Latest news with #coastline
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Warning issued as 'monster jellyfish' spotted on Merseyside beach
A "monster jellyfish" was spotted on the Merseyside coastline this week, with the local council offering advice to people visiting the beach as the hot weather continues. With temperatures rising across the region as we officially head into summer, it is common for jellyfish to appear in waters around Merseyside, including Sefton which is home to some of Merseyside's nicest beaches. But one beachgoer told the ECHO how they spotted what they described as a "monster jellyfish" on Crosby Beach. They said: "You couldn't move for jellyfish yesterday. Every 50 metres, there was another one. READ MORE: Mum and daughter, eight, found dead at home READ MORE: Met Office confirm thunderstorms to hit UK in 13-hour warning "Most were fairly small in size, but one was monstrous, it was quite shocking to see. Some of them were on the beach, and others were floating on the swash. I'd hate for anyone to get stung while swimming or walking." A council spokesperson told the ECHO it advises people to avoid touching jellyfish that appear on the shore and to keep dogs under close control. A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: 'It is common for jellyfish of varying sizes to be spotted along our coastline during the warmer months. "There are a variety of jellyfish that live in our seas and while some may be harmless, some can give a painful sting. 'While we can't know for sure the type of the jellyfish from looking at the photograph, most jellyfish found in the UK do not cause serious harm. 'However, we advise people avoid touching them and keep dogs under close control while enjoying our natural coastline.' For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Join the Liverpool ECHO Breaking News and Top Stories WhatsApp community to receive the latest news straight to your phone by clicking here. Don't miss the biggest and breaking stories by signing up to the Echo Daily newsletter here Try the Liverpool Echo Premium app and get the first month free
Associated Press
a day ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Woolpert Named to $250M NOAA Contract Supporting National Shoreline Mapping Efforts
The firm will provide a range of geospatial services to support nautical charts, maritime navigation, coastal resource management, and the definition of territorial boundaries. DAYTON, Ohio, June 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Woolpert has been selected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to provide shoreline mapping services under a $250 million, multiple-award, indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract supporting the National Geodetic Survey and its Coastal Mapping Program. Surveying approximately 95,000 miles of United States coastline, the Coastal Mapping Program's mission is to produce a seamless, digital database of accurate and consistent national shoreline data to be used for nautical charting, maritime navigation, coastal resource management, and defining territorial boundaries. Under this contract, Woolpert will deliver a range of geospatial services, including: 'The work being done under this contract is critical to ensuring the accuracy of U.S. shoreline data, which supports everything from safe navigation to disaster response,' Woolpert Government Solutions Market Director Jeff Lovin said. 'We're proud to continue our longstanding partnership with NOAA and the National Geodetic Survey and contribute to this vital work that safeguards coastal communities and supports national resilience.' The contract is underway. About Woolpert Woolpert is the premier architecture, engineering, and geospatial (AEG) firm with a vision to become one of the best companies in the world. We innovate within and across markets to effectively serve public, private, and government clients worldwide. Woolpert is a Global Top 100 Geospatial Company, a Top 50 ENR Global Design firm, and has earned eight Great Place to Work certifications. Founded in 1911 in Dayton, Ohio, Woolpert has been America's fastest-growing AEG firm since 2015. Woolpert has nearly 3,000 employees and more than 75 offices on five continents. For more, visit Media Contact Lynn Rossi 312-837-2017 View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Woolpert
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Highly microplastic-polluted US coastal waters linked to serious health risks, study finds
Sign up for CNN's Life, But Greener newsletter. Our limited newsletter series guides you on how to minimize your personal role in the climate crisis — and reduce your eco-anxiety. Living near heavily microplastic-polluted waters along the United States coastline may significantly raise the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, stroke and coronary artery disease, a condition in which plaque blocks the blood vessels feeding the heart, a new study found. 'This is one of the first large-scale studies to suggest that living near waters heavily polluted with microplastics may be linked to chronic health conditions,' said senior author Dr. Sarju Ganatra, medical director of sustainability and vice chair of research in the department of medicine at Lahey Hospital & Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts. 'While this study measured pollution in ocean water, pollution isn't limited to the sea. Microplastics are everywhere: in drinking water, in the food we eat, especially seafood, and even in the air we breathe,' Ganatra said in a statement. The study, however, makes sweeping associations between ocean data spanning 200 nautical miles, overlooks many variables and cannot establish causation to individual health outcomes, said Kimberly Wise White, vice president of regulatory and scientific affairs at the American Chemistry Council, an industry association. 'Understanding microplastics is a complex global challenge and we are focused on solutions that stop plastic from becoming a source of pollution in the first place—scaling up recycling, supporting improved waste collection, and designing products that are easier to recycle and less likely to become sources of microplastics,' White said in an email. 