Quick Dips
Curated topical articles on the Blue Economy
Ben Lamm, Founder, Hypergiant Fisheries & Aquaculture
While the Amazon plays a vital role in global carbon absorption (and we should continue to try and save it), between 1994 and 2007, our oceans absorbed 34 gigatons of the world’s carbon through algae, vegetation, and coral. In other words, the trees might not save us—but the oceans could.Read more → (8 minute read)
Brad Plumer Energy Solutions
Climate change is heating the oceans and altering their chemistry so dramatically that it is threatening seafood supplies, fueling cyclones and floods and posing profound risks to the hundreds of millions of people living along the coasts.
Read more → (8 minute read)
NASA Earth Observatory Tourism
Sea surface temperatures have a large influence on climate and weather. For example, every 3 to 7 years a wide swath of the Pacific Ocean along the equator warms by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius. This warming is a hallmark of the climate pattern El Niño, which changes rainfall patterns around the globe, causing heavy rainfall in the southern United States and severe drought in Australia, Indonesia, and southern Asia.Read more → (14 minute read)
Ocean Conservancy Plastics & Pollution
You’ve probably seen videos of these impacts first hand, like a sea turtle with a plastic straw embedded in its nose or a whale entangled in a fishing net, approaching divers that release it from harm. Some of these incidents have happy endings, but in reality, many more do not. Plastic has been found in more than 60% of all seabirds and in 100% of sea turtles species, that mistake plastic for food. And when animals ingest plastic, it can cause life-threatening problems, including reduced fitness, nutrient uptake and feeding efficiency—all vital for survival. Every year, 8 million metric tons...
Read more → (2 minute read)
Dieter Holger, Wall Street Journal Fisheries & Aquaculture
Aquaculture is surfacing as an attractive sector for green investors. The farming of fish, and other waterborne organic protein, such as algae, is becoming increasingly important to the world’s growing population. Aquaculture’s share of global fish consumption climbed to 50% in 2014 from 18% in 1990, and is expected to reach 57% by 2025, according to UBS.
Read more → (4 minute read)
The Nature Conservancy Tourism
The world’s first insurance policy on a coral reef is now in place in Mexico
Read more → (3 minute read)
Todd Woody, National Geographic Fisheries & Aquaculture
Farming seaweed, then sinking the mature plants to the bottom of the ocean, could be an effective way to fight warming. So why don’t we do it?
Read more → (5 minute read)
World Ocean Initiative
Japan is grappling with the blue economy agenda as it tries to increase economic growth and social wellbeing while protecting the environmentRead more → (15 minute read)
Various (Washington Post, Seattle Times)
Is there a person in the world that doesn’t like to sit on the beach, take a short break from the daily grind, and enjoy the beautiful ocean scenery?Read more → (4 minute read)
Charles Haine Shipping & Ports
The UK government recently launched a clean maritime plan to achieve zero-emission shipping and clean growth for the maritime sector—one of the first countries to do so. A key action is that, by 2025, all new vessels being ordered for use in UK waters are designed with zero-emission propulsion capability.Read more → (13 minute read)
Kelly Bastone, Outside Magazine Fisheries & Aquaculture
Like many Florida waters, Lake Bonnet had become overrun with plant slime. In fact, all 50 states and many countries worldwide are struggling with epidemic levels of algae that can prove toxic to people and ecosystems. “Red tides” of algae along Florida’s Gulf Coast have killed tons of fish and marine mammals.Read more → (10 minute read)
TED talk by Tim Flannery Fisheries & Aquaculture
It's time for planetary-scale interventions to combat climate change -- and environmentalist Tim Flannery thinks seaweed can help.
Read more → (14 minute video)
David Yaffe-Bellany Fisheries & Aquaculture
First, there was the meatless burger. Soon we may have fishless fish.
Read more → (4 minute read)
Costas Paris Shipping & Ports
Citigroup, Société Générale and DNB are among the banks that will add ‘clean shipping’ criteria in ship financing
Read more → (2 minute read)
European Federation for Transport and Environment Shipping & Ports Tourism
The fact that cruise ships are causing pollution in the port cities they visit is not a new one, but a recent study shows that ships operated by a single line emitted ten times more sulphur oxides (SOx) than all of Europe’s 260 million cars in 2017.Read more → (2 minute read)
Maram Ahmed, World Economic Forum
Innovative financial solutions will be required to enhance ocean and coastal resilience.
Read more → (4 minute read)
Ben Paynter Fisheries & Aquaculture
Read more → (4 minute read)
Ingrid van Wees, World Economic Forum
With the future viability of so many economies and livelihoods at stake, saving our blighted oceans is a key development challenge.
Read more → (5 minute read)
Reuters Shipping & Ports Tourism
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) on Friday agreed stricter energy efficiency targets for certain types of ships in an effort to speed up action to cut the sector’s emissions.Read more → (2 minute read)
Charles Avis, Public Information Officer (UN Environment) Plastics & Pollution
Decisions on plastic waste have been reached today in Geneva, as approximately 180 governments adopted a raft of decisions aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of hazardous chemicals and waste.
Read more → (6 minute read)
