For ocean advocates like me who have been tracking the $1.5 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) rollout, the need for this long overdue investment in climate resilience is crystal clear. The law earmarks $50 billion for improving critical water infrastructure, like drinking water, stormwater and wastewater systems that are essential for maintaining safe, functioning communities and ecosystems. In coastal counties, which are home to about 40% of the United States’ population, critical water infrastructure is growing more vulnerable to climate change and faces a host of compounding hazards such as sea level rise and flooding, heavy precipitation and extreme storm surges. While swift implementation of climate funds is important, it’s vital that decision-makers are careful to deliver on President Biden’s Justice40 promise, a whole-of-government framework that instructs federal agencies to more equitably deliver climate investments to under-resourced communities.
Ocean Conservancy’s Justice40 interim report dives into research conducted in Florida at the nexus of failing water infrastructure, climate risk, and federal infrastructure investments in disadvantaged communities. Florida, one of the most climate-vulnerable states in the country, received a C rating or lower for water infrastructure types assessed by the American Society of Civil Engineers, signaling that robust investments from the BIL are essential.
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Despite its importance for our communities and the environment, critical water infrastructure across the United States is increasingly aging and failing. In 2023 alone, countless instances of climate-related water system failures have made headlines. In South Louisiana, record-low water levels in the Mississippi River, coupled with rising sea levels in the Gulf of Mexico, are causing saltwater to creep north up the river, damaging drinking water pipes and water intake systems. Communities living in southern parishes that tend to be low-income have had to rely on bottled water for drinking and cooking since June to avoid the adverse health impacts of consuming saltwater. A deteriorating wastewater treatment plant in San Diego near the U.S.-Mexico border is causing sewage overflows to contaminate beaches and waters in Southern California. This crisis became considerably worse when Hurricane Hilary inundated the area with heavy rains in August. In low-lying Southeast Florida, residents are constantly plagued by severe floods that engulf roadways and destroy property. Each time I visit Miami during the rainy season, I am struck by the height of floodwaters, rising up onto sidewalks and spilling out from retention ponds. Further communicating the need for upgrades to stormwater infrastructure, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has continued to document instances of record high-tide flooding from coast to coast. Without significant efforts to prepare critical water infrastructure for worsening climate impacts, the well-being of coastal communities and the health of our ocean will continue to be jeopardized.
Not all coastal populations bear the same burden from water infrastructure failure and other impacts. Communities of Black and Indigenous peoples, other people of color and those experiencing intergenerational poverty are often disproportionately overburdened by climate change, environmental degradation and under-funded infrastructure. Nearly 60% of the population living in coastal cities identify as Black, Indigenous or people of color, so these historically neglected groups near the coast should benefit the most from the BIL and other resources to cope with climate impacts, keeping in line with the administration’s Justice40 vision.
To better understand the nature of critical water infrastructure risk and funding disparities at a localized scale, we conducted a geospatial analysis studying systemically disadvantaged communities exposed to the cumulative effects of failing water systems, water pollution and coastal climate impacts. This research focused on the cities of Jacksonville and Orlando and Miami-Dade County in Florida. A funding gap analysis uncovered that, despite being the most impacted by failing critical water infrastructure, overburdened Black and brown communities received fewer infrastructure dollars from two Environmental Protection Agency clean water and drinking water funding sources that received once-in-a-generation investments from the BIL in 2021. This phase of the study also highlighted major challenges associated with leveraging federal infrastructure dollars from the perspectives of local decision-makers and community residents. Some challenges identified include limited capacity to complete funding applications, a lack of transparency regarding funding availability, and competing funding priorities that often leave out disadvantaged communities. The methodology and results of this study could be duplicated in other locations to support community advocacy and identify areas in need of climate investments.
Being a lead researcher on this study, I’ve had an opportunity to carefully observe the implementation of Justice40 and the BIL over time. One of my biggest takeaways is that, as resources continue to be rolled out by the government, members of the public must be attentive and work together to ensure that our decision-makers do not repeat longstanding legacies of leaving the most impacted communities behind. Here are some important first steps to get informed and spread knowledge to mobilize our peers. Ask yourself and your network:
- “Who is disproportionately impacted and what infrastructure projects do they want for their communities?
- What money is available and where is it being allocated?
- What are the best ways to hold state and local decision-makers accountable?
- How am I positioned to help?”
We must treat this time of historic investment as an all-hands-on-deck moment, especially as climate justice and clean water access continue to emerge as central to today’s movement for human rights and planetary healing. Check out our new Justice40 interim report to learn more.
The post Ocean Justice Requires Climate Action for All appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
Welcome to the M219 ocean blog!
