Latest news with #Minderoo
NZ Herald
08-05-2025
- Science
- NZ Herald
Pacific Rally sailors collect ocean data for climate change study
'It allows us to understand the health and function of the world's biggest ocean and the impact of climate change,' he said. 'It's bringing everyday people with us on this journey and allows us to collect samples at scale that was impossible before.' Citizens of the Sea is a not-for-profit charitable trust formed through a partnership between Cawthron Institute and New Zealand Geographic. It aims to empower citizen scientists to collect ocean data at scale and at a fraction of the cost of traditional research vessels. A new collaboration between Minderoo Foundation and Citizens of the Sea was also unveiled. Minderoo is a philanthropic organisation that seeks to uplift communities, support gender equality, protect natural ecosystems and respond to emerging threats and challenges. Pochon said Minderoo's support 'enables us to push the boundaries of what's possible in ocean data collection'. 'We are demonstrating that citizen-led science can generate high-quality ocean health data, much faster and at a fraction of the cost.' It's the second year of the data collection project. During last year's Pacific Rally, 26 participating vessels collected over 800 eDNA samples, along with environmental data, across 1.5 million square km of ocean. Pochon said gathering data was important to understand the impact of climate change on biodiversity. He hoped the data would also help detect problematic organisms like pathogens and harmful algae blooms, and where endangered species were going and how to protect them. 'We've seen a massive impact of changing temperatures over the last four years everywhere, to the point where we're really unsure what the real impact is on marine biomes. 'Being able to capture biodiversity data at a large scale – it's a game changer for scientists.' The technology will enable the collection of more than 500 samples during the 2025 Pacific Rally. Once collected, the data will be shared with global scientific communities and government NGOs via Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), an international organisation that makes scientific data on biodiversity available via the internet using web services. Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with finance, roading, and animal welfare issues.
The Age
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Why Andrew Forrest bankrolled David Attenborough's last great project
London: Andrew Forrest's voice sharpens with urgency when he talks about the ocean. 'We are right on the brink of extinction of species across our oceanic planet,' the billionaire Fortescue Metals Group chairman warns. 'It's an ignorant race – a short-sighted, policymaker-driven race to fish out the oceans before someone else does.' That passion for the ocean – rooted in his PhD in marine ecology and a lifetime connection to Australia's waters – has found a global amplifier in Sir David Attenborough. Last night, their shared vision came to life with the world premiere of Ocean with David Attenborough at London's Royal Festival Hall. Backed by Minderoo Pictures, Forrest's impact film company, the documentary shines a stark spotlight on the devastation caused by industrial overfishing, with Attenborough's unmistakable narration guiding audiences through the science, destruction and solutions. Minderoo was the first to invest in Ocean, committing £1.5 million ($3,078,000) of the film's £3.8 million budget. Forrest says he was motivated not just by the need to finance the film but by its potential to raise awareness about the global issue of overfishing. 'It's about using storytelling to shine a spotlight on overfishing, a crisis that demands global action,' Forrest says. 'It shows the hideous, wasteful destruction, the short-sightedness of legislators, the lack of science behind decisions to allow bottom trawling anywhere in the world.' The premiere attracted a high-level guest list reflecting the film's global significance: King Charles III, former US climate envoy John Kerry, National Geographic's Dr Sylvia Earle, the United Nations' Arsenio Dominguez and, of course, the man himself, Attenborough, who turns 99 this week (May 8).
Sydney Morning Herald
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Why Andrew Forrest bankrolled David Attenborough's last great project
London: Andrew Forrest's voice sharpens with urgency when he talks about the ocean. 'We are right on the brink of extinction of species across our oceanic planet,' the billionaire Fortescue Metals Group chairman warns. 'It's an ignorant race – a short-sighted, policymaker-driven race to fish out the oceans before someone else does.' That passion for the ocean – rooted in his PhD in marine ecology and a lifetime connection to Australia's waters – has found a global amplifier in Sir David Attenborough. Last night, their shared vision came to life with the world premiere of Ocean with David Attenborough at London's Royal Festival Hall. Backed by Minderoo Pictures, Forrest's impact film company, the documentary shines a stark spotlight on the devastation caused by industrial overfishing, with Attenborough's unmistakable narration guiding audiences through the science, destruction and solutions. Minderoo was the first to invest in Ocean, committing £1.5 million ($3,078,000) of the film's £3.8 million budget. Forrest says he was motivated not just by the need to finance the film but by its potential to raise awareness about the global issue of overfishing. 'It's about using storytelling to shine a spotlight on overfishing, a crisis that demands global action,' Forrest says. 'It shows the hideous, wasteful destruction, the short-sightedness of legislators, the lack of science behind decisions to allow bottom trawling anywhere in the world.' The premiere attracted a high-level guest list reflecting the film's global significance: King Charles III, former US climate envoy John Kerry, National Geographic's Dr Sylvia Earle, the United Nations' Arsenio Dominguez and, of course, the man himself, Attenborough, who turns 99 this week (May 8).
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Australian philanthropists donate $3.15 million to Ukraine, urge governments to step up support
Minderoo Foundation on Feb. 27 donated 5 million Australian dollars ($3.15 million) to support Ukrainian communities impacted by Russian aggression and affirm Ukraine's territorial integrity. The package builds upon 20 million Australian dollars ($12.6 million) that the Australia-based charity, founded by Andrew and Nicola Forrest, has already provided for demining, food and energy security, and the protection of children in Ukraine. Russia's full-scale war, which recently entered its fourth year, has sparked a deep humanitarian crisis in the country, leaving millions displaced and housing and infrastructure devastated in front-line regions. "The invasion of one country by another is wholly offensive to civilization. Ukraine has every right to protect its borders, and the international community will be extremely shortsighted if it does not stand with Ukraine," said Andrew Forrest, an Australian billionaire, philanthropist, and founder of the Fortescue mining group. "While philanthropy can play a crucial role, governments across Europe should redouble their efforts to make Russian assets and elite interests pay for the war of aggression they have waged on Ukraine." The foundation's latest assistance package focuses on regions in Ukraine's east, including Dnipro, Mykolaiv, Kharkiv, and elsewhere. It targets communities impacted by Russia's use of cluster munitions in Mykolaiv in 2022 and Russia's deadly missile strike against an apartment building in Dnipro in January 2023. The donation will further provide support for demining in agricultural areas, households impacted by the war, and peace-building and community cohesion activities in cooperation with civil society organizations. Nicola Forrest noted that one-quarter of Ukraine's agricultural land remains contaminated by landmines and unexploded ammunition. "Demining is a humanitarian and economic imperative. Recovery, growth and global food security depends on it," she said in a statement. The foundation said that the latest donation is intended to recognize Ukraine's territorial integrity and reflects Minderoo's commitment to the Ukrainian leadership in peace efforts. "President (Volodymyr) Zelensky is the democratically elected leader of his people and a man of great character and resilience," Andrew Forrest said on the third anniversary of Russia's full-scale war. "As I have told the president before, we unequivocally support Ukraine to recover from this atrocious war on the terms acceptable to him and his people." The statement comes amid U.S. President Donald Trump's diplomatic outreach to Russia in an effort to broker a peace deal, seemingly sidestepping Kyiv and Europe. The U.S. president caused an uproar in Ukraine and elsewhere when he called Zelensky a "dictator without elections" and said the Ukrainian head of state is not vital to the peace process. Read also: Ukraine war latest: Trump says he will meet Zelensky on Feb. 28 in Washington to sign agreement on minerals We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
