HIGH SEAS TREATY UPDATE FOR THE GLOBAL OCEAN BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Latest Developments re the Agreement on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (“BBNJ Agreement”)The UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS) recently announced the High Seas Treaty Preparatory Commission meeting at UN Headquarters
(New York, June 24, 2024) to prepare for the entry into force of the BBNJ Agreement and the first Conference of the Parties.
The final BBNJ Agreement text under UNCLOS was adopted on June 19, 2023, and opened for signatures on September 20, 2023.
The BBNJ Agreement aims to protect marine biodiversity beyond national EEZ boundaries through an international framework for area-based management, environmental impact assessments, marine technology transfer, and benefit-sharing of marine genetic resources.
The June 2024 preparatory meeting will address organizational matters, including electing Co-Chairs, setting meeting dates, and planning the Commission’s work program. Meeting documents and related information are available at https://www.un.org/Depts/los/bbnj.htm.
DOALOS has invited non-government observer organizations to register for the event, and the World Ocean Council (WOC) will register by the June 7 deadline.
Currently, there are 90 signatory states and 4 ratifying states. The Agreement will enter into force as international law once 60 states ratify it. The preparatory meeting aims to encourage signatory states to ratify the Agreement.
WOC, an accredited observer to the BBNJ negotiations, has consistently involved the ocean industry in the process and updates the global ocean business community through briefings, the WOC Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS), webinars, and briefings.
WOC members are encouraged to review the treaty document (link above) and advise WOC on sector-based issues as the Agreement moves toward potential entry into force by the end of 2025.
WOC PROJECT SPOTLIGHT
GREEN MARINE MED
WOC Mediterranean Centre of Excellence on Green Shipping Recognized as an Official UN Decade Action.
We are very proud and honored that the World Ocean Council (WOC) Mediterranean Green Shipping Centre of Excellence has been recognized as a contribution to the UN Ocean Decade on Ocean Science for Sustainability! This WOC initiative, part of the GREEN MARINE MED project, aims to help green shipping start-ups connect with the wider investment ecosystem in the Mediterranean, promote sustainable practices in maritime transport, and stimulate economic growth in the region.
GREEN MARINE MED: First National Stakeholder Event in Trieste, Italy a Great Success.
The first national event of the GREEN MARINE MED project, held in the framework of the Italian Next Maritime Technology Day, took place on May 14th in Trieste, Italy. More than 100 attendees participated in sessions focusing on the greening and digitalization of the maritime sector. Insights were gathered through dedicated thematic tables, and the outcomes from the Italian event will be shared at the Mediterranean level with the GREEN MARINE MED partnership. The next stakeholder event will be held in Türkiye in June 2024.
Subscribe to our GREEN MARINE MED newsletter to stay updated on our latest developments and initiatives.
Congratulations to Global Ocean Teams Selected for $100M XPRIZE CARBON REMOVAL Competition.
The XPRIZE Carbon Removal is a $100M global competition created by the Musk Foundation to identify solutions that can pull CO2 from the atmosphere or oceans and sequester it sustainably. Teams must demonstrate a solution that can remove 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and scale to gigatonne levels to win the $50M first prize.
On May 8, 2024, the XPRIZE Carbon Removal announced their top 20 teams from over 1,300 entries across 88 countries. In in the ocean category, the top teams were Captura, Ebb Carbon, Planetary, and Kelp Blue. Additionally, 21 ocean-focused teams, including WOC Members Vesta, Ocean Nourishment Corporation, Seafields, Gigablue and Rewind, were among the top 100.We also congratulate The Climate Foundation, a long-term WOC associate, for winning a first-round $1 million prize. The Musk Foundation and the XPRIZE team are significantly accelerating carbon removal, including ocean-based solutions.
If you are working on an ocean-based carbon removal solution and would like to join the World Ocean Council ecosystem, please reach out to Jill Storey, Ocean Carbon Removals Advisor, at jill@oceancouncil.org.
Webinar: Business Opportunities and Challenges for CO2 Removal.
The WOC is delighted to have been invited to be part of the panel for the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) gGmbH webinar Business Opportunities and Challenges for Carbon Dioxide Removal, on Friday, June 7th, at 11:00 (CEST), as part of the UPTAKE project’s webinar series on C02 removal (CDR).
The UPTAKE project is a sister project to the EU-funded SEAO2-CDR project of which the WOC is a partner.
The webinar will explore the opportunities and challenges in the fast-evolving carbon removal industry. Learn about new insights from the forthcoming State of CDR Report and hear from industry experts across various removal methods, including DACCS, BECCS, biochar, enhanced weathering, ocean CDR and forest CDR.The webinar is free to attend and you can register here.
Webinar: BLUE GLUE – Cities, Ports and People.
Don’t miss the next wave as we celebrate Capitol Hill Ocean Week with our partners in the United States! The WOC and The Center for Sea Rise Solutions invite you to the next interactive session on Blue Glue, first launched at the UN Ocean Decade conference (Barcelona, 12 April 2024), with the City Council and Port of Barcelona. Join us as we discuss the outcomes from Barcelona, hear from some of our “wave maker” speakers representing ports, cities, governments, schools, NGOs and more, as well as set the “call to action” for gatherings in July and November.
