H2O Global News - Issue 10

Empowering Water Utilities with Smart Energy Management

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Publisher’s note

Dear Readers, Welcome to this special edition of H2O Global News, where we celebrate a vital and majestic part of our planet—our oceans. As we mark this year’s Oceans Day, our theme for 2024 is “Catalysing Action for Our Ocean & Climate.” Our goal is to galvanise transformative collaboration to foster not only a healthy blue planet but also a just, equitable, and sustainable society.

This edition is particularly significant as it shines a spotlight on the incredible work being done to protect our oceans. Our cover features the inspiring Jo Royle, founder of Common Seas. Jo’s expertise in ocean expeditions, technology, and policy offers a fascinating glimpse into her journey and the impactful changes she has pioneered. Her story is a testament to what can be achieved when passion meets purpose, and it serves as a powerful reminder of the individual and collective efforts required to safeguard our marine environments.

Through the pages of this edition, we delve into the innovative projects and collaborative efforts making waves (pun intended) in ocean conservation. From cutting-edge technologies that monitor marine health to grassroots initiatives that drive local engagement and policy shifts, the stories we present highlight the diverse and dynamic approaches necessary for catalysing action.

Looking ahead, our vision is nothing short of ambitious. By forging partnerships and working collaboratively, we believe in creating a healthier and more abundant future for all. The World Ocean Day network, with its extensive range of partners, is a shining example of what can be achieved through unified efforts. Over the years, this growing global movement has collectively secured some major victories, and we are excited to continue this momentum.

We encourage you to dive deep into this edition, absorb the insights shared by our contributors, and reflect on the ways you can be part of this transformative journey. Our oceans are a shared resource, and their wellbeing is intrinsic to our own. Together, we can Galvanise the action needed to ensure a thriving blue planet for generations to come.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to ocean conservation.

Warm regards,

Abby Davey Publisher and Co-Founder

Publisher and Co-Founder

Abby Davey abby@h2oglobalnews.com

Creative Director and Co-Founder

Louise Davey louise@h2oglobalnews.com

Editorial Team

Darby Bonner darby@h2oglobalnews.com

Martyn Shuttleworth martyn@h2oglobalnews.com

Natasha Posnett natasha@h2oglobalnews.com

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H2O Global News delivers news from around the world covering the Drinking/ Potable Water, Hydropower and Wastewater industries incorporating technology, companies, legislation, the environment and case studies. The H2O Global News Magazine is published four times a year (Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter) by Blue Manta Media Limited, Buckinghamshire, England, UK.

H2O Global News t/a Blue Manta Media Limited has used utmost care to ensure and maintain the accuracy, completeness and currency of information published on this site. We, however, take no responsibility for any errors or omission, though if notified of any we will endeavour to rectify such.

CGN is an innovative platform that bridges the gap between industry, research and policy in a modern climate conversation. We enable our users to engage in meaningful conversations about the future of our planet and strive to create an open space where collaborators from all sectors can work together for sustainable progress.

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4-9 Editor Features

10-13 Plastic Pollution is Threatening The Blue Economy

14-16 Cleveland Water Alliance: Pioneering Innovation for Sustainable Water Management

18-21 Communities, Conservation, and Connecting Blue Minds with Hanli Prinsloo

23-25 IntelliReefs: Revolutionising Ocean Conservation at Offshore Wind Farm Sites

26-27 Ocean Recovery Declaration: Supporting a Sustainable Blue Economy at a Local Government Level

28-30 Africa’s Blue Economy: Building a Sustainable Future

31-33 Seaweed Farming to Improve Marine Protected Areas and Support Coastal Communities

Exploring Hidden Gems: Marine Tourism In Cornwall And Its Impact on The Blue Economy

Written By | NATASHA POSNETT

With its rugged coastline and quaint coastal villages, Cornwall offers a captivating combination of natural beauty and maritime adventure, making it an ideal destination for marine tourism to thrive. Cornwall attracts travellers to explore its hidden gems and experience unforgettable marine experiences. But this beautiful coastline is not just there to be exploited for profit; it is home to important marine ecosystems that require protection and conservation.

Marine tourism is a vital part of the blue economy, but do the benefits outweigh the negative impacts it has on our environment?

Cornwall’s Natural Beauty

Cornwall’s coastline stretches for over 400 miles, offering an abundance of opportunities for exploration both above and below the water’s surface. Surfers head to renowned spots such as Fistral Beach in Newquay for the best waves. Meanwhile, paddleboarders and kayakers choose the sheltered estuaries and coves of the south coast, enjoying the clear, calm waters. For others, snorkelling and scuba diving offer a fun alternative way to enjoy the Cornish marine life! Underwater unveils a new world of shipwrecks, kelp forests, seals and nudibranchs, among many other weird and wonderful creatures.

