Ocean issues will be debated in this summit for the first time.
The Oceano Azul Foundation, with the contributions of R. Andreas Kraemer (coordinator), Tiago Pitta e Cunha and Miguel Herédia, participated in the “Think 20” network – which is composed of 23 experts from 13 think-tanks of eight countries -, that has produced a policy brief which is being presented and discussed at the G20 meeting.
This document, whose recipients are the G20 leaders, also reflects the Foundation’s positioning on the Blue Economy. This will be the first time that oceans’ matters will be discussed at the G20 level, that will happen on July 7th and 8th, In Hamburg, Germany.
In the presented policy brief, it is demonstrated that the ocean is an economic growth enabler (ocean’s economy may represent between three and five percent of the global GDP), as well of jobs and innovation, being estimated that it may generate a value of 22 trillion euros, and also shows that there are gaps and weaknesses in the law and policy, resulting in unregulated or illegal activities, as well as inadequate stewardship. This exhortation will be made by “Think 20” to the G20 leaders, stating the ocean’s current state of decline and, on the other hand, its economic potential. “The ocean economy is unsustainable and it needs much better governance”, the think-tank states.
Among new policy proposals concerning the ocean, one can find the creation of a global governance model, endorsed by the G20, and also a call for maritime economy dialogues and cooperation at a regional level, this way ensuring that investment and growth based on ocean uses become sustainable and reaches its full potential. The ocean is the most biologically diverse and productive system on the planet, and potentially the largest provider of food, materials, energy, among other important ecosystem services.
Read the complete policy brief here.
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