I write this as COP 16, the UN summit meeting on biodiversity, has just ended in the Colombian coastal city of Cali. On a human level there is progress: indigenous people are promised a stronger voice in the fight to protect threatened species on planet Earth. Many of these nations live near the oceans, some on islands that are also threatened with extinction because of climate change. Their voices will be important for the protection of those who inhabit the oceans.
The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has published this year's State of the Ocean Report, which describes the state of the ocean and marine life.
A new investigation shows that organic eggs contain high levels of several toxins and may pose a risk to young children. However, the production of conventional eggs risks increasing the amount of toxins in the environment in the long run. - We need to put the brakes on (for PFAS). We should have done so the day before yesterday, says Petra Bergkvist, inspector at the Swedish Food Agency.
Dive into the intricate ecosystems of the world's oceans, their lawless stretches, and the extremities that teem with life, all crucial to our existence and well-being.
Biomass and biodiversity. Two rather dull and stiff words. But words often associated with Raja Ampat. Raja Ampat is situated west of Papua Guinea, right in the heart of what's known as the "Coral Triangle."
They are extraordinary biodiversity hotspots. They absorb large amounts of CO2 and release oxygen. They fix nitrogen and detoxify the water. They are nurseries for fish and hundreds of marine organisms. But they are disappearing globally and one-third of the Earth’s coastline is affected.
South Africa has an incredibly rich diversity of sharks, representing nearly a quarter of all known species, some found nowhere else on the planet.
iSimangaliso Wetland Park in South Africa is home to one of the world's most pristine reef systems, home to hundreds of different species from rare fish to tiny seahorses...and hundreds of cleaning stations where fish come in for their daily cleaning sessions. Petro van Jaarsveld who is currently conducting her PhD studies on these fascinating stations takes us on a tour inside the surprisingly complex and beautiful world of a fish car wash...
The 11th of February is the UN’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
Currently, one million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction in the coming decades. Ahead of the UN summit on biodiversity, there is no lack of tools to preserve a functioning ecosystem - but as it looks now, the world is going in the wrong direction.