It is easy to see why such a location attracts thousands of tourists annually. Numbers have risen significantly since Covid when staycations became incredibly popular, and the county is working hard to find new ways to remain sustainable and economically profitable at the same time.

Why Is Marine Tourism Important?

Tourism is a vital part of Cornwall’s blue economy, and the county benefits greatly from visitors flocking to the region. Its economic impacts fuel the economy and sustain local communities by creating job opportunities, supporting local businesses and cultural preservation. Tourism drives coastal development and investments in infrastructure with projects including renewable energy, sustainable accommodation and coastal habitat restoration. Marine tourism contributes to the socio-economic well-being of Cornish residents.

Environmental stewardship can also be established via marine tourism. At the heart of the blue economy lies the concept of sustainable development, where the utilisation of oceanic resources is balanced with the conservation of marine ecosystems. Tourism plays a vital role in this delicate equilibrium, allowing communities to show their natural wonders while maintaining and supporting their ecological integrity for future generations.

Marine Ecotourism: It Is Not Just About Making A Profit

As awareness of environmental conservation grows, Cornwall is emerging as a leader in marine ecotourism initiatives. Marine ecotourism provides visitors with

Natasha Posnett Staff Writer at H2O Global News

opportunities to explore and appreciate marine environments responsibly. It is all about interacting with wildlife safely, minimising pollution and habitat degradation and supporting local communities in their conservation efforts. From snorkelling excursions and wildlife-watching tours to environmentally conscious accommodation and events, ecotourism initiatives prioritise environmental education and conservation. It encourages people to preserve the precious marine environment by bringing awareness to the greatest threats it is facing. Unlike conventional tourism, which often exploits natural resources without much thought to the long-term impacts, ecotourism aims to prioritise minimal impacts on the local ecosystems and communities.

What Is Cornwall Already Doing?

The Blue Litter Project is a marine litter collection campaign that will be taking place across Cornwall during the tourist season. Its aim is to help track and collect litter from Cornwall’s remote marine spaces. They will be collaborating with members of the marine leisure industry, local conservation groups and volunteers to make the project as successful as possible. It is a perfect way to bring communities together while bringing awareness to the huge issue of plastic pollution, especially during the peak summer season. Businesses getting involved will include Koru Kayaking - St Agnes, Classic Sailing - St Mawes, Clean Ocean Sailing – Gweek, Marine Discovery Penzance- Penzance and Vertical Blue Adventures – Porthleven.

Cornwall has some wonderful sustainable cafes and restaurants to choose from, serving locally sourced, fresh Cornish produce. Culture in Falmouth and Heart and Soul in Newquay are just a couple of examples of places you can find.

One of Cornwall’s most iconic landmarks is the Eden Project, an eco-tourism destination that showcases the diversity of the world’s ecosystems within its iconic biomes. While most of the attractions focus on life on the land, visitors can also learn about underwater life and marine conservation projects.

Cornwall’s maritime history is also celebrated through various festivals and events, including the Falmouth Sea Shanty Festival and the Newlyn Fish Festival, which are hosted every year to remember the region’s maritime traditions through music and food. Another way in which people get together to enjoy the ocean is through sailing regattas and other ocean-based sporting events such as surflifesaving competitions and gig races. These events are a reminder as to why the ocean is important to conserve.

In Conclusion

Marine Tourism in Cornwall is an exciting mix of maritime history, natural beauty and ocean adventures which continue to bring tourists to the county. Cornwall relies on its visitors but, at the same time, is addressing the importance of sustainable growth and conservation.

The blue economy is complex, and we need to understand the link between a healthy marine environment and our socio-economic health as humans. By embracing tourism as a tool for sustainable development, it is possible to unlock the potential of our oceans while safeguarding them for the future. We should all be working towards a scenario where tourism thrives in harmony with the seas, enriching our lives and our planet’s health.

Marine Protected Areas: The Heart of the Blue Economy

Written By | MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH

Now that Greece has become the first country in the world to ban destructive bottom trawling from Marine Protected Areas, other countries are following suit. Apart from the obvious benefits to the environment, there are numerous economic and social reasons why prohibiting the practice makes sense. Because MPAs are an integral part of developing the sustainable blue economy, protecting them is bringing together environmentalists and economists in changing how we value the oceans

The idea behind the blue economy is of a sustainable and interconnected model where fishing, aquaculture, and offshore power remain in balance with tourism, recreation and, most importantly, the environment. Crucially, the needs of coastal communities are foremost with their way of life preserved and their views heard. If we want to reduce the effects of overfishing and promote marine protected areas, it is important to replace jobs and support thriving local economies.