Here, we will share updates and stories about the scientific work taking place during this research expedition. We also hope to offer a glimpse into daily life and work at sea.
For many members of the scientific party, this is their first time aboard METEOR. It will also be their last, as METEOR is embarking on its final voyage before retiring from service as a German research vessel after more than 40 years at sea. Over the course of its distinguished career, METEOR has travelled more than 1.7 million nautical miles, which is equivalent to more than 8 times the distance between the Earth and the Moon. Throughout those decades the vessel has supported countless scientific discoveries and generations of marine scientists. We are very grateful and honored to be part of the final chapter of this remarkable ship’s history and to accompany her on the last few thousand miles of her legendary journey.
The scientific program of this cruise focuses on long-term observations of ocean currents off the coast of Brazil and at the equator, as well as interdisciplinary measurements near the Cape Verde Islands. At all these sites, GEOMAR has maintained observational programs for the past 10 to 20 years. Over the next four weeks, we will introduce these regions and the measurements carried out there in more detail. But first, let’s look at what happened in Brazil before the cruise began.
On Thursday, May 28, many of the scientists and students left the hotel early in the morning to attend a seminar at the Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), celebrating the long-standing scientific collaboration between Brazil and Germany.
The seminar was opened by Prof. Dr. Marius Müller, a former student at GEOMAR and now a professor for biological oceanography at UFPE. These meetings have become a valued tradition, having been organized for more than 20 years by now. This year marked the 9th edition of the seminar since its inception over 20 years ago.
A total of 8 scientists and students from Brazil, Germany, and the U.S. presented their research on various aspects of the tropical Atlantic Ocean. We would like to thank Marius Müller, Doris Veleda and all the Brazilian scientists and students who helped organize the seminar and provided such a warm welcome. We greatly enjoyed the exchange of ideas and look forward to celebrating the 10th seminar in the years to come.
After the seminar we returned to the hotel, but there was little time to rest. Later that same day, the captain of METEOR and the German Consul General in Recife hosted a reception aboard METEOR in the Port of Recife.
The event brought together members of the scientific party, representatives of local institutions, and guests from the Brazilian and German scientific communities. It provided an excellent opportunity to celebrate the long-standing partnership between the two countries.
On Friday, May 29, the scientific party finally boarded METEOR. There was little time to settle into our cabins and workspaces, as preparations for departure were already in full swing. We left the Port of Recife as soon as possible and at around 1pm METEOR set sail and began the final voyage of her remarkable career.
About 12 hours after leaving port, we arrived at our first station. Thanks to the dedicated efforts of technical and scientific teams, all instruments had been installed and prepared in time for the start of operations. This station marked the beginning of our observational program off the coast of Brazil, which includes the deployment and recovery of tall moorings as well as CTD measurements. An intensive first week lies ahead, with a demanding schedule of measurements and mooring operations. After months of planning and preparation, everyone is excited to finally begin the scientific work and make the most of the final weeks aboard METEOR.
There are more than 2,000 species of gobies (Gobiidae) known to science today, making them the largest family of fish in the ocean. But these small creatures are far more complex and essential to marine ecosystems than first meets the eye. Found all around the world in brackish, fresh and salt water in tropical and subtropical regions, they are an astonishingly diverse group of fish with several curious characteristics that set them apart.
Most gobies are quite small and don’t usually measure more than six inches long. Measuring just about eight millimeters long, the dwarf pygmy goby (Trimmatom nanus) is not only the tiniest goby known to science but also one of the smallest of all fish species in the world.
Primarily bottom-dwellers, gobies are known to be excellent foragers and have evolved expert burrowing behaviors over time. As they sift around looking for food like copepods, seaworms and tiny crustaceans, their movement helps to aerate sediment and keep algae in check. Some are even known to be “cleaner fish,” snacking on parasites they remove off larger creatures. It’s like a spa day for the animal being cleaned and a choose-your-own-adventure buffet for the gobies. Studies also show that cleaner goby activity is largely tied to the microbial health of coral reefs, showcasing that even the tiniest of species are essential to functioning marine ecosystems.
Gobies have some unique aspects to their anatomy, too. First, their fused pelvic fins are designed to help them form a strong suction cup to perch on coral reefs, rocks and other ocean terrain amidst turbulent currents. Some freshwater species are even known to use this suction to climb waterfalls. It may come as no surprise then that gobies are cousins to mudskippers, animals known to “walk” through mud. There are more species-specific features that set certain gobies apart. From the use of bioluminescence to symbiotic relationships with shrimp, the adaptations within the goby family are truly wide-ranging. Some species have even been found to use marine terrain memorization to navigate back to the tide pools where they were born. Isn’t nature mind-blowing sometimes?
