Deep Dives
Thought-provoking research providing extensive learning opportunities

Cleaner burning aviation fuels can reduce contrail cloudiness

Voigt, C. et al., Nature Energy Solutions Tourism

Contrail cirrus account for the major share of aviation’s climate impact. Yet, the links between jet fuel composition, contrail microphysics and climate impact remain unresolved.

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Global assessment of innovative solutions to tackle marine litter

Bellou, N. et al., Nature Sustainability Plastics & Pollution

Marine litter is one of the most relevant pollution problems that our oceans are facing today. Marine litter in our oceans is a major threat to a sustainable planet.

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Financing a sustainable ocean economy

Sumaila, U.R. et al, Nature Communications

A healthy ocean that supports a sustainable ocean economy requires adequate financing vehicles that generate, invest, align, and account for financial capital to achieve sustained ocean health and governance.

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Ocean Plastic: What You Need to Know

Audrey Nakagawa, EcoWatch Plastics & Pollution

Ocean bound plastic is plastic waste that is headed toward our oceans.

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Unlocking a Renewable Energy Future: How Government Action Can Drive Private Investment

Hutchinson, N. et al., World Resources Institute Energy Solutions

The private sector is poised to invest billions of dollars to massively speed up, scale and support the energy transition. However, many investors, particularly in the private sector, are deterred by some of the risks related to renewable energy investments.

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Becoming #GenerationRestoration: Ecosystem Restoration for People, Nature and Climate

Dickson, B. et al., UNEP Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism

To launch the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, UNEP has released this synthesis report as a call to action for anyone and everyone to join the #GenerationRestoration movement to prevent, halt and reverse the degradation of ecosystems worldwide.

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3,000 Shipping Containers Fell Into the Pacific Ocean Last Winter

Tim Lydon, The Revelator Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports

A rise in container-ship accidents adds to the growing marine plastic pollution problem and poses risks to ocean health, wildlife and mariners.

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Oceana Finds Hundreds of Vessels Vanishing Along Argentina’s Waters

Oceana Fisheries & Aquaculture

An Oceana analysis found hundreds of foreign fishing vessels, primarily Chinese, pillaging the waters off Argentina and disappearing from public tracking systems. These distant-water fleets mainly fish for shortfin squid, which are vital to Argentina’s economy and the diet of numerous commercial and recreational species, such as tuna and swordfish.

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Recommended Exclusions for Financing a Sustainable Blue Economy

UNEP FI

UNEP FI’s recommended exclusions list for a sustainable blue economy presents an overview of activities to exclude from financing due to their damaging impact on the ocean and high risk. It examines multiple ocean-related activities and covers various sectors including seafood, ports, maritime transportation, marine renewable energy, and coastal and marine tourism.

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You Can’t Go Green Without Blue

Betts, R. et al., KPMG International

The 'blue economy' is central to the green ecosystem: oceans influence all natural cycles and are also directly or indirectly involved with all economic sectors.

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Accelerating Blue Bonds Issuances in Latin America and the Caribbean

IDB Invest & United Nations Global Compact

Provides a comprehensive look at a new asset class to mobilize capital to solve water-related challenges, create sustainable ocean business opportunities and signal responsible ocean stewardship.

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Positive Social-Ecological Feedbacks in Community-Based Conservation

Quintana, A.C.E. et al., Frontiers in Marine Science Fisheries & Aquaculture

In this paper, we theoretically and empirically explore a model of short-term area-based conservation that prioritizes adaptive co-management: temporary areas closed to fishing, designed by the fishers they affect, approved by the government, and adapted every 5 years.

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Global declines in coral reef calcium carbonate production under ocean acidification and warming

Cornwall, C. et al., PNAS

The growth of coral reefs is threatened by the dual stressors of ocean warming and acidification. Despite a wealth of studies assessing the impacts of climate change on individual taxa, projections of their impacts on coral reef net carbonate production are limited.

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Discussing the global importance of the aquaculture industry

Innovation News Network Fisheries & Aquaculture

The Innovation Platform’s Lorna Malkin spoke to Dr Adam Hughes, Marine Ecologist and Senior Lecturer at the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS), about how aquaculture is evolving and the industry’s potential to contribute positively to the environment.

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Innovations in aquaculture helping to transform food industry

Innovation News Network Fisheries & Aquaculture

By providing a platform for new innovations in aquaculture, the inaugural Global Aquaculture Challenge is helping to transform the food industry’s fastest growing segment.

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An Eco-Wakening: Measuring global engagement, awareness and action for nature

The Economist Intelligence Unit, WWF

Humanity may be responsible for the destruction of our planet - but humanity is also waking up...and stepping up.

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The role of aquatic foods in sustainable healthy diets

Ahern, M. et al., UN Nutrition Fisheries & Aquaculture

This discussion paper aims to build consensus on the role of aquatic foods in sustainable healthy diets, presenting the breadth of evidence available to inform and steer policy, investments and research to make full use of the vast potential of aquatic foods in delivering sustainable healthy diets and meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

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Information Sharing Is Key to Ending Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated Fishing

The Pew Charitable Trusts Fisheries & Aquaculture

New study uses modelling to show benefits occur even when sharing is not reciprocated.

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Microplastics are everywhere — but are they harmful?

XiaoZhi Lim, Nature Plastics & Pollution

Scientists are rushing to study the tiny plastic specks that are in marine animals — and in us.

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“How do we manage fisheries in the midst of climate change?” Q&A with EDF’s Eric Schwaab

Rhett A. Butler, Mongabay Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture

Schwaab spoke about how to increase the resilience of fisheries to climate change; U.S. oceans policy, including what the country has gotten right and wrong; and more in a recent interview with Mongabay founder Rhett A. Butler.

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