'Through targeted investments and cross-sector collaboration, we're working to deliver solutions that mitigate pollution while preserving the essential benefits of plastics.' Microplastics are polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inch (5 millimeters) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer). Anything smaller is a nanoplastic that must be measured in billionths of a meter. Such minuscule particles can invade individual cells and tissues in major organs, experts say, potentially interrupting cellular processes and depositing endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as bisphenols, phthalates, flame retardants, perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS, and heavy metals. 'The chemicals can be carried to your liver and your kidney and your brain and even make their way across the placental boundary and end up in an unborn child,' Sherri 'Sam' Mason, director of sustainability at Penn State Behrend in Erie, Pennsylvania, told CNN in an earlier interview. A flurry of recent studies have discovered microplastics and nanoplastics in human brain tissue, the testes and the penis, human blood, lung and liver tissues, urine and feces, mother's milk, and the placenta. In the first analysis to illustrate harm to human health, a March study found people with microplastics or nanoplastics in their carotid artery tissues were twice as likely to have a heart attack, stroke or die from any cause over the next three years than people who had none. Coastal waters were considered heavily polluted if every 'bathtub' of ocean water contained 10 or more plastic particles, according to the study published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association. Measurements of microplastic concentrations were taken by the National Centers for Environmental Information between 2015 and 2020 for the ocean waters within 200 nautical miles of 152 coastal counties along the Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Researchers then compared disease prevalence in those counties with whether residents lived near low or very high concentrations of microplastics. That data was then adjusted for other contributing risk factors such as age, sex, race, ethnicity, access to physicians and socioeconomic status. Compared with people who lived near waters with low levels of pollution — defined as seeing maybe 'one tiny plastic speck in 200 bathtubs of ocean water' — people who lived near highly polluted waters had an 18% higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes, a 9% higher risk of stroke and a 7% higher risk of coronary artery disease, the study found. However, the study cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship between nearby ocean microplastic levels that were only measured in water and the development of cardiometabolic diseases, Ganatra said. 'We also didn't measure plastic levels in residents of these counties, and we don't yet know the exact ways these particles may harm the body. So, while the findings are compelling, they should be a call for more in-depth research, not for making definitive conclusions,' Ganatra added. The study has additional limitations, including lack of information on the chemicals microplastics contain, said Ria Devereux, an environmental research fellow for the Sustainability Research Institute of the University of East London via email. Chemicals commonly used in plastic production have been found to pose health risks, including skin irritation, respiratory diseases, hormonal disruptions and certain cancers. 'The adverse effects of chemicals used in plastic production are particularly pronounced in the Gulf of Mexico, an area often referred to as 'Cancer Alley,'' said Devereux, who was not involved in the new research. 'This region experiences a higher-than-average incidence of cancer, diabetes, and respiratory diseases, which are concentrated in particular areas. 'The reason behind this is the concentration of petrochemical, petroleum and production plants involved in plastic production and an increase in the presence of chemicals used within the plastic production such as BPA and Phthalates,' she added. Phthalates, which are found in consumer products such as food storage containers, shampoo, makeup, perfume and children's toys, may have contributed to more than 13% of all global mortality from heart disease in 2018 among men and women ages 55 through 64, according to an April study. 'Phthalates contribute to inflammation and systemic inflammation in the coronary arteries, which can accelerate existing disease and lead to acute events including mortality,' Dr. Leonardo Trasande, Jim G. Hendrick, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics and professor of population health at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, told CNN in a prior interview. The chemical compound bisphenol A, or BPA, is an endocrine disruptor, affecting the hormones in the body, and fetuses and babies are especially vulnerable. The chemical compound has been linked to fetal abnormalities, low birth weight, and brain and behavior disorders in infants and children, as well as diabetes, heart disease, cancer and obesity in adults. One study even found erectile dysfunction in workers exposed to BPA. While it's not yet possible to clean microplastics from the ocean, there are steps one can take to reduce exposure to chemicals from plastics. 'One is to reduce our plastic footprint by using stainless steel and glass containers, when possible,' Trasande previously told CNN. 'Avoid microwaving food or beverages in plastic, including infant formula and pumped human milk, and don't put plastic in the dishwasher, because the heat can cause chemicals to leach out,' he said. In addition, check the recycling code on the bottom of packaging to find the plastic type, and avoid plastics with recycling code 3, which typically contain phthalates, Trasande said. Cut down on the use of disposable plastics and bring reusable bags to the grocery store, suggests the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group. Invest in a zippered fabric bag and ask the dry cleaner to return your clothes in that instead of those thin sheets of plastic. Bring a travel mug to the local coffee store for takeout and silverware to the office, cutting back on plastic cups and utensils.
