Deep Dives
Thought-provoking research providing extensive learning opportunities
HM Treasury
Economics is a discipline that shapes decisions of the utmost consequence, and so matters to us all. The Dasgupta Review at last puts biodiversity at its core and provides the compass that we urgently need. In doing so, it shows us how, by bringing economics and ecology together, we can help save the natural world at what may be the last minute – and in doing so, save ourselves.
Read more → (more than an hour read)
HM Treasury
Economics is a discipline that shapes decisions of the utmost consequence, and so matters to us all. The Dasgupta Review at last puts biodiversity at its core and provides the compass that we urgently need. In doing so, it shows us how, by bringing economics and ecology together, we can help save the natural world at what may be the last minute – and in doing so, save ourselves.
Read more → (more than 30 minute read)
HM Treasury
Our economies, livelihoods and well-being all depend on our most precious asset: Nature.
Read more → (15 minute read)
UNEP FI
The Rising Tide report maps the current state of ocean finance revealing trends in lending, underwriting and investment activities which impact the ocean.
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As more companies and governments make commitments to address plastic pollution, several plastic offset claims and credit schemes have emerged.
We reviewed the current landscape of standards, certifications and credit programs to assess the strengths and weaknesses of current programs and whether they are equipped to help buyers meet their impact objectives.
Read more → (15 minute read)
Plastics are the most common form of marine debris. They originate with a variety of land and ocean-based sources across industries; enter the water in many ways; and negatively impact the ocean and Great Lakes. Once in the water, plastic debris never fully biodegrades.
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Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism
President Joseph R. Biden Jr., The White HouseThe United States and the world face a profound climate crisis. We have a narrow moment to pursue action at home and abroad in order to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of that crisis and to seize the opportunity that tackling climate change presents.
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The Global Commission on Adaptation's landmark report, Adapt Now: A Global Call for Leadership on Climate Resilience, puts forward a bold vision for how to transform key systems to be more resilient and productive. Report authors found that adaptation can produce significant economic returns — from 2:1 to 10:1 — as well as numerous social and environmental benefits.
The report, co-authored by WRI, laid the foundation for the Commission's Year of Action and many of the announcements made at the Climate Adaptation Summit.
Read more → (more than an hour read)
NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce
See how NOAA data, tools, services, and partnerships are powering the American Blue Economy in the NOAA Blue Economy Strategic Plan for 2021-2025.
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Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution
Frith Dunkley & Jean-Luc Solandt, Marine Conservation SocietyThe study examined fishing effort in all Marine Protected Areas (Special Areas of Conservation, Marine Conservation Zones and nature conservation Marine Protected Areas, hereafter collectively referred to as MPAs) in UK offshore waters (beyond 12 nautical miles) designated to protect the seabed, and the implications for biodiversity recovery and carbon storage.
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Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports
Zongguo W. et al., Nature CommunicationsSince the late 1990s, the trend of plastic waste shipment from developed to developing countries has been increasing. In 2017, China announced an unprecedented ban on its import of most plastic waste, resulting in a sharp decline in global plastic waste trade flow and changes in the treatment structure of countries, whose impacts on global environmental sustainability are enormous but yet unexamined.
Read more → (more than 30 minute read)
Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism
The High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean EconomyWe have a collective opportunity and responsibility to protect and restore the health of our ocean, and build a sustainable ocean economy that can provide food, empower coastal communities, power our cities, transport our people and goods and provide innovative solutions to global challenges.
Read more → (28 minute read)
Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution
Anna Sanchez-Vidal et al., Scientific Reports, NatureThere is strong evidence that the seafloor constitutes a final sink for plastics from land sources. There is also evidence that part of the plastics lying on the shallow seafloor are washed up back to the shoreline. However, little is known on the natural trapping processes leading to such landwards return.
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Virdin, J. et al., Science Advances
Most of the revenues extracted from use of the world’s oceans is concentrated among 100 transnational corporations, which have been identified for the first time by researchers at Duke University and the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University.
Dubbed the “Ocean 100,” these “ocean economy” companies collectively generated $1.1 trillion in revenues in 2018, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.
Read more → (6 minute read)
Joywin Mathew, DLA Piper
The annual economic value generated by our oceans is approximately USSD3 trillion, making the ocean economy, the fifth largest economy globally. However, the health of our oceans has deteriorated drastically from overfishing, marine littering, the effects of climate change and the rapid increase in the intensity and diversity in the ways we use our oceans.
The financial sector has a key role to play in supporting ocean sustainability and delivering transformative change to ocean economies.
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Marine litter is a global problem which poses an increasing threat to ecosystem services, human health, safety and sustainable livelihoods. In order to better plan plastic pollution monitoring and clean-up activities, and to develop policies and programmes to deter and mitigate plastic pollution, information is urgently needed on the dif-ferent types of coastal ecosystem that are impacted by land-sourced plastic inputs, especially those located inproximity to river mouths where plastic waste is discharged into the ocean.
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Microplastics are increasingly recognized as ubiquitous global contaminants, but questions linger regarding their source, transport and fate. We document the widespread distribution of microplastics in near-surface seawater from 71 stations across the European and North American Arctic - including the North Pole.
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RSM studies can benefit marine shellfish farming and biodiversity across genetic, species-population, community-ecosystem and landscape levels.
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Cities cover 3% of the earth’s land surface yet they create more than 70% of all carbon emissions. To keep global temperature increases to 1.5°C or below, cities have to achieve net-zero. This report provides a global framework and recommends an integrated energy approach, defined as “systemic efficiency”, as a solution to the current environmental, economic, health and social crises.
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Fisheries across the globe are already demonstrating that fishing sustainably is not only achievable but more productive too, contributing to a food-secure future.
To accelerate this change, industry, retailers, governments and consumers need to prioritise and support sustainably sourced seafood.
Read more → (25 minute read)