Pipeline ruptures in Ecuadorian Amazon, Black communities disproportionately affected by increased flooding, court rules against young people...

[View this email in your browser]( Wednesday, February 2, 2022 “Social justice cannot wait. It is not an optional “add-on” to environmentalism.” – Leah Thomas Pipeline Ruptures in Ecuadorian Amazon A [pipeline]( has ruptured in the Ecuadorian [Amazon]( near the site of a previous [oil spill]( contaminating waterways in [Indigenous]( territory and threatening [wildlife]( in a protected area. The spill has impacted almost five acres of a [nature reserve]( in Cayambe-Coca National Park and polluted the Coca River, Deutsche Welle reported. Ecuador’s Environmental Ministry called it a “major” pollution event. [Read More]( Related: [Thousands of Animals Killed After 300,000 Gallons of Diesel Spills From Louisiana Pipeline]( Increased Flooding Due to Climate Change Will ‘Disproportionately’ Affect Black Communities, Study Finds [Climate]( flooding will increase in the next 30 years, causing billions of dollars of losses that will disproportionately affect Black communities in the United States, according to a new study. Flood risk will increase by 26 percent, especially on the Gulf and Atlantic Coasts, where there is a greater threat of [sea level rise]( and hurricanes are becoming more intense. [Read More]( Related: [People of Color in U.S. More Likely to Breathe Six Types of Air Pollution, Study Finds]( Alaska Supreme Court Rules 3-2 Against Young People Suing for Livable Climate The Alaska Supreme Court ruled on Friday against 16 young Alaskans who wanted to sue the state over its [climate]( policies. The higher court upheld the 2018 ruling of a lower court, which decided to dismiss the case, [AP News reported](. [Read More]( Related: [Lawsuit to Protect Arctic Polar Bears From Oil Drilling Launched Against Biden Administration]( Orcas Observed Killing Blue Whales in ‘Biggest Predation Event on the Planet’ Killer whales truly deserve their name. They’ve been observed taking down everything from sea lions to [great white sharks](. And now, for the first time, they’ve been observed attacking and killing the largest [animals]( on earth: blue [whales](. [Scientists]( writing in the journal Marine Mammal Science on January 21 recorded three incidents in which [orcas]( hunted and ate blue whales off of Western Australia’s Bremer Bay. [Read More]( Related: [Shark-Killing Orcas Spotted Near Cape Town]( 7 Fascinating Fungi Innovations Between two and four million species of fungi exist on Earth, and more than 2,000 new species are discovered every year. The visible part of a fungus, however, is only a fraction of the organism. Vast networks of [thin, thread-like roots called mycelium]( – which are crucial to the decomposition process of organic matter – stretch below the surface of every [mushroom]( and they might be the key to solving some of humanity’s largest problems. Recent innovations have been employing the power of mycelium to address plastic pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental contamination, and mycologists are urging us to consider the important role it can play in [building a more sustainable future](. [Read More]( Related: [Could Mushroom-Based Leather Be High Fashion’s Next It Material?]( Do you get this newsletter daily? If not, [sign up here]( or forward to a friend. [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Website]( [Instagram]( Copyright © 2022 EcoWatch, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for EcoWatch Top News of The Day Our mailing address is: EcoWatch 1122 Oberlin RoadRaleigh, NC 27605 [Add us to your address book]( Want to change how you receive these emails? You can [update your preferences]( or [unsubscribe from this list](. [Mailchimp Email Marketing](