Towards a Blue Society, An Ocean of opportunities

Philippe VALLETTECo-President, World Ocean NetworkGeneral Manager, Nausicaá

Where are we today?

Overexploitation : 80 % of fish stock over exploited or fully exploitedSome stocks – like the North Atlantic Cod – will not recover

Pollution without borders Everything winds up in the sea80 % of marine pollution comes from the landDead zones drift away far from the coasts

Global ocean has warmed up to a depth of 3 000 mSea level is rising 1,8 mm/year threatening coasts and islandsAbsorbing more CO2, ocean is becoming more acid

FINITE MARINE RESOURCES

FINITE SPACE

UPSETTING THE OVERALL BALANCEOCEAN AND CLIMATE CHANGE

OUR OCEAN PLANET: The current Situation

• 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

SHARING BENEFITS AND RESOURCES is becoming less equitable due to the way our societies have developed

SOCIETY DEVELOPMENT The difficulties encountered

Unfortunately, all of that is true!

But we can also consider the situation another way,

a more positive way.

SOCIETY DEVELOPMENTChanging our vision

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…

OCEANS OF OPPORTUNITY … Our life-support system on Earth

THE OCEAN : essential resources

• 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

• 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

OCEANS OF OPPORTUNITY … Our life-support system on Earth

In the last ten years, our vision on the Ocean planet has changed

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY

• 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

In the last ten years, many things have started to change

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY

• 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…

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.

TOWARDS THE BLUE SOCIETY 

But now we must take a new turn!

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY

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.

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.

WHAT IS A BLUE SOCIETY?

Let’s imagine…

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY 

• 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…

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY

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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 moreinitiatives by a global mobilization of all actors.

EconomyInvesting in new opportunities, innovation & sustainable activities

SocietyPromoting well-being & equal access to services& resources

EnvironmentPreserving ecosystems and their potential

Space equityDeveloping

geographical balance in access & use of marine resources

Time equityManaging the means

of subsistence for inhabitants of today & generations to come

GovernanceFostering good ocean governance

BLUE SOCIETYOceans of new opportunities for all

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETYComponents

EconomyInvesting in new opportunities, innovation & sustainable activities

SocietyPromoting well-being & equal access to services& resources

EnvironmentPreserving ecosystems and their potential

CultureDeveloping common understanding & and integrated vision

Space equityDeveloping

geographical balance in access & use of marine resources

Time equityManaging the means

of subsistence for inhabitants of today & generations to come

GovernanceFostering good ocean governance

BLUE SOCIETYOceans of new opportunities for all

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETYComponents

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETYEmpowering all actors

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Innovating, sharing, multiplying and exchanging positive experiences and good practices around the world will allow the development of a "Blue Society".

Foster research and innovation

Sea for Society

Mobilize politics and decision-

makers

Global Ocean Forum,Ocean days

Engage the public and the civil

society

World Ocean Network,

Islands projects

The ocean is one of the main solutions to get outof the global crisis that we currently live.

Let us not waste this chance.Let us believe again in progress.

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY

TOWARDS A BLUE SOCIETY

Oceans of opportunities…Oceans of new ideas…Oceans of partnerships…Oceans of actions…

Please join!

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

Thank you