Scientists say a double whammy of climate change and El Niño lies behind a record-breaking year of extreme weather - and predict there's more to come.

The number of plastics industry participants at the latest round of negotiations has increased by 37 per cent. Lobbyists are pushing recycling as a remedy to the plastic crisis, which NGOs decry as a "false solution" and demand deep cuts in polymer production to meet climate goals. Some fear that a legally binding treaty is unlikely.

Solar farms in the ocean could generate clean energy on a vast scale, but there are difficult waters to navigate first.

Cold-blooded sea creatures seeking refuge from warming ocean waters may find themselves at increasing risk of deadly cold shocks due to changes in ocean currents, new research warns.