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, there will likely be more plastic in the ocean than fish. SDCC
• [New] Scientists have uncovered an unexpected source of food in the deep ocean that could change how researchers understand both marine ecosystems and Earth's carbon cycle. ScienceDaily
• [New] The emerging El Nino could be the strongest on record, and may be joined by a positive Indian Ocean dipole, a related weather pattern that, with El Nino, has led to some of Australia's hottest and driest years. The Guardian
• [New] The Ocean of Peace alliance, which will in the future be open to other Pacific nations to join, aims to bolster regional security and limit China's influence. The Week
• [New] The UN urged all countries to bolster early warning systems after confirming the onset of El Nino, warning that the Pacific Ocean-warming phenomenon will bring above-average temperatures nearly everywhere and fuel more extreme weather. UNifeed
• [New] As Iran attempted to assert control over Hormuz and impose tolls or maintenance fees, attention turned to chokepoint vulnerabilities and elevated risk at Bab el-Mandeb and the Red Sea, where Somali pirates seized two ships. Cyprus Shipping News
• [New] 2026's El Nino is expected to prolong an already existing marine heat wave - currently in effect for reasons unrelated to El Nino - off the Southern California coast. Los Angeles Times
• [New] The growing overlap between the Russia-Ukraine war, West Asia, the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific suggests future escalation in one theater will increasingly generate strategic consequences well beyond its immediate region. More News From NowHere
• [New] Expanding refinery conversion projects, record investments in HEFA (Hydroprocessed Esters and Fatty Acids) technology, and growing corporate net-zero pledges from logistics, aviation, and marine sectors are collectively reinforcing robust demand across all major geographies through 2033. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Canada faces similar climate-related challenges, with coastal regions like British Columbia vulnerable to rising sea levels and flooding, and interior provinces facing increasing wildfire threats. Climate X
• [New] China is pressing ahead with construction of what will be the largest hydropower project on Earth, built on the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibet, the river that becomes the Brahmaputra once it crosses into Arunachal Pradesh and flows on through Assam and into Bangladesh. Economic Times
• [New] One of the biggest factors affecting sea freight from China is the continued disruption around the Red Sea region. -
• [New] Systemic Ecosystem Shifts: Weakening major ocean circulation systems could alter global weather patterns, shifting parts of the Amazon rainforest into dry, savanna-like conditions. Insights IAS
• [New] In 2026, maritime safety is no longer simply about preventing accidents at sea - it is about managing a rapidly expanding spectrum of interconnected global risks. MarineLink
• MIT engineers' design could lead to a new class of aerial-aquatic vehicles for ocean exploration. MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• The Middle East and Africa region is expected to maintain its strategic importance for high-end yacht logistics over the next few years due to the ongoing development of luxury marine destinations, with the United Arab Emirates and South Africa serving as primary hubs. Market Data Forecast
• The current high temperatures are expected to drag out over a sweltering 10 days and the oppressive heat on land has been accompanied by high global ocean temperatures that experts warn could cause mass-mortality events for some species. The Guardian
• China's National Climate Center expects up to six typhoons to form in the Northwest Pacific and South China Sea in July, more than the average of 3.8. Insurance Journal
• Researchers will collect data from waters around Alaska and the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, deploying autonomous observation equipment and carrying out studies on changing sea ice conditions, marine ecosystems, and the impacts of climate change. gCaptain
• The MPA Legal Coalition, comprising 11 organizations, will push the European Commission to take action against several member states that are failing to comply with their legal obligations to protect marine ecosystems, and will support legal action at the national level. Positive News
• An IUCN update in April declared emperor penguins officially in danger of extinction owing to the mass drowning of chicks as sea ice is melted by the climate crisis. The Guardian
• The rising mercury coincides a with major marine heat wave across the Pacific Ocean that has the potential to affect weather events around the world, bringing months of warmer oceans, which trigger thunderstorms and extreme heat thousands of miles away. Los Angeles Times
• Across Asia and the Pacific, heat is intensifying multi-hazard risks, intersecting with food systems, public health, infrastructure and oceans, and placing new pressures on health and livelihoods. UN News

Last updated: 20 July 2026