Earth Day, celebrated every year on April 22nd, is dedicated to highlighting the importance of action to protect and restore ecosystems around the world. Ocean ecosystems are vital for a thriving planet. Governments and private-sector investors are increasingly keen to invest in seagrass, mangroves and other important ocean ecosystems that reduce and store CO2 emissions.

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.

On 19 August I spoke about the economics of coral reef ecosystems at an Ocean Exchange webinar. It was great to learn from Sam Teicher of Coral Vita about his company's coral reef restoration projects.

Ocean temperatures reached their highest level ever recorded in 2019. Meanwhile, the World Economic Forum's top five risks for 2020 (released ahead of Davos) are all climate-related. I was interviewed on TRT World to discuss how the ocean can provide both climate risks and opportunities.

Weary delegates to last week’s COP25 climate talks have arrived back home to digest the outcome for ocean sustainability and the blue economy. The conference discussed in some depth how the ocean can help to address climate change.

Carbon emissions from shipping account for almost 3% of global emissions, a larger percentage than Germany. When the International Maritime Organisation met in London in November I was interviewed by BBC News on the need for the decarbonisation of the shipping sector.

The effects of climate change are already being profoundly felt in the ocean, a reality that policymakers collectively acknowledged when they signed up to develop a treaty on marine biodiversity. Climate and resilience will be hotly debated topics at the World Ocean Summit in Japan in March next year.

The IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate highlights risks and opportunities for the blue economy. I was interviewed by TRT World on the implications of the climate crisis for the ocean economy and coastal communities.

On July 2nd I attended The Economist Events’ inaugural Climate Risk Summit in London. Planning for climate change-related risks is now an essential task for any business.