Microplastic pollution in oceans is far worse than feared, say scientists

The number of tiny plastic pieces polluting the world’s oceans is vastly greater than thought, new research indicates.

Plastic pollution is known to harm marine life and can
enter the human food chain via our food and water.

The work reveals the highest microplastic pollution yet discovered anywhere in the world in a river near Manchester in the UK. It also shows that the major floods in the area in 2015-16 flushed more than 40bn pieces of microplastic into the sea.

The surge of such a vast amount of microplastic from one small river catchment in a single event led the scientists to conclude that the current estimate for the number of particles in the ocean – five trillion – is a major underestimate.

Read Damian Carrington’s story from The Guardian - “Microplastic pollution in oceans is far worse than feared, say scientists.”

Josh Frydenberg to come under pressure over renewable energy at ministers' meeting

The Turnbull government has come under pressure at Friday's energy ministers' meeting to modify its energy plan to give greater support for renewable energy and extend its effects beyond 2030.

Minister for Environment and Energy Josh Frydenberg
 and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull as they unveiled
the National Energy Guarantee in October.

Shane Rattenbury, the ACT energy minister, sought support from other states to have a vote on key policy principles for the National Energy Guarantee during the COAG gathering in Hobart.

Fairfax Media understands two amendments put forward by Mr Rattenbury and his South Australian counterpart, Tom Koutsantonis, fell one vote short of a majority needed.

The mood inside the meeting was described as "fraught".

Read Peter Hannam’s story in today’s Melbourne Age - “Josh Frydenberg to come under pressure over renewable energy at ministers' meeting.”

Climate change increasing the intensity and impact of extreme weather, BOM tells emergency managers

Cyclones are expected to be less likely in the future due to climate change, though the intensity and impact of extreme weather will be greater, according to a senior climatologist with the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).

Climatologists are warning the intensity
and impact of extreme weather will worsen.

Dr Blair Trewin has told an Australian emergency management conference in Sydney that tropical cyclones are holding more moisture and dumping more rainfall.

He said Hurricane Harvey produced record rainfall because it parked for four days over Texas in the United States.

Dr Trewin said storm surges would also become worse as a result of sea levels that were rising at 3.4 millimetres per year.

He said extreme heat events were already occurring with greater frequency and intensity, which he said were both indicators of a changing climate.

Read the ABC News story - “Climate change increasing the intensity and impact of extreme weather, BOM tells emergency managers.”

New study reveals plastic pollution in the Antarctic is 5x worse than expected

Microplastic levels in the Antarctic are five times greater than anticipated, according to the international team. 

Plastic in the Antarctic is five
times worse than anticipated.

Microplastics are those tiny particles less than five millimeters in diameter found in personal care items like toothpaste and shampoo, but they can also come from clothing fibers or be created as larger pieces of plastic in the ocean break down.

The researchers found the plastic around the Antarctic continent and in the Southern Ocean, which is around 8.5 million square miles large. They think plastic originating outside the area may be coming in over the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, which scientists in the past considered nearly impassible.

Read the Inhabitat story by Lucy Cooke - “New study reveals plastic pollution in the Antarctic is 5x worse than expected.”