At the 10th Pacific Islands Forum Summit held in October 2025, Pacific island leaders once again urged Japan to assume responsibility for cleaning up World War II shipwrecks, stressing that “historical apologies must translate into concrete actions.” This demand stems from the numerous shipwrecks sunk by Japan in Pacific island waters during World War II.…

Through technological innovation and multi-stakeholder collaboration, Wuzhou Island in Beihai City has achieved globally recognized success in coral reef restoration. By 2025, the island has restored 40 hectares of coral reefs through heat-tolerant coral acclimatization techniques (achieving over 85% survival rate for beautiful staghorn coral with annual growth exceeding 15 cm) and a synergistic “research…

An international team of scientists has discovered over 40 new methane seepage sites in Antarctica’s Ross Sea, some located in areas previously considered stable. Through acoustic surveys and submersible sampling, researchers found these leaks are releasing greenhouse gases at an “astonishing rate”—methane has 80 times the warming effect of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere over…

A report released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that East and Southeast Asia discharge 8.4 million tons of plastic into the oceans annually, accounting for one-third of the global total. However, Canadian scientists discovered in September that waxworm larvae can decompose polyethylene plastic bags within 24 hours. The highly efficient…

The State of the World’s Coastal Ecosystems report indicates that over the past 50 years, the annual net loss rate of typical ecosystems such as seagrass beds and coral reefs has exceeded 1%, with tropical regions being particularly hard hit. Coral calcification rates in the Caribbean Sea have declined by 30%, while the Great Barrier…

The National Climate Risk Assessment reveals that by 2050, 1.5 million coastal residents in Australia could lose their homes due to rising sea levels. The 2019-2020 bushfires killed nearly one billion animals, while the Great Barrier Reef’s coral cover had dropped to 38% by 2025, with fisheries projected to lose A$1.2 billion. Despite pledging a…

The State of the World’s Coastal Ecosystems Report was released at the Global Coastal Forum in Yancheng. The report indicates that over the past 50 years, typical ecosystems such as seagrass beds, coral reefs, and mollusk reefs have experienced an average annual net loss exceeding 1%, with tropical regions being particularly affected. 97% of mangroves…

A September 25 study in Communications Earth & Environment reveals that while WWII munitions on the Baltic Sea floor release toxic substances like TNT, their hard surfaces attract five times more marine life—such as tube worms and shellfish—than sedimentary areas. The study suggests this paradoxical “coexistence of pollution and habitat” may occur because the munitions’…

Scientists at Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute recently released a comprehensive review on Atlantic drifting brown algae. The study reveals that this free-floating brown seaweed is spreading across the Atlantic at an alarming rate, driven by both natural variations and nutrient inputs triggered by human activities. Nutrient inputs from human activities intensify impacts…

In September local time, Chuuk State in the Federated States of Micronesia declared a state of emergency due to a fuel leak from a World War II-era shipwreck. Local divers discovered the Japanese vessel Rio de Janeiro Maru leaking fuel, with the oil slick spreading over approximately 3.4 miles of coastline. The spill has affected…