Towards a Blue Society, An Ocean of opportunities

1. Towards a Blue Society, An Ocean of opportunities Philippe VALLETTE Co-President, World Ocean Network General Manager, Nausicaá

2. Where are we today?

3. OUR OCEAN PLANET: The current Situation FINITE MARINE RESOURCES Overexploitation : 80 % of fish stock over exploited or fully exploited Some stocks – like the North Atlantic Cod – will not recover FINITE SPACE Pollution without borders Everything winds up in the sea 80 % of marine pollution comes from the land Dead zones drift away far from the coasts UPSETTING THE OVERALL BALANCE OCEAN AND CLIMATE CHANGE Global ocean has warmed up to a depth of 3 000 m Sea level is rising 1,8 mm/year threatening coasts and islands Absorbing more CO2, ocean is becoming more acid

4. SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT The difficulties encountered SHARING BENEFITS AND RESOURCES is becoming less equitable due to the way our societies have developed • Resource access and consumption modes - • 20% population use 80% resources. • Effects of environmental disturbance and • loss of natural resources are stronger on • the population in poor countries. • Humankind consumes many resources and produces much waste - some economists estimate that we could produce the same quantity by using 80% less energy • Inadequate governance and management modes • Population explosion of our species leading to growing needs to ensure our survival

5. SOCIETY DEVELOPMENTChanging our vision Unfortunately, all of that is true! But we can also consider the situation another way, a more positive way.

6. OCEANS OF OPPORTUNITY … Our life-support system on Earth THE OCEAN : essential services • 1-50 million undiscovered marine life forms • 97% of the Earth’s water is in the sea • 50% of the oxygen we breath is produced by ocean plankton, which is more than all the tropical forests in the world • The ocean regulates gases, limits climate change • The ocean provides essential ecological services : regulation, protection, preserving vitality of ecosystems, nutrients recycling…

7. OCEANS OF OPPORTUNITY … Our life-support system on Earth THE OCEAN : essential resources • Ocean resources have been valued at $21 trillion (terrestrial $12 trillions) • 80% of Earth’s mineral resources are estimated to be in the sea • 50% of pharmaceutical anti-cancer arsenal comes from marine organisms • 60% of the food of tropical developing countries comes from the sea • Over 1 billion people rely on fish and other seafood as their primary energy source of animal protein

8. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY In the last ten years, our vision on the Ocean planet has changed • The role of ocean in climate regulation, as well as the role of marine biodiversity in our planet’s resilience have been better understood, • Pollution from the land has been recognized as a priority issue, • Services provided by marine ecosystems have been evaluated and priced, • Marine protected area networks have been developed, • Awareness on the need to better manage living marine resources has improved

9. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY In the last ten years, many things have started to change • New resources from sustainable tourism in marine protected areas • Mangrove and coral restoration to protect coast from the effect of extreme weather event, rising tides • Integrated coastal management • Development of renewable energy • Marine resource management with involvement of local communities…

10. TOWARDS THE BLUE SOCIETY  These examples are only a few among many positive initiatives that show the necessity to integrate systematically social, economy, environment and culture in order to maintain geographical equity and time equity.

11. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY But now we must take a new turn! We are today in a very exciting moment of the story of humankind: we need to reinvent the world. This means that what we have to do is to think out of the box. 200 years ago, at the beginning of the industrial revolution, we could not imagine that our activities could change the great balance of our planet. Now we know that we must take in account the fact that our planet is a limited world, with limited resources. And we, the ocean community, are convinced that an important part of the solution will come from the sea.

12. WHAT IS A BLUE SOCIETY? A new ambitious vision of society in a spirit of sustainability, well-being and equity. A new economic, social and technological approach based on the tremendous opportunities offered by the Ocean for new resources, innovative solutions and positive experiences.

13. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY  Let’s imagine… • A boat using the energy of the waves for • propulsion • A reactor using microalgae to extract • CO2 from the atmosphere • New sources of renewable energy • produced by differences of temperature • in seawater • More medicines to heal cancer and other diseases extracted from marine organisms • Seawalls made out of corals to protect coasts from waves • Marine bacteria discovered to recycle and purify polluted water and waste…

14. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY • The concept of Blue Society takes into account the entirety of demands related to sustainability from: • An ecological point of view: sustainable management to ensure ecosystems’ resilience and functioning • An economic point of view: economic aspects and value of biodiversity and ecosystem services • A political point of view: effective governance of the ocean • AND also : • A social point of view: so that ocean resources and services are shared by all in a spirit of equity for sustainable livelihoods • A cultural point of view: integration and appropriation by all citizens of the Ocean in their daily lives and culture • Towards a Blue Society, we have to implement many more • initiatives by a global mobilization of all actors.

15. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETYComponents Economy Investing in new opportunities, innovation & sustainable activities Society Promoting well-being & equal access to services & resources Environment Preserving ecosystems and their potential Space equity Developing geographical balance in access & use of marine resources Time equity Managing the means of subsistence for inhabitants of today & generations to come Governance Fostering good ocean governance BLUE SOCIETY Oceans of new opportunities for all

16. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETYComponents Economy Investing in new opportunities, innovation & sustainable activities Society Promoting well-being & equal access to services & resources Environment Preserving ecosystems and their potential Culture Developing common understanding & and integrated vision Space equity Developing geographical balance in access & use of marine resources Time equity Managing the means of subsistence for inhabitants of today & generations to come Governance Fostering good ocean governance BLUE SOCIETY Oceans of new opportunities for all

17. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETYEmpowering all actors Mobilize politics and decision-makers Global Ocean Forum, Ocean days Foster research and innovation Sea for Society Engage the public and the civil society World Ocean Network, Islands projects Innovating, sharing, multiplying and exchanging positive experiences and good practices around the world will allow the development of a "Blue Society".

18. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY The ocean is one of the main solutions to get out of the global crisis that we currently live. Let us not waste this chance. Let us believe again in progress.

19. TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY Oceans of opportunities… Oceans of new ideas… Oceans of partnerships… Oceans of actions… Please join!

20. Thank you World Ocean Network c/o Nausicaá, Centre National de la Mer Boulevard Sainte Beuve – BP 189 – 62203 Boulogne-sur-Mer Cedex France Tel.: +33 (0) 3 21 30 99 93 – Fax: +33 (0) 3 21 30 93 94 www.worldoceannetwork.org info@worldoceannetwork.org