Martin Koehring | Development Finance & Sustainable Finance

2021 could be considered the year when climate and sustainability entered the mainstream. So what are the prospects for 2022?

2021 was a big year for the ocean. There is no doubt that action to build a sustainable ocean economy will continue to accelerate in 2022. Here's a selection of year-end highlights from the World Ocean Initiative.

It's the fifth and final day of Economist Impact's World Ocean Summit Asia-Pacific. Join us for today's great sessions. I will be moderating two plenary panel discussions today, on: 1) Small Island Developing States (SIDS)—new challenges, new opportunities, and 2) Harnessing the power of seaweed.

It's Day Four of Economist Impact's World Ocean Summit Asia-Pacific. Join us for today's fantastic sessions. I will be moderating two sessions today: 1) a panel discussion in the Energy track on building momentum for offshore wind in Asia-Pacific, and 2) The Economist’s debrief on COP26 and the ocean.

It's Day Two of Economist Impact's World Ocean Summit Asia-Pacific. Join us for today's exciting sessions. I will be moderating a plenary panel discussion on how to implement and manage marine protected areas.

It's Day One of Economist Impact's World Ocean Summit Asia-Pacific. Join us today for some fantastic sessions. I will be moderating a panel discussion in the Finance track on "developing the business case to attract early investors".

I am looking forward to moderating six sessions at Economist Impact's World Ocean Summit Asia-Pacific next week (December 6th–10th). The theme of the summit is "Investing in a blue economy".

On November 21st I addressed the Dubai International Food Safety Conference 2021 via video message. I focused on the Food Sustainability Index, developed by Economist Impact with the support of the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition Foundation (BCFN).

Every November, World Fisheries Day is held to reflect on the importance of sustainable stocks of fisheries. To mark this occasion the World Ocean Initiative explores the precarious state of Arctic fisheries, reflects on fisheries-related insights from the World Ocean Summit and shines a light on the underrepresentation of women in blue foods.

I moderated a World Ocean Initiative Insight Hour on "Enhancing stewardship for the safe, sustainable use of the ocean", sponsored by the Lloyd's Register Foundation.

COP26 may not have delivered a clear pathway towards keeping “1.5 alive,” but nature was at the forefront of high-level climate negotiations like never before. Read more for an overview of recent ocean-climate coverage on the World Ocean Initiative.

I spoke at the World Biodiversity Summit, a COP26 side event, in Glasgow. It is crucial not to neglect the role of biodiversity in the global climate conversations. Organised by the World Climate Foundation, the event featured a session on "Life Below Water - Harnessing The Blue Economy through Investment & Innovation".

10 years ago today I started at The Economist Group. My journey has taken me from Europe Editor at the height of the euro zone debt crisis to covering major global health challenges to leading projects on some of the most exciting sustainability issues of our time.

Dive into the World Ocean Initiative's latest coverage to learn about a range of blue finance initiatives that can help protect seascapes and marine habitats while setting the foundation for a thriving future ocean economy.

A wave of advanced recycling innovations has the potential to transform recycling practices, offering some important advantages over established mechanical technologies. I am the project director of a new assessment that has just been published—produced by Economist Impact and supported by Dow—that examines the distinguishing characteristics of a range of plastic recycling technologies.

I was invited to participate in the Sustainable Finance Leaders Dialogue in Paris on October 25th, organised by the BMW Foundation. The Dialogue addressed the question of how to strengthen the power of green finance with a more efficient and better adapted policy framework to speed up the race to net zero.

As I wasn’t able to participate in person, I addressed the Ocean Exchange Decarbonisation Summit in October 2021 via video presentation. I focused on the challenges and solutions for decarbonising maritime transport, including the IMO decarbonisation targets, short-term and long-term solutions, and the vital finance question.

Join me for the launch of new research on decarbonisation in cities. I am the project director of the study, produced by Economist Impact and commissioned by Osborne Clarke. It explores 12 technologies that can help cities achieve their carbon-emission targets while also creating jobs, lowering energy costs, and improving overall quality of life.

Today I’m at the EV World Congress in Bristol to present and discuss the key findings of the rEV Index, produced by Economist Impact and supported by BP. I shared the stage with Akira Kirton, CEO at BP Pulse.

On October 13th I moderated a World Ocean Summit Insight Hour that focused on the role of ship and cargo owners in adopting alternative fuels and alternative propulsion to reduce emissions. Speakers discussed the economics of alternative fuels, retrofitting ships and upgrading bunkering infrastructure, and how to achieve scale.