“Blue Glue” is a proposed new phrase to describe how our ports and harbors can connect neighboring communities, the maritime industry and coastal stakeholders to explore emerging opportunities in workforce development, innovation and economic growth that tackles the climate crisis and advances equity and inclusion goals. The growing collaboration is centered on four intersecting arenas – education, infrastructure, economy and community equity and governance.
WOC MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
The World Ocean Council membership brings together a diverse range of companies and organizations of all sizes from across the sectors and around the world in the only global Blue Economy Business and Investment Organization.
We invite companies from the ocean business, industry, innovation and investment communities to join the WOC and collaborate in Corporate Ocean Responsibility leadership, collaboration and action.
THIS MONTH’S MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS
As an ocean impact agency, Deepblue Earth is working with bluetech centres, venture funds and ESG-driven corporates on tangible solutions from ideation to execution.
With its global network of partners, Deepblue Earth provides strategic advisory services for ocean impact portfolios and new ventures in the Sustainable Blue Economy. Based at the heart of Europe in the deep tech ecosystem of Aachen / Germany, Deepblue Earth has an extensive network within the Sustainable Blue Economy on all continents.
Sun&Blue Congress is the leading event that delves into Tourism and the Blue Economy and gathers experts from different fields such as those responsible for coastal, inland and river tourism destinations, companies and associations, service providers, solutions and technology.
This brings together a wide range of international key players in the field of sustainable tourism, including political institutions, destination management organizations, scientific institutions, associations, and private companies to meet and share strategies to move from theory to joint action in the management of blue tourism destinations in terms of innovation, digitization, entrepreneurship, and sustainability.
NatureMetrics’s mission is to empower the best decisions for nature to drive a nature-positive economy.NatureMetrics operates as a global nature intelligence technology firm, offering a complete solution for nature monitoring and impact reporting. Their Nature Intelligence Platform, powered by eDNA, empowers businesses to assess their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity at a large scale. By translating the complexities of nature into straightforward insights, NatureMetrics assists in making informed decisions that benefit both nature and business.Website
The National Oceanogrpahic Centre (NOC) is one of the world’s top oceanographic institutions. NOC provides the UK’s National Capability needed to be a top global player, to lead and participate in international cooperations. They undertake world-leading research in large-scale oceanography and ocean measurement technology innovation; working with government and business to turn great science and technology into advice and applications.
NOC supports scientists in universities and research institutes with facilities, research infrastructure and irreplaceable data assets – enabling the UK to harness the full power and diversity of its ocean science talent. Website
With such members, the World Ocean Council has created the only global platform organization focused on ocean sustainability, built by and for the private sector, with a network of 35,000 companies, finance firms, entrepreneurs, business associations, media, etc.
We invite companies, finance firms, entrepreneurs, and industry associations to join the WOC and collaborate in Corporate Ocean Responsibility leadership.
WORLD OCEANO COUNCIL: EXCLUSIVE STRATEGIC PARTNER OF OCEANOVATION FESTIVAL 2024
This outstanding event celebrates innovation and sustainability in ocean-related industries, bringing together over 450 innovators, investors, corporate leaders, and ocean/innovation experts from around the world.
SPECIAL OFFER TO OUR NETWORK: Receive a special 30% discount with the code OCVN30 at checkout! For more on the festival, visit www.oceanovation.live
RECENT & UPCOMING ENGAGEMENTS
Blue Economy Conference 1-2 May 2024, Dubai Paul Holthus, CEO, WOC, keynote speaker and panelist IGNITE22 (by Braid Theory)
2 May 2024, Los Angeles Stewart Sarkozy-Banoczy, Managing Director, WOC, participant Annual Investment Meeting (AIM) Congress
7-9 May 2024, Abu Dhabi Paul Holthus, CEO, WOC, panelist Geospatial World Forum – Blue Economy Summit
15-16 May 2024, Rotterdam Lisa Simone de Grunt, Director of Programmes, WOC, speaker Carbon Unbound USA Campfire Session – Smart Corporate Climate Strategy Must Include the Ocean
22 May 2024, New York City Jill Storey, Ocean Carbon Removals Advisor, WOC, moderator Ocean Global Canada Summit
21-24 May, St. Andrews-by-the-Sea Paul Holthus, CEO, WOC, keynote speaker and panellist
European Maritime Day 30 May 2024, Svendborg Lisa Simone de Grunt, Director of Programmes, workshop organizer/chair
OCEANOVATION Festival 19-20 June, The Hague Paul Holthus, CEO, WOC, moderator/ Keynote speaker
World Ocean Council (WOC)The Global Blue Economy Business and Investment Organization
WOC is the international, cross-sectoral alliance for private sector leadership and collaboration on ocean sustainability, stewardship, and science. Companies from a range of industries worldwide are distinguishing themselves as leaders in “Corporate Ocean Responsibility,” including shipping, offshore energy, tourism, fisheries, aquaculture, ocean technology, and investment. The WOC is a registered not-for-profit in the U.S. and Europe, with its HQ in Barcelona. info@oceancouncil.org | www.ocean
