Offshore Oil & Gas

 

For Military Preparedness, Florida’s Coast Is Too Important To Sacrifice To Offshore Drilling. According to Tampa Bay Times, “Floridians of all political stripes can agree we cannot let offshore drilling come any closer to Florida’s Coast and risk another devastating oil disaster. Even more present in our minds – we cannot let oil and gas drilling encroach upon the valuable military asset we have in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. As a retired Lieutenant General and Colonel in the U.S. Airforce, we have a collective 61 years of military service and deeply understand the importance these waters for both our national security and coastal way of life in Florida. … The eastern Gulf of Mexico has been developed over decades with investments and taxpayer dollars to become the military resource it is today. It would be a grave mistake to throw this all away to pursue offshore drilling. If military access to the Eastern Gulf Test and Training Range dwindles, Florida loses its standing as a prime location for the defense industry to set up bases and house installations. If our state no longer hosts 20 military bases, the defense industry is no longer a major player in Florida’s economy. In 2018, the total economic impact of defense spending in our state approached $95 billion and supported nearly 915,000 jobs.” [Tampa Bay Times, 7/14/20 (+)]

 

Marine Renewable Energy

 

Offshore Wind Surge Aids Renewables Despite COVID-19. According to Axios, “A big rise in offshore wind power deals pushed global investment in new renewable power capacity in the first half of 2020 above the same period last year, new data shows. Why it matters: It signals how the renewables sector as a whole has proven rather resilient to the pandemic, despite some declines in onshore wind and solar investment, BloombergNEF analysts said. An International Energy Agency analysis in May showed COVID-19 isn’t battering renewables as hard as oil-and-gas and other energy industries. However, it’s still taking a toll in the form of project slowdowns and layoffs. By the numbers: Final investment decisions for offshore wind projects totaled $35 billion in the first half of 2020, which is over 300% more than the same period in 2019. ‘The first half of this year saw investment decisions made on 28 sea-based wind farms, including the largest ever, the 1.5GW Vattenfall Hollandse Zuid array off the coast of the Netherlands, costing an estimated $3.9 billion,’ it states. The big picture: Overall investment in new renewable power capacity (excluding large dams) totaled $132.4 billion in the first half of 2020, which is up 5% from the same period last year. But onshore wind investment fell 21% and solar investment fell 12%. Don’t forget: The cost of renewables is declining, which means that each dollar invested brings more bang for the buck — so absolute investment levels do not tell the whole story.” [Axios, 7/14/20 (=)]

 

Offshore Wind Energy Investment Quadruples Despite Covid-19 Slump. According to The Guardian, “Global offshore wind investment more than quadrupled in the first half of the year even as the coronavirus pandemic triggered an unprecedented economic shock. A report has found that investors gave the greenlight to 28 new offshore windfarms worth a total of $35bn (£28bn) this year, four times more than in the first half of 2019 and well above the total for last year as a whole. The biggest half-year tally for offshore wind investment more than made up for a slowdown in investment for onshore wind and solar farm projects after the outbreak of Covid-19, according to the report by Bloomberg NEF (BNEF). Albert Cheung, BNEF’s head of analysis, said: ‘We expected to see Covid-19 affecting renewable energy investment in the first half, via delays in the financing process and to some auction programmes. There are signs of that in both solar and onshore wind, but the overall global figure has proved amazingly resilient – thanks to offshore wind.’ The sea-based windfarms include some of the biggest investments in offshore wind ever made. The Hollandse Kust Zuid array off the coast of the Netherlands will cost the Swedish energy giant Vattenfall $3.9bn, and SSE’s Seagreen project in Scotland’s Firth of Forth is valued at $3.8bn. … Renewable energy investment slipped by 30% in the US to $17.8bn while India and Brazil recorded investments which were about 50% and 25% lower respectively at $2.7bn and $2.5bn.” [The Guardian, 7/13/20 (+)]

 

Fisheries & Marine Life

 

