Humanity’s relationship with the ocean can be summed up in two words: exploration and exploitation. Together, they are driving a sea change in the health and future prospects of the ocean. Sustaining the energy, food, minerals and jobs that make up our Blue Economy—while at the same time conserving the ocean, has become one of our most important collective global challenges.

Given how vital a healthy ocean is, I am delighted that countries have created their own annual international conference - the Our Ocean Conference. First launched by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in 2014 it is being held this year in Washington, D.C. September 15-16th. The Blue Economy challenge will be firmly on the table, and for us at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) this is an opportunity to shift the narrative away from viewing the ocean as another problem, and instead, treating it as part of the solution.

Our global Blue Economy is growing so rapidly that the impacts have not yet been fully assessed. From oil and gas to offshore wind, we increasingly rely on energy that comes from the ocean. We have developed an aquaculture industry that provides half the world’s seafood and is the fastest growing food production sector. Marine tourism is projected to triple in the next 15 years.

Investment in the Blue Economy is soaring, and many sectors are set to grow exponentially by 2030; offshore wind by as much as 8,000%, and aquaculture and fish processing by over 300%. The potential for food, jobs and renewable energy production is enormous.

But, alongside these rewards come huge risks. We know that the ocean is bearing the brunt of climate change: it has absorbed 90% of our excess heat and 25% of our carbon emissions, causing it to become 30% more acidic. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, 85% of global fish stocks are “overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion,” while illegal fishing costs coastal nations up to $25 billion a year.

Our efforts must ensure that developing the Blue Economy does not come at the cost of ocean health. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) projects that under a sustainable scenario, with high economic growth and low ecological deterioration, the ocean economy will more than double its global value added to reach $3.2 trillion by 2030.

Reports

2018

Envisioning a Great Green City

Sustainable Land Bonds

The Business of Planting Trees

2017

Lands of Opportunity

Environmental Market for Stream Barrier Removal

Funding Trees for Health

The Power of Rivers: A Business Case

Assessing the Return on Investment in Watershed Conservation

The Biggest Environmental Challenges of 2017

State of Private Investment in Conservation

Beyond The Source

Our World in a Climate of Change: 2016 Annual Report

2016

Progress Report Towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets

Coastal Blue Carbon Ecosystems: Opportunities for Nationally Determined Contributions

reThink Soil Roadmap

Planting Healthy Air

Strong Voices, Active Choices

Water Share Report

Sub-Saharan Africa's Urban Water Blueprint

Atlas of Ocean Wealth

Improving Hydropower Outcomes: An Example from Myanmar

China Urban Water Blueprint

Managing Coasts with Natural Solutions

Our World: 2015 Annual Report

2015

Global Lands Report

A World at Risk: Global Development Risk Assessment

The Power of Rivers Report

Early Lessons from Jurisdictional REDD+

Sharing the Benefits of REDD+

Protect, Transform, Inspire: 2014 Annual Report

2014

Urban Water Blueprint

Investing in Conservation: A Market Assessment

Coasts at Risk