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%2FTAL-lead-image-CHEAPFLVACAY0524-311515ac5f2b48308beafa3d35adbd87.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
Travel + Leisure
3 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
I've Lived in Florida for 35 Years—These Are My Favorite Affordable Beach Vacations in the Sunshine State
With a warm climate year-round and 1,350 miles of coastline, Florida has lots of places to enjoy a beach vacation. There are deep shipwrecks, big waves, and surf culture on the Atlantic side, and sugar-white sand and eco paradises filled with mangroves and wildlife on the west side. There are quiet spots where you can relax with a book and buzzy stretches where beach volleyball and Jet Skis fuel the vibe. I came here for college, and 35 years later, I still call the Sunshine State home. Florida has grown in popularity, but some beach enclaves remain affordable. Here are some of my favorite beach destinations in Florida when you want to maximize fun in the sun while staying on a budget. Lifeguard stand in front of a beach front building.I landed in Panama City Beach (PCB) a little more than 17 years ago and always count myself lucky to call this place home. With 300-plus days of sunshine each year, it's known to have some of the world's most beautiful beaches, including some affordable spots. And thanks to 100 beach access points, it's easy to spend a day paddleboarding the gentle waves or building sandcastles. Shell Island, the seven-mile barrier island just off St. Andrews State Park on the east end of PCB, provides a private oasis where you can collect moon snails, periwinkles, and olive shells—all native to the area. My family scuba dives and we spend our time underwater exploring the coral-encrusted shipwrecks, Goliath grouper, large sea turtles, and schools of angelfish. If you prefer to stay on land, inexpensive mini-golf courses dot the beach. Locals like me know to beeline for the food trailer, Finns Island Style Grub, which serves excellent fish tacos. Visitors exploring St. Augustine. Valerie de Leon/Travel + Leisure Once you've had your fill of affordable attractions like taking the free ferry to Rattlesnake Island–home to Fort Matanzas, a fortified watchtower built by the Spanish in 1740—head to the 42 miles of Atlantic Ocean-facing beaches. St. Johns County Ocean Pier has a beachfront park with bocce ball courts, a playground, and a children's splash zone. I love to spend the day relaxing on St. Augustine Beach before heading to Boat Drinks bar for arguably the best piña colada in the state. And that's saying a lot—last summer, I traveled the state top to bottom, trying cocktails and meeting bartenders while writing a book called, "Florida Cocktails." Sandy walkway on St. George Island. kellyvandellen/Getty Images On the Forgotten Coast of Florida, life moves a little slower. There's shelling, bird-watching, lighthouses worth exploring, and some of the best beach stargazing at Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park. It's common to catch sea turtles nesting at dawn on the 22 miles of serene beach in early summer. Relatively untouched for the 30 years I've been coming here, it often ranks among the top beaches in the U.S. An ordinance restricting buildings above three stories has kept the high-rises and big brands at bay. When you get hungry, Paddy's Raw Bar has a bushel of oyster preparations and a tasty shrimp salad sandwich with just the right amount of mayo and dill. Stop by Aunt Ebby's Ice Cream after a day on the sand; I've been taking my kids there since they were babies. A red lifeguard stand on a Jacksonville beach. Jackson Vance/Travel + Leisure Jacksonville has 22 miles of public, pet-friendly beaches dotted with surf shops, boutiques, restaurants serving Mayport shrimp, and magical spots like Boneyard Beach. Known for having some of the biggest waves on the East Coast, it's also a surfer's paradise. Visitors and locals alike can take lessons with Saltwater Cowgirls, a crew of women instructors. Just don't leave without tasting some Mayport shrimp—Jacksonville's beaches have several stops on the Mayport Shrimp Trail, or you can swing by one of the many fish camps for fresh, local seafood. Travel writer Carrie McLaren, born and raised here, loves TacoLu on Beach Boulevard. She says, 'My family stops here for tacos, margaritas, and the street corn after a day at the beach.' Sign for Flagler Avenue in New Smyrna. Valerie de Leon/Travel + Leisure A little over an hour from Orlando's theme parks and 30 minutes from Daytona's high-octane activities, New Smyrna Beach offers small-town vibes with long swaths of