🌊 5 facts for World Ocean Day

 

Environment Update

Today is World Ocean Day, and this year's theme is Catalyzing Action for Our Ocean & Climate. The ocean is essential to keeping the planet—and people—healthy. But its health is in decline, largely because of human activities compounded by the changing climate. Dive in with us as we explore five threats to our ocean—and how we can help protect it. From factory to landfill, plastic harms our planet and people. We need comprehensive strategies to address plastic pollution at every stage of the plastic life cycle. A United Nations treaty could help. Harmful fisheries subsidies deplete fish stocks and damage the coastal communities that rely on them. Concluding negotiations as soon as possible to add new rules to the 2022 World Trade Organization agreement could be a lifeline for our ocean.

From dolphins and turtles to phytoplankton and crinoids, marine wildlife relies on healthy high seas. The high seas treaty is an opportunity to establish protected areas beyond national jurisdiction—safeguarding biodiversity and paving the way for a healthier ocean. With oceans warmer than ever, the impact that climate change has already had on marine biodiversity is clear. Fisheries managers must commit to protecting our ocean's health and ensure sustainable fisheries in the face of rising temperatures. The deep sea is home to creatures found nowhere else on Earth. Research shows that noise generated by one seabed mining site could travel hundreds of miles with unknown environmental consequences. Pausing the commencement of seabed mining would safeguard deep-sea ecosystems from irreversible harm. Stay up to date on all things oceans by: 🎧 Listening: Dive into Pew's "Ocean, People, Planet" podcast season, where we focus on the connection between the health of the ocean and the health of the planet—and what that means for the well-being of all of us. 📖 Reading: Get the latest research, policy recommendations and insights from our ocean governance projects. 🤝 Connecting: Follow us on Twitter @PewEnvironment to see the latest news in ocean conservation.

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5 Facts for Earth Day 🌎

 

Earth Day 2023 | Invest in Our Planet

Happy Earth Day! This year's theme is "Invest in Our Planet." These five fact-filled images help show why we can—and must—continue to invest in our planet to help the wildlife and communities that rely on it. The ocean is a critical tool to help stabilize the Earth's climate, which is one reason it's so vital to conserve. At the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity late last year, 196 countries pledged to protect 30% of the planet's land and ocean by 2030. WHAT THEY AGREED TO Roads are critical infrastructure but can impede wildlife movement and migration. Investments in wildlife crossings—bridges or tunnels for animals—can help reduce collisions with vehicles by over 90% while also helping wildlife adapt to our changing climate. TRAILBLAZING SOLUTIONS Oysters and their reefs help filter drinking water and protect shorelines. Fortunately, aquaculture and restoration programs are working with farmers to revitalize these reefs by using oysters that are too big to sell to consumers.   PROMISING PROGRESS The deep sea is a vast, biodiverse habitat that we don't yet know everything about. Estimates suggest that noise from a single seabed mining site could travel hundreds of miles. We must suspend mining activities to learn how far these effects go. LET'S PRESS PAUSE Animal populations have dropped by nearly 70%, on average, in the past 50 years, mainly due to human activity, according to a recent World Wildlife Fund report.  FULL ANALYSIS IN THE GUARDIAN Share These Facts as GIFs! You can find Pew's and others' Earth Day facts (and animated versions of the illustrations above) on GIPHY. SEE THE GIFS 901 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20004-2008 Copyright © 2023 The Pew Charitable Trusts. All Rights Reserved.

This highly resistant stomach bug is on the rise

 

Antibiotic Resistance Project

This Highly Resistant Stomach Bug Is on the Rise THE WASHINGTON POST In the past, shigellosis had mostly affected children under 4, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a national alert warning of an increase in people infected with strains that are highly resistant to available antibiotics. FULL STORY Superbug Measures Should Be in Pandemic-Prep Bill This month, we joined more than 200 organizations in urging Congress to include the PASTEUR Act in upcoming bipartisan legislation. The goal: spur antibiotic development and address antibiotic resistance's growing threat. WHY IT MATTERS Share to Show You Care What does National Kidney Month have to do with antibiotics? For one, people on dialysis are a hundred times more likely to contract a staph infection—and antibiotics are vital for treatment. Help spread the word on social media. IN THE MEDIA This Stomach Bug Isn't Responding to Antibiotics. Scientists Are Worried. THE NEW YORK TIMES Woman Goes Into Septic Shock After Giving Birth, Has Her Feet and Hands Amputated GOOD MORNING AMERICA A Top Antibiotic Expert Almost Died After a Gardening Cut Caused a Life-Threatening, Drug-Resistant Bacterial Infection INSIDER 'Looming Global Health Crisis': Urgent Action Needed to Prevent Spread of Drug-Resistant Superbugs, CSIRO Says THE GUARDIAN Groups Call on Congress to Support PASTEUR Act CENTER FOR INFECTIOUS DISEASE AND RESEARCH POLICY

Was this forwarded to you? Don't miss the next email! SIGN UP Antibiotics are fundamental to modern medicine, essential for treating everything from routine skin infections to strep throat, and for protecting vulnerable patients receiving chemotherapy or being treated in intensive care units. Pew's antibiotic resistance project is working to ensure both the prudent use of existing drugs and a robust pipeline of new drugs in order to meet current and future patient needs. SaveAntibiotics.org 901 E Street NW, Washington, DC 20004-2008 Copyright © 2023 The Pew Charitable Trusts. All Rights Reserved.