North Atlantic Right Whales Now Red-Listed As Critically Endangered. According to Vineyard Gazette, “The North Atlantic right whale has officially been red-listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature — an ominous step for a species that has long teetered on the brink of extinction. The decision by the IUCN to red list the right whale means that it is now considered critically endangered, internationally codifying a label that has been used unofficially by scientists in North America for decades. The IUCN is a Geneva, Switzerland-based conservation organization that monitors threatened species. The right whale now joins a list of 32,000 species that are threatened with extinction according to the IUCN. The critically endangered label is the last step for a species before extinction, reserved for animals on the brink of disappearance. IUCN previously listed the right whale as endangered.’ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that there are about 400 right whales still in existence, and likely fewer than 100 breeding females. ‘The right whale has been heading downhill for 10 years now,’ said Justin Cooke, the IUCN Assessor for the right whale and an advisor to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, in a press release. ‘Although there has been some progress in reducing ship strikes, fatal entanglements in fishing gear have become more frequent. We’ll lose this species unless we can continue to reduce all vessel interactions with right whales and ensure that only whale-safe fishing gear is used.’” [Vineyard Gazette, 7/14/20 (=)]

 

Report: Chesapeake Bay Underwater Grasses Declined Last Year. According to Associated Press, “A new report says that underwater grasses in the Chesapeake Bay have declined by nearly 40 percent. The Chesapeake Bay Program released a report last week that said a factor in the decline could be attributed to more water flowing from rivers into the bay following record rainfalls. Underwater grasses are a key indicator of the bay’s health and help to protect wildlife such as crabs. The increase in fresh water can reduce clarity in the bay and block sunlight from reaching the underwater grasses. The report found that there were may have been as much as 108,000 acres of underwater grasses in 2018. But last year there was an estimated 66,000 acres. Brooke Landry, chair of the Chesapeake Bay Program’s Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Workgroup, said in a statement that underwater grasses have actually been building resilience since efforts have been put in place to reduce pollution from flowing into the bay. But she said ‘there’s still much more work to do in order to mitigate unpredictable impacts from climate change.’ The Chesapeake Bay Program is a regional partnership of various organizations that are focused on restoring the bay’s health.” [Associated Press, 7/14/20 (=)]

 

Chesapeake Seagrass Beds Declined 38 Percent In 2019. According to National Fisherman, “Seagrass beds in Chesapeake Bay, a vital habitat for blue crabs and other species, declined by 38 percent in 2019, a trend researchers link to higher than usual river flows that year. The federally funded Chesapeake Bay Program released findings from its annual survey July 8, reporting a mixed bag of results from across the bay region and its rivers. The overall 38 percent estimated decline is down from a 108,078-acre tally in 2018. ‘The largest decline in terms of total area – an estimated 34,986 acres – was observed in moderately salty waters, particularly in the Tangier Sound area, which experienced a 18,452-acre decline,’ according to a summary by the bay program. ‘Experts attribute the losses largely to a decline in widgeon grass. Widgeon grass fluctuates from year-to-year as the species responds rapidly to impacts from extreme weather or changes in water quality.’ The 2019 drop-off in widgeon grass recalls ‘a similar situation that occurred in 2001-2003, where a rapid increase in widgeon grass in 2001 and 2002 was followed by a 50% decline in 2003,’ according to bay program officials. ‘Though the precise cause for the decline in 2019 is unknown, higher than average river flows may have contributed by reducing water clarity and blocking sunlight from reaching the grasses.’ Widgeon grass, eelgrass and other plants of the bay’s underwater meadows – collectively called submerged aquatic vegetation or SAV by biologists – are good indicators of water quality and overall environmental conditions, because they react quickly to negative changes but bounce back when conditions improve.” [National Fisherman, 7/14/20 (=)]

 

Sea-Level Rise

 

