Quick Dips
Curated topical articles on the Blue Economy
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
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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
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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)
Steven Adler, CEO Ocean Data Alliance
It’s well known that the majority of people now live in towns and cities. It’s more surprising to learn just how many of the world’s population live on or near the coast. Forty percent of people are within 100km of a shoreline. Not coincidentally, most major problems in our oceans are found within 100km of the coast.Read more → (12 minute read)
Mareesa Nicosia Energy Solutions
Tech Titans’ Philanthropy Puts Oceans Front and Center
While the ocean covers more than 70% of the earth's surface, the precious global resource receives just a fraction of all philanthropic funding—less than 1% since 2009, according to FundingtheOcean.org, an effort by the nonprofit Foundation Center to track ocean conservation philanthropy.
Titans of the technology and finance sectors, however, are increasingly committing resources to help solve the biggest problems facing our oceans, include warming temperatures, overfishing, and ocean acidification from increased carbon emissions.
Read more → (4 minute read)
Global Aquaculture Alliance Fisheries & Aquaculture
By 2030, 62 percent of all seafood produced for human consumption will come from aquaculture. Today, it’s about 50 percent. So, what is aquaculture?
Read more → (3 minute read)
