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    News

    Curated stories and analysis from islands and sustainability leaders worldwide.

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    Showing 9 of 243 news items in Ocean & Biodiversity
    Seychelles bets on sexual reproduction of corals to create resilient reefs against climate change
    Ocean & BiodiversityApril 15, 2026

    Seychelles bets on sexual reproduction of corals to create resilient reefs against climate change

    Excerpt from noticiasambientales.com The coral reefs in the Seychelles are facing increasing pressure from global warming, pollution, and ocean acidification. After decades of degradation and mass bleaching events, scientists and conservationists have launched a pioneering project aimed at restoring these ecosystems through sexual reproduction of corals, instead of traditional cloning. Coral reefs: rainforests of the sea They host around 25% of marine biodiversity, despite covering less than 1% of the ocean floor. They are essential for the feeding, reproduction, and shelter of thousands of species. More than half of the world’s coral populations have already disappeared, becoming one of the most threatened habitats on the planet.

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    In Svalbard, where sea ice is vanishing faster than anywhere else, polar bears remain healthy
    Ocean & BiodiversityApril 8, 2026

    In Svalbard, where sea ice is vanishing faster than anywhere else, polar bears remain healthy

    Excerpt from lemonde.fr Footage shot in the Arctic by scientists shows a polar bear feasting on a seal atop a drifting slab of sea ice. In another video, a female bear crosses a vast, frozen expanse, trailed by her two cubs. Elsewhere, a male bear roams through the snow. These mammals appear healthy – far from the images of emaciated bears that have sparked concern in recent years. In the far north, Svalbard, the Norwegian archipelago, is a paradox. Climate change has warmed the region faster than anywhere else on Earth, and its sea ice is shrinking more rapidly than in any other ice-bound area. Yet, the physical condition of adult polar bears has not worsened over the past 25 years. In fact, it improved after 2000, according to a study published on Thursday, January 29, in Scientific Reports, based on long-term monitoring in the Barents Sea. This may be only a respite before an expected decline.

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    Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island after nearly 200 years
    Ocean & BiodiversityApril 8, 2026

    Giant tortoises return to Galápagos island after nearly 200 years

    Excerpt from bbc.com Giant tortoises are roaming the Galápagos island of Floreana for the first time in more than 180 years, in what conservationists have called a "hugely significant milestone". The release of 158 captive-bred juvenile tortoises onto the island is part of the Floreana Ecological Restoration Project led by the Galápagos National Park Directorate. The reintroduction follows a "back-breeding" programme launched in 2017 after scientists discovered tortoises carrying ancestry of the Floreana giant tortoise on nearby Isabela island. Floreana's native species, Chelonoidis niger niger, was driven to extinction in the 1840s by sailors who took thousands from the island for sustenance during long voyages.

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    Shark attack fatality reignites safety v environment debate in New Caledonia
    Ocean & BiodiversityMarch 19, 2026

    Shark attack fatality reignites safety v environment debate in New Caledonia

    Excerpt from rnz.co.nz The latest shark attack related fatality in New Caledonia has reignited debate between environmental organisations and those who place public human safety first. On Sunday, a 55-year-old surfer was found dead near the popular beach of Anse-Vata, with a post mortem revealing deep wounds on the body, especially on the arm and leg, the result of a likely shark attack. The same area was also the scene of a spate of three similar shark attacks early 2023, causing the death of a 59-year-old Australian tourist. In the wake of the latest tragedy, local authorities (Southern province and Nouméa municipality) are now re-launching a culling campaign targeting the same species as in 2023 - when 127 tiger and bull sharks were killed between January and August 2023 The announcement came via a joint statement on Monday for an immediate resumption of the culling. "In view of the gravity of the situation, the Southern Province (where Nouméa is located) and the Town of Nouméa have jointly decided to take their responsibility and to re-launch a targeted campaign of tiger and bull sharks", they said in a joint statement. It said the move was motivated by the need to "protect human lives". Swimming in certain areas is also prohibited until 4 March. However, just like in 2003, a fresh legal battle looms.

