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] In 2026, €60 million will be made available for cable repair equipment, along with a separate €20 million call for monitoring tools that can detect damage and track conditions under the sea. EU Blue Economy Observatory
• [New] Artists all over the world are celebrating the entry into force of the Global Ocean Treaty, also marking the beginning of a crucial four-year countdown to protect 30% of the world's ocean by 2030 and stop deep sea mining before it begins. Greenpeace International
• [New] By 2050, offshore wind power capacity in the North Sea is set to increase more than tenfold. Climate Tech Venture Review
• [New] The Global Ripple Effect on Trade and Supply Chains The simultaneous disruptions in the Red Sea and Panama Canal have had a ripple effect across global supply chains. Global Trade Magazine
• [New] In a hothouse Earth scenario, global temperatures could remain above even the worst current projections for thousands of years, causing massive sea-level rises that submerge coastal cities. ANews
• [New] In a few years, marine drones on the surface of the sea or just below will carry both legal cargo and illegal contraband, just as aerial drones will transport commercial products and illicit goods at both the wholesale and retail level within countries and even across them. Brookings
• [New] Like other criminal groups around the world, they will further embrace the evolving aerial and, eventually, marine drone technology to conduct crime over larger distances and with fewer personnel. Brookings
• [New] The construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea, explicit support for Russian military operations, and the rapid modernization of Chinese forces create a threat environment fundamentally different from the relatively stable post-Cold War period. Second Line of Defense
• [New] Ships at sea near Cote d'Ivoire are vulnerable to major threats from piracy, armed robbery, and kidnapping for ransom. U.S. Embassy in Cote d'Ivoire
• [New] Dumping tonnes of drugs into the ocean could affect wildlife in multiple ways. RNZ
• [New] The first Oceans Conference of the Parties in the next year is an opportunity to transform intentions into plans and concrete priorities as part of a global plan. Greenpeace International
• [New] The North Sea Future Plan bans new exploration while the Energy Profits Levy extends until 2030. WoodMac.Site.Features.Shared.ViewModels.Metadata.Publis
• [New] Allocation Round 7 awarded a record 8.4 GW in 2025, and the UK signed an Investment Pact with eight North Sea neighbours committing to 15 GW annually from 2031 to 2040. WoodMac.Site.Features.Shared.ViewModels.Metadata.Publis
• [New] Ocean energy technologies including wave, tidal, ocean thermal energy conversion with its 8-10 terawatt theoretical global potential, and salinity gradient power are progressing toward commercial viability. GlobeNewswire
• [New] Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and the UK have signed the Hamburg Declaration - a landmark commitment to deliver 100 GW of joint offshore wind projects across shared North Sea waters by 2050. Euronews
• [New] A coalition of environmental and clean-shipping groups is urging the International Maritime Organization to block any move that would allow ammonia-fueled ships to discharge toxic waste at sea, warning that shipping's push toward zero-emission fuels must not come at the expense of ocean health. gCaptain
• [New] Arctic summer sea ice is a critical foundation of the global ocean and climate system, and its rapid loss is creating a series of severe risks to nature and people across the planet. Ocean Visions
• Ocean freight rates in 2026 are expected to remain range-bound, with periodic spikes driven by capacity withdrawals, port congestion, or geopolitical events. iContainers
• The southern Central Asian countries including Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are expected to retain more intense deficits around Sarygamysh Lake through mid-2026. ISCIENCES
• Houthi attacks on shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden have again underscored the vulnerability along the Suez Canal/Red Sea corridor, the principal east-west trade artery. gmfus
• Costa Rica's abundance of rare wildlife brings opportunity to get involved in exclusive conservation efforts accompanied by marine biologists and scientists. Pelorus Travel
• The loss of summer sea ice estimated to occur in the coming decades will worsen impacts to ecosystems, Arctic people, and global climate. Ocean Visions

Last updated: 22 February 2026