Deep Dives
Thought-provoking research providing extensive learning opportunities

Increasing finance for a healthy ocean

The Friends of Ocean Action BrightTalk Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture GreenMoney Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism

The Ocean Finance Handbook, is a guide to support an increase in finance flowing towards the sustainable blue economy. The Handbook provides a key resource to enhance understanding of finance for a healthy ocean and generate conversations between financial institutions and marine-based businesses, conservation professionals and ocean project managers.

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Sailing on Solar: Could green ammonia decarbonise international shipping?

Nick Ash & Tim Scarbrough, Environmental Defense Fund Energy Solutions Shipping & Ports

Green ammonia is a technically feasible solution for decarbonising international shipping. 

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UN body adopts climate change strategy for shipping

International Maritime Organization Shipping & Ports

Nations meeting at the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London have adopted an initial strategy on the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from ships, setting out a vision to reduce GHG emissions from international shipping and phase them out, as soon as possible in this century. 

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Ecosystem services approach for community-based ecotourism: towards an equitable and sustainable blue economy

Anna (Anya) Phelan

This paper examines the role of community-based ecotourism within the developing market dynamics of the blue economy. 

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A Path to Creating the First Generation of High Seas Protected Areas

Pew Research Center Tourism

Science-based method highlights 10 sites that would help safeguard biodiversity beyond national waters

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Integrating oceans into climate policy: Any green new deal needs a splash of blue

Dundas, S.J., et al., Conservation Letters/ Wiley Periodicals

Recent warnings from scientists suggest there is limited time to enact policies to avert wide-ranging ecological and social damage from climate change. In the United States, discussions about comprehensive national policies to avert climate change have begun, with “Green New Deal” proposals and climate plans put forth by members of Congress and presidential candidates. Oceans are largely absent or separate from these nascent policy proposals.

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Banking on Climate Change: Fossil Fuel Finance Report 2020

Rainforest Action Network

For the banks highlighted in this report, the last year has brought a groundswell of activism demanding banks cut their fossil fuel financing, at the same time that increasingly extreme weather events have further underscored the urgency of the climate crisis. 

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Blue Infrastructure Finance: A new approach, integrating Nature-based Solutions for coastal resilience

Thiele, T. et al., IUCN

All coastal and marine ecosystems are critical to human well-being and global biodiversity. Mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds are examples of these. But urban and rural infrastructure investments are having a heavy negative impact on these systems, and it is increasing over time.

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LA’s “Blue Economy” Represents a Major Jobs, Wage and Tax Revenue Driver

LAEDC and Altasea Shipping & Ports

Conservative estimates indicate that the value of the blue economy will double over the next decade, with a projected global value of $3 trillion by 2030.

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A high biodiversity mitigates the impact of ocean acidification on hard-bottom ecosystems

Eugenio Rastelli, Bruna Petani, Cinzia Corinaldesi, Antonio Dell’Anno, Marco Lo Martire, Carlo Cerrano & Roberto Danovaro

Given the climate change scenarios predicted for the future, we conclude that biodiversity conservation of hard-bottom ecosystems is fundamental also for mitigating the impacts of ocean acidification.

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Ammonia: zero-carbon fertiliser, fuel and energy store

The Royal Society Energy Solutions Shipping & Ports

Ammonia is a suitable fuel for transport modes where large amounts of energy are required for extended periods of time and where batteries or direct electrical connection are not practical or cost effective. Examples include heavy good vehicles, trains, aviation and shipping.

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The Blue Economy and the United Nations’ sustainable development goals: Challenges and opportunities

Lee, KH et al., Environment International Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism

The “Blue Economy (BE)” is an increasingly popular concept as a strategy for safeguarding the world’s oceans and water resources. It may emerge when economic activity is in balance with the long term capacity of ocean ecosystems to support the activity in a sustainable manner.

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The Blue Acceleration: The Trajectory of Human Expansion into the Ocean

Jouffray, J.P. et al., One Earth

Does humanity's future lie in the ocean? As demand for resources continues to grow and land-based sources decline, expectations for the ocean as an engine of human development are increasing.

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Investors and the Blue Economy

Credit Suisse and Responsible Investor BrightTalk GreenMoney

In addition to being the largest natural carbon sink on the planet, our ocean is a tremendous source of economic livelihoods for billions of people. The value of global ocean assets is estimated at over US$24 trillion -- making it the seventh largest economy in the world in GDP terms. 

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Climate risk and response: Physical hazards and socioeconomic impacts

McKinsey Global Institute

How could Earth's changing climate impact socioeconomic systems across the world in the next three decades? A yearlong, cross-disciplinary research effort at McKinsey & Company provides some answers.

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The Global Risks Report 2020

The World Economic Forum

The 15th edition of the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report comes as long-mounting, interconnected risks are being felt. The global economy is faced with a “synchronized slowdown”, the past five years have been the warmest on record, and cyberattacks are expected to increase this year

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Technology, Data and New Models for Sustainably Managing Ocean Resources

Jim Leape, Mark Abbott and Hide Sakaguchi

This paper examines existing and breakthrough technologies, such as drones, AI, and blockchains, and the associated challenges and possibilities they pose for ocean management and improving understanding of ecosystems and human interactions with the ocean.

It also explores potential markets that could stimulate demand for ocean data and ways public and private players can drive the deployment of these new models.

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GLOBAL ENERGY TRANSFORMATION: A Roadmap to 2050

International Renewable Energy Agency Energy Solutions

Increased use of renewable energy, combined with intensified electrification, could prove decisive for the world to meet key climate goals by 2050.

 

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The Expected Impacts of Climate Change on the Ocean Economy

High Level Panel for a Sustainable Economy

Climate change is altering ocean climate, chemistry, circulation, sea level and ice distribution. Collectively, these system changes have critical impacts on the habitats, biological productivities and species assemblages that underpin many of the economic benefits of the sea.

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The Ocean as a Solution to Climate Change

Ove Hoegh-Guldberg Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism

The HLP report offers the first comprehensive, integrated assessment of the mitigation potential of a suite of ocean-based activities: renewable energy, transport, food production, and ecosystems, and the potential future contribution from carbon storage if current concerns can be resolved.

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