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    Regional Workshop Strengthens Caribbean Capacity on Genetic Resources
    Ocean & BiodiversityMarch 18, 2026

    Regional Workshop Strengthens Caribbean Capacity on Genetic Resources

    Source: thevoiceslu.com (excerpt and photo) Regional policymakers, scientists, and biodiversity experts gathered from March 3-5, 2026, at The University of the West Indies (UWI), St. Augustine Campus in Trinidad and Tobago, for a three-day Capacity-Building Workshop on Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS) aimed at strengthening the Caribbean’s ability to manage genetic resources – which are all living organisms and their parts – and ensure equitable sharing of benefits derived from their use. The workshop brought together National Focal Points for the Nagoya Protocol, policymakers, researchers, and regional organisations from across the Caribbean. The event was organised through a collaboration between the BlueRemediomics Consortium, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States Commission (OECS), and the German international cooperation agency (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH) under the new CARICOM/GIZ regional biodiversity project (CARIBIO).

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    Caribbean islands seek $200 million for regional biodiversity push
    Ocean & BiodiversityMarch 18, 2026

    Caribbean islands seek $200 million for regional biodiversity push

    Excerpt from reuters.com A group of ​Caribbean countries plan to raise $200 million for a joint bid to boost biodiversity, in a ‌push for more influence on internationally financed environment projects to maximise their impact, Grenada's climate ambassador has told Reuters. The 30X30 initiative by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and its 12 members is part of a broader global drive ​towards targets, agreed in 2022, that include protecting 30% of the world's land and sea ​by 2030.

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    Grenada Advances National Biodiversity Targets and Financing Solutions Under Global Biodiversity Framework
    Ocean & BiodiversityMarch 18, 2026

    Grenada Advances National Biodiversity Targets and Financing Solutions Under Global Biodiversity Framework

    Photo Credit and Excerpt from undp.org ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada – The Environment Division, Ministry of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), recently convened a one-day national workshop to review Grenada’s draft national biodiversity targets and to explore means of implementation including financing pathways for implementing the country’s commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The workshop, held on 25 February 2026 at the Radisson Grenada Beach Resort, brought together representatives from government ministries, civil society, statutory bodies, the private sector, and community organizations from Carriacou in the north to St George’s. The workshop participants together reviewed and strengthened the draft national targets and considered sustainable financing options to support timely implementation. The workshop is part of the GEF-funded Early Action Support (EAS) Project, implemented by UNDP under the Biodiversity Umbrella Programme for Grenada. The EAS project supports Grenada in setting national biodiversity targets, updating Grenada’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) and assessing policy and financing options necessary for effective implementation. A central theme emerging from the workshop discussions was the importance of national ownership and multi-stakeholder collaboration in meeting the country’s biodiversity commitments. Participants emphasized that enacting and enforcing legislation as well as implementing conservation and awareness programs are key in achieving these targets and creating measurable progress by 2030.

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    Azores dodges proposal to overturn no-fishing zones in its giant new MPA network
    Ocean & BiodiversityMarch 2, 2026

    Azores dodges proposal to overturn no-fishing zones in its giant new MPA network

    Excerpt from news.mongabay.com SÃO MATEUS, Portugal — Winter forced Emanuel Alves to remove his boat from the water at the port of São Mateus in the Azores, the Portuguese archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean. The 64-year-old fisher expressed concern about the giant network of marine protected areas that permeates the archipelago. “Where are we going to fish now?” he asked. The law establishing the Azores Marine Protected Areas Network was approved in October 2024 and took effect just recently, on Jan. 1 this year. The network now safeguards 30% of Azorean waters, 287,000 square kilometers (110,800 square miles) of seascape sheltering a rich array of marine life. Not two weeks later, on Jan. 15, the Azores Parliament voted to uphold a core provision of the MPA network, after it came under fire in recent months: No fishing inside the fully protected areas, which constitute half the vast network.

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    Massive win for moana as Taranaki seabed mining application rejected
    Ocean & BiodiversityMarch 2, 2026

    Massive win for moana as Taranaki seabed mining application rejected

    Excerpt from greenpeace.org Greenpeace along with iwi and environmental groups are calling the decision to reject Trans Tasman Resources proposal to mine the Taranaki seafloor “a massive win for people power and the ocean”. In a draft decision, released today, the Fast Track expert panel declined the Australian company’s application to mine the seabed in the South Taranaki Bight. The panel declined consent for the project, finding it would likely cause material harm to marine ecosystems, threatened species like pygmy blue whales and penguins, and concluded it could not be safely managed, even with conditions attached. Greenpeace Aotearoa seabed mining spokesperson Juressa Lee says: “This is the outcome we have been fighting for over 12 years. It shows exactly what happens when communities, iwi, experts and ocean protectors stand together.

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