On September 8th I will be moderating a session on “A Sustainable Ocean Economy” at the Founders Forum Climate Summit during London Tech Week. I will be joined by a great panel of ocean investment experts:
– Chris Gorrell Barnes, co-Founder, Blue Marine Foundation
– Maren Hjorth Bauer, founder and managing partner, Fynd Ocean Ventures
– Olivier Raybaud, co-Founder and managing director, Blue Oceans Partners
– Adrien Vincent, associate, SYSTEMIQ
Fundamentals remain strong
The ocean makes a large and growing contribution to the global economy, driving growth in economic activity, jobs, innovation and business opportunities. In a 2016 study the OECD estimated that the size of the ocean economy was around US$1.5trn in 2010, equivalent to some 3% of global GDP. By 2030 its contribution is projected to double in size from 2010 levels to US$3trn.
The coronavirus crisis has severely affected many marine industries, from disrupting global trade and shipping to undermining fisheries and tourism. But as a recent report by the World Ocean Initiative has shown, the fundamentals driving the transition to a sustainable ocean economy remain strong. We identified several areas with huge potential, for example the ocean data revolution, opportunities in blue finance, the transition to sustainable seafood, the decarbonisation of shipping, the growth in offshore wind energy and the rise of eco-tourism.
Our climate—and ultimately human survival—depends on the ocean. Indeed, every second breath we take comes from the ocean.
Optimism persists
Optimism about the future of the ocean economy remains strong. During a recent WOI webinar almost two-thirds (63%) of our audience thought that the post-coronavirus economic recovery would support a sustainable green-blue transition.
This panel discussion will bring together thought leaders on how to build a sustainable ocean economy, harnessing the opportunities of ocean technology and blue finance.
The panel will discuss the following key questions:
1) What is a sustainable ocean economy and how can we build it?
2) How can we galvanise the ocean tech community?
3) How can we mobilise the necessary blue finance to make these technological opportunities a reality?
Register for the event here: https://bit.ly/3jWu39S
More info about the event here: https://lnkd.in/dsiDC_g