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] Many densely populated cities such as Shanghai and Mumbai or megacities such as the Pearl River Delta would be uniquely vulnerable to increased coastal flooding, highlighting one of the many risks that climate change poses to urban health. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] The onset of a potentially powerful El Nino weather pattern could boost global heat in the oceans and atmosphere even further in 2026 and into next year. GorakhaPatra
• [New] South Florida's unique vulnerability to sea-level rise, saltwater intrusion, and extreme weather is generating a new category of litigation in 2026. The Farber Law Firm
• [New] Vulnerability of Sea Lines of Communication: Conflicts in the South China Sea, Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz threaten India's trade and energy imports by disrupting critical maritime routes. Educratias
• [New] India hosting the next edition of the 'Quad-at-Sea Ship Observer Mission' will strengthen India's MAHASAGAR vision, and it will support India's broader vision of Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute
• [New] Older vessels can pose significant safety risks at sea, with vessels over 20 years old accounting for over half of all safety incidents. gCaptain
• [New] The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded a contract to Bordelon Marine to provide a commercial support vessel that will transport supplies, equipment and personnel to Coast Guard cutters operating in the Caribbean, Gulf of America, and other maritime areas in the Western Hemisphere. MarineLink
• [New] Scientists forecast a 63% chance of sea surface temperatures exceeding 2 C later in 2026. BBC
• [New] If conditions develop as predicted, ECOA-4 and WCOA 2026 will both capture how El Nino conditions affect ocean acidification and impacts to marine resources. Ocean News & Technology
• [New] Quantum sensing could improve accuracy and continuity for all-domain operations, including missions that span land, sea, air, space and cyber environments. The Quantum Insider
• [New] The multifactorial nature of PSM reveals a complex interplay of stressors, ranging from anthropogenic disruptions to environmental challenges, including river and stream temperatures, stocking density, genetic factors, fish length, pathogen burden, and disease that may all interplay. PubMed Central (PMC)
• [New] Two major ocean phenomena off the US West Coast will affect salmon, rockfish, squid, tuna, and crab fisheries, as well as whales, California sea lions, and seabirds, in the coming months. SeafoodNews
• [New] The SDG 2025 progress report indicated that only 8.4% of the ocean is a designated marine protected area, well off of the 30% by 2030 goal. - JURIST - News
• [New] The Global Tipping Points Report warns that key marine systems are approaching irreversible thresholds, even under the most optimistic scenarios. Blue Marine Foundation
• [New] Desert Ocean proposes using cyanobacteria as feedstock to produce algal biofuel, and plans to enhance algal growth in a 'water farm' using AU. Geoengineering Monitor
• [New] As Antarctic marine protection stalls, exploitative krill fishing threatens whales, wildlife, and one of Earth's most vital climate regulators. Florida Oceanographic Society
• [New] Third, increasing militarization of the Indian Ocean could heighten risks of maritime incidents and strategic confrontation around critical chokepoints such as the Strait of Malacca and the Bay of Bengal. Khabarhub
• [New] Measurement could be improved in the contentious Upper Klamath River of southern Oregon where there are competing demands between fish and farmland. Circle of Blue
• [New] The biggest reservoir on the Colorado River is less than 6 feet from its record low, and 11 feet from the elevation at which hydropower generation will be substantially cut. Circle of Blue
• [New] The Australian Marine Conservation Society fears the mainland arrival of H5 bird flu could pose a real extinction risk for the endangered Australian sea lion, with only 12,000 remaining along the coasts of South Australia and WA. The Guardian
• [New] NASA and its European partners are tracking a major buildup of warm water in the Pacific Ocean that could signal the arrival of El Nino later in 2026. ScienceDaily
• [New] Sensitive data such as ocean current dynamics, water temperature characteristics, temperature distribution, and seabed topography, if stolen by foreign intelligence agencies, will seriously endanger China's national security, military security, and economic security. Gizmodo

Last updated: 05 July 2026