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] Remnants of Tropical Storm Dolly, which has been downgraded to an open tropical wave, were moving still across the Atlantic Ocean toward the Leeward Islands, and could bring heavy rainfall to parts of the Caribbean this weekend. The Guardian
• [New] 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
• [New] Retreating sea ice is extending the summer navigation season, while disruption in the Middle East has made traditional shipping routes through Suez and the Strait of Hormuz longer, more expensive and less predictable. investing.com
• [New] The oceans will keep getting hotter until the current El Nino - a natural temporary warming of parts of the Pacific that then warps weather and raises temperatures globally - reaches its peak, which is expected sometime between November and January. Al Jazeera
• [New] 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
• [New] 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
• [New] 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
• [New] Nepal is continuing to monitor two barrier lakes upstream of the flood zone, with an official warning that flood risks will persist until both lakes fully drain. The Guardian
• [New] An artificial lake had formed after a mudslide hit the Tibet-Nepal border, posing a risk of sending flood waters downstream. The Guardian
• [New] Swiss startup Riverkin develops river monitoring technology that tracks water, sediment, and flood risks. Vestbee
• [New] Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities around the world. Live Science
• [New] The virus spreading to Australia's sea lion population could be an extinction level event. The Guardian
• 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 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

Last updated: 13 September 2026