On October 13th 2022 the John Nurminen Foundation (John Nurmisen Säätiö), whose mission is to “save the Baltic Sea and its heritage for future generations”, held its 30th anniversary celebration in Helsinki. The Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted bodies of water on the planet, and the foundation is aiming to reduce pollution-induced eutrophication—which occurs when the environment becomes enriched with nutrients, generating excessive plant and algae growth in estuaries and coastal waters.
However, a focus on dealing with pollution and other ocean-related risks has often meant that the narrative around the Baltic Sea and other major bodies of water has a negative connotation. My keynote speech aimed to highlight that amid the need to address the threats of pollution we also need to shift to a more positive narrative, built around the opportunities of building a sustainable ocean economy—the core mission of Economist Impact’s World Ocean Initiative.
Read my blog on how to shift the ocean narrative for a sustainable blue economy.
