5:
Those Plumes of Methane Leaking Off the Coast of Washington Are Really Bad News for the Oceans
Over the past five years, fishermen in the Pacific Northwest have found themselves increasingly impacted by climate change.
As the oceans absorb greater amounts of carbon dioxide from human-caused emissions, the waters off Washington and Oregon have become more acidic. That has forced some commercial fisheries to relocate to places like Hawaii or get out of the business entirely, since the acidic waters make it more difficult for mollusks, crabs, and corals to grow their shells.
And things are only likely to get worse.
Not only is climate change making the ocean more acidic, it’s warming the waters, causing sea levels to rise and even helping to unlock methane deposits that have been frozen on the seafloor, which in turn makes the oceans more acidic. And those plums of methane bubbling up through the water column could exacerbate global warming.
“It means global warming has come to our waters,” said Paul Johnson, a University of Washington professor of oceanography who has researched the methane plumes.
Johnson first heard about the plumes about a decade ago from fishermen who spotted them on their sonars. He immediately assumed the culprit to be methane.
Vice News
4:
Nicky Hager demands answers from bank
3:
Beijing summons US ambassador over warship in South China Sea
China has reportedly summoned the US ambassador after Washington launched a direct military challenge to Beijing’s territorial claims in the South China Sea with naval manoeuvres near two artificial islands.
State television reported that the Chinese vice-foreign minister, Zhang Yesui, had branded the move “extremely irresponsible” when meeting with the US ambassador to China, Max Baucus.
Chinese authorities said earlier they had monitored, followed and warned US warship USS Lassen as it “illegally” entered waters near the disputed reefs, and urged Washington to “immediately correct its mistake”.
The Guardian
2:
UK academics sever ties with Israeli universities
Hundreds of university professors in the United Kingdom say they will halt all cooperation with Israeli schools in an effort to draw attention to Israel’s violations of international law.
In a statement released on Tuesday, 343 UK academics announced that they would no longer accept invitations to visit Israeli academic institutions, act as referees in any of their processes, or participate in conferences funded or organised by them.
“We couldn’t have done this five years ago. The change in mood is palpable; many people have been critical of Israel and its policies privately, but until now, many have not thought they wanted to state this publicly,” London School of Economics professor Jonathan Rosenhead, who helped to organise the academic commitment, told Al Jazeera.
Aljazeera
1:
#BlockTheOffer – Auckland Council
Join us on Thursday 29 October outside the Auckland Town Hall on Queen Street at 9am to encourage Auckland councillors to vote against deep sea oil drilling off Auckland’s coast.
Last time, the council vote was split 50/50 and the casting vote sided with the oil drillers. We need you there with us to show the council that Aucklanders don’t want deep sea oil drilling.
Deep sea drilling risks a disastrous oil spills that could inundate West Coast beaches and harbours. If oil is found and burned, it will drive catastrophic climate change.
If the vote is tight again, Mayor Len Brown’s vote could be crucial. He wasn’t there last time but he will be this time.
Greenpeace