'New Normal': High-Tide Flooding Spikes Along U.S. Coasts. According to E&E News, “American coastal communities will experience high-tide flooding as many as 270 days a year by 2050, according to NOAA projections released yesterday that show sea-level rise causing the dramatic increases. NOAA’s annual report on high-tide flooding — also called ‘sunny day’ or ‘nuisance’ flooding because it’s not related to storms — shows that records were set in the past year in one-quarter of the communities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts where the agency has tide gauges. Eagle Point, Texas, near Houston, experienced high-tide flooding 64 days in the one-year period from May 2019 through April. ‘This is the new normal. It’s a floodier future,’ NOAA oceanographer William Sweet said. ‘It’s this drive in sea-level rise that is really pumping up the water levels and causing more flooding to occur.’ Fifteen communities set records in the past year for the number of days with high-tide flooding, NOAA reported. That includes five communities in southeast Texas, four in Maryland as well as Miami; Charleston, S.C.; and Savannah, Ga. ‘Some very important areas are really starting to see flooding, and it’s driving changes in the conversation in these areas,’ Sweet said.” [E&E News, 7/15/20 (=)]

 

NOAA: Tidal Flooding Events Jump As Sea Levels Rise. According to Politico, “The number of days in which cities and harbors see flooding solely due to high tides has doubled since 2000, according to a new report issued Tuesday by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, putting coastal cities and energy infrastructure at risk. The details: The frequency of high tide flooding, in which sea water inundates the streets of coastal cities or bubbles up from storm drains even on sunny days, is expected to triple by 2030 due to sea level rise, NOAA says. That puts coastal energy infrastructure at increased risk as the effects of global warming in crease. Sabine Pass in Port Arthur, Texas, which has the largest refinery in the world, had 21 high tide floods last year, while Corpus Christi, Texas, had 18. Both had between zero and three flood days in 2000. Low-lying cities like Charleston, S.C. and Miami can also expect increased flooding as seas continue to rise. The context: Median sea levels in the U.S. are one foot above where they were in 1920, and rising about a tenth of an inch a year. The risk of high tide flooding begins when tidal water levels reach 1.5 feet above normal high water marks. Global temperatures are still on pace to rise between 2 degrees and 9 degrees Celsius by 2100, contributing to the rising seas.” [Politico, 7/14/20 (=)]

 

Miami Breaks High Tide Flooding As State's Focus Shifts Slowly To Sea Level Rise. According to Politico, “Miami broke a record for high tide flooding during a recent 12-month period, according to federal scientists Tuesday, raising new alarm bells about the threat of climate change to coastal communities in Florida. Details: Nineteen cities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, including Miami, broke or tied their own records for high tide flooding, a new report from NOAA says. Miami, at a tide gauge on Virginia Key, had nine flooding days and Cedar Key on the Gulf Coast had 11, also breaking a record, for the 12-month period ending April 2020. Context: High tide flooding occurs when tides reach 21 to 24 inches above the daily average and start flooding streets or bubbling up from storm drains, according to NOAA. It is blamed on warming oceans and rising sea levels caused by climate change as well as changes in winds and currents. Although such flooding has been accelerating sharply along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts because of sea level rise, there are expected to be fewer flooding days in the coming year because of global weather patterns, the agency said. Coastal communities in the U.S. can expect an average of two to six days of flooding in the coming year, NOAA said. By 2030, average flooding will range from seven to 15 days, and by 2050, the average will be 25 to 75 days, the agency said.” [Politico, 7/14/20 (=)]

 

Ocean Health & Management

 

House Appropriators Reject Trump's 'Paltry' Request. According to E&E News, “NOAA would increase its spending on aquaculture and ocean research while stepping up its efforts to end sexual harassment at the agency, under a spending plan approved by the House Appropriations Committee yesterday. Appropriators voted 30-22 to give NOAA $5.45 billion in fiscal 2021. That’s $102 million more than the spending level set by Congress for fiscal 2020. It’s also $829 million more than what President Trump wanted to give NOAA for the upcoming year. Rep. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) called Trump’s budget request ‘paltry’ and said the panel’s rejection of it would allow NOAA to move forward with many of its top priorities. ‘This will enhance support for the conservation of our coral reefs, our sanctuaries and marine protected areas, coastal zone management, protection of our marine mammals and sea turtles, ocean exploration and research, marine debris removal, tsunami warnings, the sustainable management of our fisheries, climate change and sea-level rise mitigation, and much more,’ Case said. Appropriators also criticized Trump for proposing a large spending cut for NOAA’s National Ocean Service. The panel voted to give NOS $625 million for its operations, research and facilities, an increase of more than $26 million from fiscal 2020 and $244 million more than what Trump pitched in his fiscal 2021 budget. ‘Given the increasingly troubled state of the oceans, the committee finds the request to reduce NOS funding by 36 percent as compared to fiscal year 2020 to be dramatically inappropriate,’ the panel said in its bill.” [E&E News, 7/15/20 (=)]