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Gobies have equally complex and varied behaviors. Male gobies are infamous for being territorial protectors of their nests. Many larger males are known as “guarders;” these hopeful fish make careful nests to attract a mate, and once fertilization occurs, guarders will remain diligently near the nests to keep eggs safe. However, there’s another type of male goby that complicates this dynamic. These other males are known as “sneaker gobies” and are called that for one reason: They’re sneaky! If guarder gobies aren’t careful, sneakers can creep into the nest, fertilize some of the eggs and quickly escape. As if on an underwater episode of Maury, guarder males who aren’t careful could end up unknowingly babysitting little gobies that aren’t their actual offspring.
Gobies serve as indicators of ecological health and are essential to keeping delicate food webs in check. Unfortunately, many changes in our ocean threaten their ability to survive and thrive today. Coral bleaching and degradation endanger the health of one of their key habitats, and a combination of warming waters and coastal development can make it difficult for both juvenile and adult gobies to survive and thrive.
Healthy gobies mean a healthy ocean. Their essential role in marine ecosystems demonstrates that even the tiniest creatures play a major role in helping hold together the beautiful yet fragile habitats that make up our beloved ocean. Visit Ocean Conservancy’s Action Center and join the movement to protect our blue planet today and for years to come—from the tiniest goby to the largest whales, our ocean is counting on us.
The post All About Gobies appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
Recently, you may have heard about something called “El Niño.” But what exactly is El Niño and its sibling “La Niña”? Why do these terms seem to emerge from the depths of the scientific community and drop into popular vocabulary every few years? And how are they connected to extreme weather and our ocean?
What Are El Niño and La Niña?
El Niño and La Niña are part of a natural climate pattern in the tropical Pacific called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or ENSO. These two phases are different sides of the same coin, creating equally extreme shifts in temperature and air pressure.
El Niño occurs when surface water in the equatorial Pacific becomes warmer than average and easterly winds weaken. La Niña is the opposite: cooler-than-normal sea surface temperatures and stronger easterly winds. ENSO cycles can last up to seven years. El Niño and La Niña significantly impact weather patterns in all corners of the globe, often leading to more extreme weather, storm frequency and intensity.
A strong El Niño can cause flooding in some regions and drought, heat waves and wildfires in others. It often causes crop losses, coral bleaching and marine die-offs due to unusually warm ocean temperatures. El Niño tends to suppress Atlantic hurricane activity, though it increases the risk of heavy precipitation and harm to fisheries elsewhere. In the Northern Hemisphere, El Niño typically builds between March and June, peaks in December, and weakens by February.
La Niña, by contrast, often fuels an active Atlantic hurricane season and increases tornado frequency across the southern United States. Like El Niño, it builds in spring and peaks around December.
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Predicting ENSO
In 1923, the physicist Sir Gilbert Walker discovered the “Southern Oscillation,” or large-scale changes in sea level pressure across the tropical Pacific. However, it wasn’t until the late 1960s that the metorologist Jacob Bjerknes found that the changes in the ocean and the atmosphere were connected, and the hybrid term “ENSO” was born. In 1974, researchers at Oregon State University attempted to predict ENSO for the first time.
Modeling has greatly advanced since the early days. Today, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issue regular predictions about ENSO, which are now more accurate than ever.
NOAA gives a one-in-four chance that an El Niño could reach “very strong” intensity later in 2026, qualifying it as a “super El Niño.” This threshold has been crossed only a handful of times in recorded history, each triggering droughts, floods and record temperatures across multiple continents. NOAA’s data and models deliver life-saving early warning forecasts, like that of the predicted super El Niño, which allow communities to better prepare for and respond to extreme weather events.
Take Action
Every American, regardless of where they live, depends on NOAA’s scientists and professionals, whose work spans from the ocean floor to the far reaches of space. Unfortunately, NOAA is under threat. The Trump administration has proposed billions of dollars in cuts to the agency, which could weaken weather forecasting, disrupt fisheries management and stall critical ocean research, putting American lives and global scientific leadership at risk.
Ocean Conservancy is committed to working with NOAA to keep the public informed on climate and ocean science. We all benefit from a healthier ocean, and investing in research is the most effective way to restore ocean health and reduce the impact of severe weather events caused by El Niño and La Niña. Our ocean is not partisan, and protecting it requires all hands on deck and all sides of the aisle. Now, it’s more important than ever to demand that members of Congress prioritize our ocean. Add your name now.
The post Do You Know the Difference Between El Niño and La Niña? appeared first on Ocean Conservancy.
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