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] Among the benefits of ammonia as a marine fuel are its carbon-neutral potential, global availability and existing infrastructure. WIPO Technology Trends: Future of Transportation
• [New] Escalating conflict in Yemen is killing and injuring a growing number of civilians, the UN human rights chief warned on Monday, as Houthi rebels also strike Saudi Arabia and Red Sea shipping linked to the wider Iran-US confrontation. United Nations
• [New] Pressure at Hormuz is transferring traffic and strategic importance toward Saudi Arabia's Red Sea outlets, while Houthi pressure against Saudi interests simultaneously threatens that alternative. CNN
• [New] Reduced sediment delivery threatens the long-term stability of the Irrawaddy Delta, increasing vulnerability to coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion, and sea-level rise. EBSCO
• [New] Globally, the growing demand for copper has created attractive investment opportunities for deep-sea mining, particularly through the development of seafloor massive sulfide deposits. Persistence Market Research
• [New] Continued threats to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea keep global energy markets under pressure while demanding an expanding American military commitment. Washington Examiner
• [New] If the Houthis were to severely restrict shipping through Bab al-Mandeb, that would threaten the Red Sea route for one of the world's largest oil exporters. Al Jazeera
• [New] Ship-tracking data on Monday showed that 6 Saudi-flagged supertankers altered course in the Gulf of Aden, steering away from the Bab al-Mandeb Strait and the Red Sea amid threats from Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement. Counter Extremism Project
• [New] Many rivers across the UK contain high levels of fipronil and imidacloprid, posing a threat to aquatic organisms. Chemistry World
• [New] Disruptions to shipping in the Black Sea caused by Ukrainian attacks on dry cargo vessels and port infrastructure pose a direct threat to global food security. MarineLink
• [New] Scientists are predicting that the peak of El Nino will occur at the worst possible time for the world's biggest tropical rainforest: the end of the dry season between October and December, when rivers are at their lowest and undergrowth is most likely to be tinder dry. The Guardian
• [New] Global sea levels could rise by anywhere between 0.9 to 3.3 feet (0.27 to 1.01 meters) by 2100, with even higher amounts possible depending on what happens with the ice sheets. U.S. Sea Level Change
• [New] The Southern Ocean fishery runs under an annual limit of 620,000 tonnes, set decades ago as a precaution nobody expected to reach. Caro Santamaria Ocean
• In Great Britain alone, coastal tourism attracts over 270 million day visitors annually, supporting 285,000 jobs (Elliott et al., 2018), while the OECD predicts that marine and coastal tourism will generate US$ 777 billion globally by 2030. PubMed Central (PMC)
• Sustainable Ocean Alliance is inviting proposals from small organizations and local leaders working to establish and strengthen marine protected areas and other area-based conservation measures, part of the global push to protect 30% of the ocean by 2030. Impact Funding
• The Red Sea blockade by the Iran-aligned Houthis is worsening global energy supply disruption, coming at the same time the key Strait of Hormuz has practically shut due to the resumption of fighting between the U.S. and Iran. MarineLink
• The closure of the strait of Hormuz has created conditions for an extreme global biodiversity threat, with scientists warning that thousands of stranded ships could spread invasive marine species across the world's oceans once they begin sailing again. The Guardian
• Conflict risk - Middle East conflict has been the most material development affecting marine exposures in 2026, triggering sharp increases in war risk premiums and altering coverage boundaries through the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, and Persian Gulf transit corridors. The Baldwin Group
• Temperatures in Phoenix are expected to reach up to 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46 degrees Celsius), while Salt Lake City could see a record-breaking high of 106 Fahrenheit. Wired
• Runoff from Greenland's rapidly melting ice sheet could severely disrupt currents in the Atlantic Ocean that regulate the global climate. Live Science
• Yemen's pro-Iranian Houthis have declared a blockade on Saudi Arabia, escalating tensions and sparking fears that the Yemeni conflict, which had been relatively quiet for four years, may be about to reignite and threaten shipping in the Red Sea. Al Jazeera
• Escalating conflict and a worsening humanitarian situation in Myanmar, along with limited assistance and opportunities in refugee camps in Bangladesh, contribute to increasing numbers of people attempting perilous sea journeys in search of safety and protection, they pointed out. The Guardian

Last updated: 23 August 2026