 

Investors’ Next High-Yield Bets Should Be On Ocean Sustainability, Researchers Say. According to CNBC, “As the world grapples with climate change and an economic downturn, new research from the World Resources Institute suggests that sustainable ocean-based investments will yield benefits at least five times greater than the costs. Over the next 30 years, investing $2 trillion to $3.7 trillion globally across several sustainable ocean-based policy interventions would generate a net benefit of $8.2 trillion to $22.8 trillion, according to the report commissioned by the High Level Panel for Sustainable Ocean Economy, a project of 14 world leaders and the United Nations secretary-general’s special envoy for the ocean. The research focuses on investments in four main areas: increasing the production of sustainable protein from the ocean, maintaining mangrove habitats, increasing offshore wind production and decarbonizing international shipping. ‘When we think about the ocean, we think about the impact of climate change on ecosystems and marine habitats. We think about overfishing [and] ocean pollution,’ said Manaswita Konar, lead ocean economist in WRI’s Sustainable Ocean Initiative and a co-author of the report. ‘But we rarely think about the ocean’s ability to address these challenges and bring about prosperity to the economy,’ she said.” [CNBC, 7/13/20 (=)]

 

Car Tyres Are Major Source Of Ocean Microplastics – Study. According to The Guardian, “More than 200,000 tonnes of tiny plastic particles are blown from roads into the oceans every year, according to research. The study suggests wind-borne microplastics are a bigger source of ocean pollution than rivers, the route that has attracted most attention to date. The analysis focused on the tiny particles produced by tyres and brake pads as they wear down. It estimated that 550,000 tonnes of particles smaller than 0.01mm are deposited each year, with almost half ending up in the ocean. More than 80,000 tonnes fall on remote ice- and snow-covered areas and may increase melting as the dark particles absorb the sun’s heat. Microplastic pollution has polluted the entire planet, from Arctic snow and Alpine soils to the deepest oceans. The particles can harbour toxic chemicals and harmful microbes and are known to harm some marine creatures. People are also known to consume them via food and water, and to breathe them, But the impact on human health is not yet known. Earlier work suggested microplastic particles could be blown across the world, but the new study is the first to quantify the effect. The scientists concentrated on fine tyre and brake dust as there is better data on how these are produced than tiny microplastics from other sources, such as plastic bottles and packaging.” [The Guardian, 7/14/20 (+)]

 

Op-Ed: Why We Need Leadership From E-Commerce And Retail To Solve The Plastic Pollution Crisis. According to Forbes, “With the growing urgency in our quest for new, scalable solutions to the world’s ocean plastic crisis, e-commerce and retail companies present an unexpected frontier of opportunity and critical role in developing a circular economy that can foster the change we need. This is all the more the case in South and Southeast Asia (SSEA) where the ocean plastic problem is particularly pronounced and where e-commerce is seeing skyrocketing growth and consolidation. Examples abound: Walmart acquired Flipkart, the Indian e-commerce retailer in 2018; Amazon has ramped up operations in India, Lazada is dominating ecommerce in Singapore, and locally-grown ridesharing companies Grab and Gojek are rapidly expanding across the region. We have a plastic pollution problem here in Asia because investment in recycling infrastructure hasn’t been able to keep pace with the exponential growth of consumption. That consumption and consumer purchasing patterns are inextricably linked to retail and e-commerce companies. What’s more, new purchasing habits driven by COVID-19, are causing consumers to turn increasingly to e-commerce brands and online retailers underscoring the opportunity and necessity of having them as part of the solution. … As today’s pandemic is making abundantly clear, we urgently need retailers and e-commerce companies to come into the fold, join the fight and help us develop a circular economy for plastic packaged goods. This is the next frontier in our fight to curb plastic waste and solve the ocean plastic crisis.” [Forbes, 7/14/20 (+)]

 

 

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