Global Scans · 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] The European Union and Italy have supported the Libyan coast guard to intercept migrants at sea and return them to Libya, despite ongoing conflict and danger in that country. Migration Policy Institute
• [New] If current conditions remain unchanged and water demand continues to outweigh the shrinking supply base of the Colorado River, households and businesses in the American West will experience further water shortages combined with higher water prices. The Conference Board
• [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] In Tajikistan, the Ministry of Transport warned of heavy rains, mudslides, and dust storms due to high temps and glacier melt across Sughd and Khatlon provinces, with the Panj, Vakhsh, Varzob, and Zeravshan rivers running high through early July. ISCIENCES
• [New] One of the greatest risks is the impact on the Parana and Uruguay river basins, where rains in southern Brazil could increase flows and cause seasonal rises until March or April, even after El Nino begins to weaken. Noticias Ambientales
• [New] Russia continues to jam AIS transponder signals, as it has been doing since prior to the most recent Ukrainian strikes against ships in the Sea of Azov, possibly as a precaution against the enduring threat of Ukrainian drone strikes. Critical Threats
• [New] Ethiopia's efforts to diversify its access to Red Sea ports will increase competition for Djibouti, despite Djibouti's considerable head start in maritime logistics infrastructure compared to its neighbours. BTI 2026
• [New] Planteers' mission is to capture CO2 in water and unleash the potential of the oceans as the largest carbon sink on our planet. Carbon Removal Updates
• [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] 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] 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] 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
• [New] By 2050, the combined effects of land subsidence and sea-level rise could expose an additional ~222 km2 of land in the GBA to coastal flooding. Springer Nature
• [New] 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
• [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] New Zealand will engage with Australia and Fiji on the possibility of joining the Ocean of Peace Alliance. National Party

Last updated: 19 July 2026