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] The more greenhouse gases that get added to the atmosphere, the more the global sea level will rise. U.S. Sea Level Change
• [New] Protecting natural river flows, reconnecting floodplains and preserving ecological processes, it argues, are essential if Delhi is to reduce future flood risks and prevent further degradation of its lifeline. SANDRP
• [New] Moderate El Nino conditions over the equatorial Pacific are expected to strengthen through the remainder of the monsoon season, while neutral Indian Ocean Dipole conditions are likely to persist before a positive IOD develops during September. The Hindu
• [New] El Nino is expected to steadily intensify into a strong event during the August-October 2026 season, with seasonal-average sea-surface temperature anomalies forecasted to exceed 2.9 °C in key monitoring regions. Tomato News
• [New] The huge increase in climate change-induced flood risk from sea level rise, heavier rainfall, and stronger / slower-moving hurricanes is nearly certain to force abandonment of portions of the U.S. Gulf and Atlantic coasts by late this century, even under a moderate global warming scenario. Yale Climate Connections
• Perseverance will continue drilling rock samples in the Red Planet's Jezero Crater, which NASA believes was an ancient lake that could have supported primitive life. DebateUS
• Russian business outlet RBK stated, citing sources in the Russian shipping and insurance industries, that Russian insurance companies have effectively stopped insuring cargo ships travelling in the Black and Azov seas for protective coverage concerning military and terrorist risks. Critical Threats
• Russia-Ukraine war escalation threatens global grain supplies as attacks target Black Sea ports during harvest season, risking wheat exports. Farm Progress
• While some concerns related to China - such as foreign ownership of key assets in the Western Hemisphere and threats to vital sea lanes - appear earlier, they are developed not as central threats, but more so as economic challenges for the United States. Default
• Although still modest, Arctic crude flows could provide a growing offset to Russia's Black Sea export losses, potentially affecting both the discount applied to Russian crude and the effectiveness of Western sanctions over the medium term. investing.com
• Ruling out the use of all residual fuels and switching to polar fuels could reduce black carbon emissions in the new ECAs including the Canadian Arctic, Norwegian Sea, and NE Atlantic (including the waters around Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands). Clean Arctic Alliance
• Invasive alien species are emerging as one of the fastest-growing threats to biodiversity across Europe, affecting ecosystems from rivers and wetlands to forests and marine habitats. fundsforNGOs News - Grants and Resources for Sustainabi
• Russia and Ukraine are targeting each other's commercial ships and ports in the Black Sea area, raising fears about the impact on grain supplies to world markets. Farm Progress
• Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militant group has threatened shipping via the Bab el-Mandeb Strait in the Red Sea. Los Angeles Times
• For Thailand, Dawei could eventually provide another maritime outlet toward the Indian Ocean and help diversify logistics beyond existing routes through the Strait of Malacca. RUSSIA'S PIVOT TO ASIA
• Sea conditions are expected to remain slight in the Arabian Gulf and the Oman Sea. Emirati Times
• The Panama Canal will continue to closely monitor weather conditions, watershed inflows, and lake levels. Autoridad del Canal de Panama
• North Sea decommissioning costs will exceed GBP 20 billion through 2035. Persistence Market Research
• Geopolitical & Climate Risks Red Sea and Middle East disruptions continue to affect vessel routing, while Panama Canal constraints and low Rhine River levels can further reduce effective capacity. LinkedIn
• As waterways around the world face growing risks and restrictions, vessels can quickly find themselves caught out, whether on the wrong side of a strait as access rules change during negotiations or on a river whose water levels have fallen sharply. Atlantic Council

Last updated: 28 September 2026