the ocean

70% of the globe constitutes oceans. The world’s aquatic ecosystems constitute a rich diversity of resources and services. This includes about 2.2 million species of plants, animals and other organisms which represent between 50 to 80% of all life on earth. The ocean plays a vital role for the oxygen we breathe; most of this oxygen comes from tiny ocean plants – called phytoplankton – that live near the water’s surface and drift with the currents. Scientists believe that phytoplankton contribute between 50 to 85 percent of the oxygen in Earth’s atmosphere.

 

There are many other vital roles we barely know such as:

  • The ocean transport heat from the equator to the poles, regulating our climate and weather
  • The ocean stores 50x more carbon dioxide than the atmosphere.
  • Mangroves, seagrass and salt marshes remove 10x more CO2 than a rainforest
  • The ocean can produce thermal energy from the sun´s heat and mechanical energy from the ties and waves; it is estimated that 0,1% of the ocean waves could be capable of supplying the entire´s world energy requirements five times over.
  • It is the origin of the water we drink
  • Oceans provide at least a sixth of the animal protein people eat.
  • We are just starting to find out the ocean´s potential in providing medicines.


In short, the ocean is the planet’s life support system.  The diversity and productivity of the world’s oceans is a vital interest for humankind. Our security, our economy, our very survival all require healthy oceans.

Besides allowing us to exist as human beings, it also contributes to our economy. The ocean’s economic contribution to humankind (BLUE ECONOMY) has been significantly undervalued but the importance is extremely relevant;

  • Industries based on the blue economy contribute approximately 1.5 trillion USD (2.5%) to global gross value added.
  • The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that half of the world’s population lives within 60 kilometers of coastlines. Three quarters of all large cities of the world are located along coasts, such as: Tokyo, Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai, Jakarta, Mumbai, New York, Lima.
  • About 90 percent of world trade goes through port cities, reinforcing global value chains and generating employment.
  • Our coastlines are vitally important resources for many of the world’s most vulnerable people, communities and societies.
  • It provides us oil, gas, food, medicines, means of transportation, jobs, tourism and recreation.


There is also the other side of the coin we all know. The pollution has come to extreme levels.  The effects of climate change and pollution have already caused damage to aquatic ecosystems all over the world. Every minute we throw a truck of litter into the ocean! 90% of the big fish is gone. More than 75 percent of world fish stocks are already fully exploited, overexploited, depleted or recovering from depletion. The vast majority of overexploited fisheries are in developing coastal states and island nations. Widespread destruction of mangroves (Bahamas, Australia) and Coral Reefs (Caribbean, Red Sea) has resulted in the loss of some of the world’s most diverse ecosystems not only because of global warming but also because of improperly treated sewage, and fertilizers. There are at least 5 areas of concentration («plastic soup») of the plastic are floating in the oceans some of them bigger as the size of Mexico.

 Many countries start to realize that and “a sustainable blue economy” features strongly in several regional strategies aimed at attaining the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and in several countries we see projects to restore the coral reefs, projects replanting mangroves and we see sustainable fishing practices implemented. We also see projects trying to avoid that the litter goes into the ocean and large groups of volunteers in clean-up initiatives.

 However, most of these initiatives are still isolated and not enough. Additionally, there is a lack of integration and alignment with the many initiatives around the world and even at local levels, knowledge is not shared enough.

We consider that large scale systemic solutions are needed that have sustainability at its core and this motivated us to create THE BLUE ECONOMY LAB.

Blue economy

Economic activities related to oceans, seas and coasts, such as; Transport/ ports, fishing tourism, energy, extraction of minerals, medicines, desalination to produce water suitable for human consumption or irrigation and other economic activities directly or indirectly related.

Sustainable

  • Provides opportunities to the vulnerable local communities 
  • Assures a true stewardship of our ocean, of its ecosystems and ‘blue’ resources. 
  • Cherishes and protects its economic benefits that are not considered in the economic growth model, such as oxygen,  carbon storage, coastal protection, cultural values and biodiversity.