French Polynesia creates world’s largest marine protected area

French Polynesia creates world’s largest marine protected area

The massive new marine protected area in the South Pacific will cover the semi-autonomous French territory’s entire exclusive economic zone, roughly 1.9 million square miles. It will include nearly 420,000 square miles of highly or fully protected ocean, an area twice the size of mainland France. Of this, some about 350,000 square miles will be fully protected. In these areas, no extractive fishing or mining will be allowed. About 72,000 square miles will be an artisanal fishing zone, only allowing traditional line fishing.

U.K. to offer fusion energy industry $3.3 billion funding boost over next five years

Nuclear fusion is the same energy process that powers the stars, which scientists say has the potential of virtually unlimited supplies of low-carbon, low-radiation energy and is often called the "holy grail" of clean energy. The British government's Spending Review said the money would "cement" Oxfordshire's role as a "world-leading hub" for the technology, while funds would also be invested into plans to build a fusion power plant in Nottinghamshire.

Texas passes largest state-funded psychedelic research initiative in history to study ibogaine

In a historic and bipartisan move, the State of Texas has approved $50 million in state funding for drug development trials for ibogaine, a powerful, naturally occurring medicine showing extraordinary promise as a breakthrough treatment for substance use disorder, trauma-related conditions, and traumatic brain injury. With the passage of House Bill 3717, Texas now leads the country—and the world—in psychedelic research investment.

Colorado passes new law to reform handling of sexual assault cases and reduce rape kit backlog

Currently, it takes 554 days for the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to process DNA evidence kits from sexual assaults, leaving 1,369 cases in limbo as victims and investigators wait for results. The new law, now officially signed by Gov. Polis, requires increased oversight of CBI and creates a 60-day turnaround goal per DNA evidence kit, three times faster than the state’s current 180-day guidance. Sexual assault victims will be entitled to updates on their pending evidence kits every 90 days under the new law.

Rwanda’s endangered crowned crane population has tripled since 2017

Just 10 years ago, Rwanda’s gray crowned cranes were vanishing. Once a familiar sight in wetlands across East Africa, their numbers in Rwanda had collapsed, driven by habitat loss and capture for the exotic pet trade. That grim picture has now changed dramatically, thanks largely to the work of Olivier Nsengimana, a veterinarian and founder of the Rwanda Wildlife Conservation Association, which has led a national campaign to rescue, rehabilitate, and eventually reintroduce captive cranes to the wild.

Rachel Carson’s “sea trilogy” helps inspire the “marine revolution” (1955 C.E.)

Carson began her career as an aquatic biologist in the U.S. Bureau of Fisheries, and became a full-time nature writer in the 1950s. Her widely praised 1951 bestseller The Sea Around Us won her a U.S. National Book Award. Its success prompted the republication of her first book, Under the Sea Wind (1941), in 1952, which was followed by The Edge of the Sea in 1955 — both were also bestsellers. The sea trilogy explores the whole of ocean life from the shores to the depths and is credited with inspiring a major shift in public awareness on marine conservation.

International community achieves “30×30” goal of protecting 30% of world’s oceans by 2030 (2030 C.E. ???)

After a decades-long effort, more than 30% of the world's oceans are now formally protected in marine protection areas (MPAs), limiting fishing, underwater drilling, and other damaging activities. The protection proves a massive boon to conserving biodiversity, combating climate change, and maintaining critical ecosystem services around the world.

Stop ultra-deepwater drilling project in the Gulf of Mexico

From Earthjustice: Fifteen years ago, BP’s Deepwater Horizon disaster in the Gulf of Mexico became the worst marine oil spill in U.S. history. BP’s Deepwater Horizon rig suffered a blowout and loss of well control while drilling a well in about 5,000 feet of water. Now, BP is asking the federal government to allow it to drill even deeper for oil in the Gulf of Mexico with its proposed Kaskida drilling project. Tell the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management that this project is too dangerous to proceed. Sign the petition.​

Peter Schulte Leadership coach Bellingham WA USA About | Instagram | Donate