coastline, swooping Florida shorebirds, history museums, and families on beach cruisers pedaling the sand. With 17 miles of sandy beaches and North America's most diverse estuary, the Indian River Lagoon, there are plenty of budget-conscious activities for visitors. Book an inexpensive two-hour pontoon boat tour up the Indian River Lagoon. Guided by a conservationist from the Marine Discovery Center, you'll have a chance to spot the elusive manatee, leaping mullet, and pink-hued roseate spoonbill. You can also go fishing, and drop off your catch at JB's Fish Camp, where they'll cook it to order for just $15 and serve it alongside fries and coleslaw. Coastline of Stuart, of Palm Beach County, Stuart proves a South Florida escape can be done on a budget. A county-wide four-story building height restriction means no towering structures spoil the 22-plus miles of uncrowded beaches. Speaking of beaches, they're all public, with free parking and rolling beach wheelchairs for visitors with mobility needs. Beyond the sand, more than 115,000 acres of sprawling parks and conservation land offer lots of exploration opportunities, including free guided eco tours, like sea turtle beach walks, kayak trips, birding excursions, and more. Coral Reef Park on Key Largo. lucky-photographer/Getty Images For many, a Florida Keys vacation ends in Key West, but that's not necessarily the most affordable option in the archipelago. Just a couple hours north sits Key Largo, the largest of the Florida Keys and home to several beaches. It's a more budget-friendly option, plus it has the nation's first underwater park, John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, where admission starts at $4.50. Soak up the sun on Far Beach, or swim to remnants of an early Spanish shipwreck 100 feet offshore at Cannon Beach. For travelers looking for affordable dining, Mrs. Mac's Kitchen, the longest-running restaurant in Key Largo, has fueled many of my personal dive trips. Sunset over Hollywood Beach. felixmizioznikov/Getty Images Located between Fort Lauderdale and Miami, Hollywood offers a budget beach vacation tamer than its siblings to the north and south. Everything is within walking distance, and I never leave without a stop at Le Tub for one of their toasted coconut piña coladas. There's something about a boardwalk, or Broadwalk in this case, that makes a beach particularly attractive. The 2.5-mile pedestrian lane here is paved with bricks rather than wood, hence it's name, Broadwalk. Take in the dramatic ocean vistas plus outdoor cafes, farmers markets, juice bars, and ice cream shops while walking or roller skating (my preferred mode of transportation) the path. Two parks offer a little respite from the summer heat—paddleball is popular at the historic Garfield Street courts, and the children's water playground at Charnow Park has a whimsical dolphin fountain for kids of all ages (like me) to play in. A sandcastle in Pensacola, Florida. Pensacola Beach is home to one of the longest stretches of federally protected seashore in the U.S., Gulf Islands National Seashore. With 40 miles of soft, white-sand beaches and emerald waters, an ideal afternoon here might include swimming, snorkeling, and sandcastle building. If you visit on a Tuesday between April and October, talented local musicians provide the soundtrack to your beach getaway. Pensacola is also home to the first stop on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, so don't forget to pack your binoculars. Pensacola also includes Perdido Key, home of the Flora-Bama Yacht Club—one of my favorite places to spend a lazy afternoon at the beach. From the Jimmy Buffett and Kenny Chesney lyrics painted on the walls to the memorabilia left by musicians passing through to the unobstructed view of the sand and sea, it's a must for anyone traveling to Florida. Order one of their legendary Bushwackers and sink into island life. Bird's eye view of Manasota Key. This barrier island, between Tampa and Fort Myers, may just be the least talked about slice of paradise in the Sunshine State. Go for the beaches filled with shark teeth ripe for collecting, but stay for the Hermitage Artist Retreat, a multidisciplinary collective offering free and low-cost public events. The island is also home to nature preserves, like Lemon Bay Aquatic Preserve, which has diverse ecosystems for hiking, bird-watching, and exploring mangroves. There's parasailing, tarpon fishing, dolphin tours, and more to enjoyed. And if you find a green sea grape leaf while exploring, add a stamp and mail it as if it were a postcard for the destination—it's a little-known, time-honored tradition on Manasota Key.
