to serve as a crucial milestone towards sustainability by 2050; however, marine protected areas do not work overnight. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
• [New] In the North Atlantic, well-designed MPA networks safeguarding 30-40% of the deep ocean could protect about 75% of species, like coral and sponges, that provide habitats for many other marine animals. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
• [New] Protecting 30% of the ocean increases the likelihood that juvenile fish will be transported by currents to another MPA, where their chances of survival and producing their own offspring are greatly improved. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
• [New] 87% of the world's ocean has been disturbed by human activities like industrial fishing and shipping, and the impacts of human activities on the ocean are estimated to more than double by 2050. Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
• [New] Rising sea levels are already threatening the residents of major cities in the U.S. and throughout the world, including New York, Boston, San Francisco and Miami. Live Science
• [New] The World Meteorological Organization expects an El Nino event to develop in the coming months, and some scientists predict it could be the strongest this century based on high Pacific Ocean surface temperatures. Proactiveinvestors NA
• Japan plans to deepen information-sharing efforts regarding maritime domain awareness (MDA) with Southeast Asian nations to protect sea lanes critical to trade. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• Sea-level rises in London up to 1.15 meters were forecast by the Met Office by 2100. Clintel
• Russia is actively engaged in the international climate agenda, taking account of both the challenges and the economic opportunities emerging in its northern regions - including expanded access to the northern sea route and mineral resources in permafrost zones. The Guardian
• The RV Reuben Lasker, the Noaa survey vessel Phillips will embark on, uses advanced sonar to map out the abundance of integral parts of the marine ecosystem, including organisms as small as krill and plankton. The Guardian
• Due to the climate crisis, by 2050, annual adaptation costs could reach US$ 565 billion, coral reefs could virtually disappear, 90% of coastal cities could be hit by sea level rise, and up to 70 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa will be forced to migrate. UNEP - UN Environment Programme
• Governments must act fast - as the Arctic could be free of summer sea ice by 2035. Greenpeace International
• The 7m UK properties at risk of flooding could increase by 40% by 2050, without action, and peak flow in rivers could be 45% higher. The Guardian

Last updated: 01 June 2026