Deep Dives
Thought-provoking research providing extensive learning opportunities
The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ Plastics & Pollution
“Breaking the Plastic Wave: A Comprehensive Assessment of Pathways Towards Stopping Ocean Plastic Pollution” presents a first-of-its-kind model of the global plastics system. It is an evidence-based roadmap that describes how to radically reduce ocean plastic pollution by 2040 and that shows there is a comprehensive, integrated, and economically attractive pathway to greatly reduce plastic waste entering our ocean.
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Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission/ UNESCO
On 5 December 2017, the United Nations declared that a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development would be held from 2021 to 2030. The Ocean Decade provides a common framework to ensure that ocean science can fully support countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Ocean Decade provides a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to create a new foundation across the science-policy interface to strengthen the management of our oceans and coasts for the benefit of humanity.
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Northrop, E. et al., High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy / World Resources Institute
This new Ocean Panel-commissioned report, ‘A Sustainable & Equitable Blue Recovery to the COVID-19 Crisis’, offers a timely and practical roadmap featuring five priority blue stimulus opportunities that are ripe for immediate investment of stimulus funding.
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The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Energy Solutions
This report aims to deliver holistic insights into ocean energy and its potential, outlining the steps necessary to reach commercialisation of these innovative power generating technologies.
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Rebecca R. Hernandez, et al., Frontiers in Sustainability Energy Solutions
In this study, we use an innovation systems approach to construct a comprehensive roadmap for solar and wind energy to anticipate and improve impacts of a transition to a low carbon future in a manner ensuring climate goals and SDGs are mutually reinforcing.
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Miri Trainic, et al., Nature Plastics & Pollution
The ubiquity of AMP from terrestrial sources, and the ubiquity of MP in the world’s oceans raise the question whether AMP are present in the remote marine atmosphere. We searched for marine AMP during the Tara Pacific expedition, a 2.5 year research project that investigates coral reefs and plankton communities.
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Nikiema, J. et al., UNEP Plastics & Pollution
With a focus on wastewater, the publication presents a range of solutions to reduce plastic and microplastic pollution from the source to the sea. It also encourages policymakers and practitioners to set priorities and select those that are more cost-effective and suitable for their local context. Finally, it stresses the importance of having technical solutions in addition to appropriate legislation, economic instruments, education, and awareness that force real change on the ground.
Read more → (9 minute read)
IWMI and CGIAR, UN Environment Programme Plastics & Pollution
From source to sea, our waters are contaminated by a plastics scourge. A new study by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) offers a number of technological solutions aimed at tackling one of the world’s most pressing issues.
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Thoman, R.L. et al., NOAA Arctic Program
The Arctic Report Card (ARC) provides an annual update on the state of the Arctic's climate and environment as well as highlights of Arctic science news of the past year. ARC2020 features 16 essays, 11 of which provide updates on a wide range of Arctic science topics, from the past year's air temperatures and sea ice conditions to the latest in bowhead whale research.
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Oceana Plastics & Pollution
How Amazon is flooding our communities, environment, and oceans with hundreds of millions of pounds of plastic packaging and how they can stop.
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Office for Coastal Management, NOAA Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism
These reports examine the critically important economic contributions of the oceans and Great Lakes to the marine economy of the United States.
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Emily Elhacham et al., Nature Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism
Here we quantify the human-made mass, referred to as ‘anthropogenic mass’, and compare it to the overall living biomass on Earth, which currently equals approximately 1.1 teratonnes.
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Maya Al-Sid-Cheikh et al., Nature: Communications Material Plastics & Pollution
Available analytical methods cannot detect nanoplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations in complex matrices such as biological tissues. Here, we describe a one-step polymerization method, allowing direct radiolabeling of a sulfonate end-capped nano-sized polystyrene (nPS; proposed as a model nanoplastic particle representing negatively charged nanoplastics).
Read more → (22 minute read)
Lauren Roman, et al., The Society for Conservation Biology Plastics & Pollution
Pollution by plastic and other debris is a problem affecting the world's oceans and is increasing through time. The problem is so large that prioritizing solutions to effect meaningful change may seem overwhelming to the public and policy makers.
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Philip J. Landrigan et al., Annals of Global Health Plastics & Pollution
The purpose of this review is to examine the impacts of ocean pollution on human health and well-being, identify gaps in knowledge, project future trends, and offer scientifically based guidance for effective interventions.
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Emily M. Duncan et al., Plos One Plastics & Pollution
Here we undertook a proof of concept study by applying open source tracking technology (both GPS (Global Positing System) cellular networks and satellite technology), which have been successfully used in many animal movement studies, to track the movements of individual plastic litter items (500 ml PET (polyethylene terephthalate) drinks bottles) through the Ganges River system (known as the Ganga in India and the Padma and Meghna in Bangladesh, hereafter known as the Ganges) and the Bay of Bengal.
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Multiple Authors, Break Free From Plastic Plastics & Pollution
BRANDED Volume III: Demanding Corporate Accountability for Plastic Pollution” is out, revealing the Top 10 Corporate Plastic Polluters of 2020.
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ISTJ Investor, Seeking Alpha Energy Solutions
In this article, we are going to focus primarily on the net-zero carbon grid issue; can and will hydrogen replace natural gas for the U.S. electric grid? We will also concentrate on the most likely scenario, the use of utility scale solar power to generate hydrogen by electrolysis.
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Martin R. Stuchtey et al., The Ocean Panel Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism
This report lays out the contours of a new relationship between the ocean and humanity. Building on the latest scientific research, analyses and debates from around the world, the report showcases a balanced model for ocean management that simultaneously achieves effective ocean protection, sustainable production and equitable prosperity.
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IOC-UNESCO / United Nations Global Compact Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports
Outlines the opportunities for the private sector to support the objectives of the Decade of Ocean Science (2021-2030). Developed in collaboration with the UN Global Compact and IOC-UNESCO to raise the awareness of the Decade among private sector partners and draw the private sector’s attention to the key role of ocean science in building the blue economy in a sustainable manner.
Read more → (20 minute read)