Japan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Scaling investment for Africa's sustainable 'blue economy'
Despite carrying 80% of the world's trade, absorbing 30% of its carbon-dioxide emissions and providing food security for almost 3 billion people, the global "blue economy" (oceans and waterways) is suffering from acute underinvestment, and nowhere more so than in Africa. In the face of heightened economic volatility and tightening financial constraints, the transition to a more sustainable blue economy represents a major, largely underappreciated opportunity for the continent. This is not just some abstract idea. Given investors' appetite for sustainable, scalable returns, the opportunity is hiding in plain sight, and governments are waking up to it. Spanning more than 30,000 kilometers of coastline, Africa's blue economy does $300 billion worth of business each year and it is uniquely positioned to benefit from the broader shift to more sustainable models. The African Union projects that the blue economy will increase to $405 billion in 2030, and to as much as $576 billion by 2063. As these sectors expand, employment levels could increase from 49 million jobs in 2019 to 78 million by 2063. Highlighting the sectors with the most potential helps to put these numbers into context. Consider food, where the development of sustainable aquaculture and fishing practices could help meet the growing demand for protein in Africa and beyond. Our calculations suggest that sustainable aquaculture-based fish production could grow eightfold in Africa, reaching approximately 19 million metric tons per year by 2050. The energy sector is similarly promising. According to research from the World Bank, South Africa could reach 900 gigawatts of offshore wind capacity and it is not unique. All told, offshore wind alone could boost Africa's electricity generation forty-fivefold. The sustainable blue economy also has an important role to play in climate adaptation. With sea levels around much of Africa's coastline rising faster than the global level average, marine restoration and conservation can build natural resilience while also delivering benefits to food systems, biodiversity and other sectors such as tourism. But to make the blue economy truly sustainable, Africa and the Middle East will need approximately $70 billion in annual investment from now to 2030. To reach that target, governments should leverage innovative financial mechanisms to bring more capital into the blue economy and advance sustainable, scalable projects. Fortunately, demand for such solutions is growing and over 80% of African countries have already embedded the blue economy into their national development plans or climate strategies. Decision-makers across many markets are beginning to treat the ocean as a strategic asset that needs to be protected and sustainably managed. But while solutions like blue debt instruments hold much potential, many issuers have yet to capitalize on the opportunity presented by the sustainable debt market. Greater use of blue bonds, sustainability-linked loans,and social bonds could channel capital where it is needed most. Similarly, debt conversions for nature — often referred to as 'debt-for-climate swaps,' whereby financing or debt relief is explicitly earmarked for sustainable projects — represent attractive options for sovereign issuers, depending on their financial characteristics. Such transactions can reduce debt-service payments and free up capital to support a country's sustainability goals. For example, last year, Standard Chartered (where I am Chief Sustainability Officer) partnered with the government of the Bahamas, The Nature Conservancy and the Inter-American Development Bank to launch an innovative debt conversion for nature and climate. The project is expected to generate $124 million for marine conservation, demonstrating that this asset class is developing quickly — and with significant potential for scaling. Moreover, efforts to develop sustainable blue economy strategies and practices are increasingly supported by regulatory reforms, marine spatial planning programs and regional cooperation models like the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Great Blue Wall Initiative. These are laying the foundation for a wave of investible projects supported by real assets, local ownership and measurable returns. The momentum will keep building this year. In June, the Blue Economy and Finance Forum and the U.N. Ocean Conference offer opportunities to bring bankable projects to global investors and accelerate the African sustainable blue economy's growth. The risks — ranging from regulatory bottlenecks to insufficient capacity to develop projects — are manageable with the right partnerships. Making Africa's blue economy sustainable is no longer an untested idea. Our own latest research, Harnessing Africa's Blue Economy, shows this is a growing investible market — one that banks, asset managers and governments cannot afford to ignore. Marisa Drew is chief sustainability officer at Standard Chartered. © Project Syndicate, 2025
