The Ocean Stewardship 2030 project provides a roadmap for addressing five critical areas for healthy and productive oceans. This UN Global Compact project, managed by DNV, is forging the necessary inter-industry partnerships, between aquaculture, agriculture, shipping, offshore wind, and others to address the challenges and opportunities collaboratively.
The ocean is the primary means of global trade as well as, increasingly, humanity’s dietary and energy needs. At the same time, ocean health is rapidly diminishing, and critical dimensions of public and private governance must be addressed. Humanity must establish a relationship with the oceans that is based upon respect, balance and a sense of stewardship for the common good, which calls for a major collaborative effort.
This is outlined in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, by Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life below water), together with the GHG emission reductions of the Paris Agreement, and the forthcoming Decade of Ocean Science.
“This report contains clear points of action for Governments and businesses, building on the Sustainable Ocean Principles. It calls for cross-sectoral, holistic responses, and elevates the ambition for industry leadership.”
Remi
Group President and CEO
DNV
Collaborative, integrated ocean management
Key is the principle of measured progress; continuously taking stock of progress towards the UN SDG targets by private and public stakeholders.
With this in mind, DNV has led the UN Global Compact Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business’ Ocean Stewardship 2030 report. This will help guide global policymaking toward responsible ocean stewardship.
The report outlines five critical areas to manage: sustainable seafood; decarbonized shipping; harnessing ocean electricity; ending waste dumping; and mapping the ocean. Within each of the critical areas, contributors have worked together to identify two ambitions. The report establishes concrete recommendations as to which policies must be in place, with regard to business and government, to achieve these ambitions.
This report is a major collaborative effort authored by the UN Global Compact, with DNV acting as project manager. DNV stresses that this spirit of collaboration will be absolutely intrinsic to the task ahead.
Further, integrated ocean management is also key; governing the stakeholder industries in a holistic way, encouraging dialogue and understanding between them, while also fostering both pragmatism and ambition in using the ocean responsibly.
The benefits
There is a balance to be struck between productivity and protection of ocean health, as the ocean effectively regulates the climate, and provides humanity with affordable renewable energy and protein-rich food sources – extraction of which can be increased, sustainably, if correctly addressed.
Disrupting the balance of the ocean ecosystem, however profitable in the short term, will lead to major long-term losses. Taking the right measures now, on the other hand, will lead to enormous benefits.