Bottom Trawling: Why it is a Bad Idea

One of the biggest problems for MPAs is marine bottom trawling, with many governments considering bans on this environmentally destructive procedure. The practice, which involves dragging nets across the bottom of the ocean, creates a number of problems especially in

environmentally sensitive areas.

It strips invertebrate life from the seabed and damages habitats, which can destroy ecosystems, food chains, and spawning grounds, taking years to recover. Trawling can also release carbon locked into sediments, releasing it into the atmosphere with a measurable impact on climate change.

Allowing bottom trawling to continue in MPAs undermines their purpose and harms their potential worth to society and the environment. Banning bottom trawling can increase their economic and social value, helping them recover and contribute to the blue economy while supporting coastal communities

Naturally, opponents of these bans threaten economic losses and loss of livelihoods, backing this up with robust and targeted lobbying. Accordingly, in many MPAs, bottom trawling continues and sacrifices long-term benefits for short-term economic interests. National governments and the EU make many promises but often fail to follow these with meaningful action, proving very

Martyn Shuttleworth Staff Writer at H2O Global News

slow to implement bans despite the many warnings.

The Benefits of a Ban

Now, an emerging body of research suggests that banning bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas will actually yield net economic benefits. While it is true that there will be a short-term economic cost for the fishing industry, that ignores the longer term view. MPAs give many species of fish room to grow, replenishing stocks and also encouraging larger fish. Well-managed MPAs support marine ecosystems and fisheries well beyond their boundaries.

Other benefits include leisure and recreation, especially sport fishing, which can boost local tourism and help tap into the growing demand for eco-tourism in unspoiled areas. It is no surprise that Greece, a country reliant on tourism, is leading the way. That’s before we look at the wider environmental and social benefits such as climate change, biodiversity, and the ability to enjoy nature.

Well-managed MPAs could create significant economic benefits for countries, unlocking an estimated £2.57 billion (€3bn) and £3.5bn (€4.1bn) in value for the UK over the next 20 years. In the EU, MPAs could deliver an estimated €3.41 returned for every €1 invested after just 13 years.

Words are Cheap

Most governments and stakeholders agree that banning bottom trawling is an essential element of promoting the blue economy, and governments are talking about legislation to protect these areas. However, are they actually delivering on these promises? This is where actions do not always match the words.

For example, while the EU and its member states have promised to dedicate 12.4% of its oceans to MPAs, they have only delivered a fraction of that and the bloc looks set to miss its target of protecting almost a third of its seas by 2030. Countries trying to undermine legislation, like the EU questioning laws protecting sand eels in British waters, show that there is work to be done. Trawling still occurs in Europe’s MPAs and laws often fail to protect vulnerable species.

Marine Protected Areas and the Blue Economy

Ultimately, banning bottom trawling in MPAs moves away from short-term economic visions and shows how the inclusion of social value and nature supports decisions that can benefit society in the longer term. The initial costs of banning trawling are more than offset by the future value and economic gains over time.

Now, it is time to continue the good work and keep the pressure on governments to deliver on their promises and ban this destructive practice. Even more than that, it is time to fully invest in MPAs, supporting the surrounding areas and seeing them as part of a thriving blue economy that delivers prosperity, sustainability, and an ocean that benefits all.

Most importantly, it involves listening to the concerns of local communities and ensuring that they play a major role in management of their seas, ensuring they enjoy the rewards from MPAs over the long term.

Harnessing the Power of the Blue Economy to Drive Development and Create Jobs for Youth

Written By | DARBY BONNER

The world’s oceans play a critical role in our daily lives, from the food you eat and the clothes you are wearing right now, to the internet you are using to read this article, have crossed the oceans one way or another. The blue economy is a vast industry (90% of the world’s trade) that was established hundreds of years ago from global shipping to today’s renewable energy sector.

Currently estimated to be worth more than £1.1 trillion per year and worth over £3 trillion by 2030, the blue economy presents an opportunity to tap into these resources sustainably, driving livelihoods and socioeconomic development whilst preserving our planet.

With an industry that provides over 30 million jobs worldwide, the blue economy can provide promising opportunities for youth, particularly those from lowincome countries. By investing in youth education in these areas (and beyond), the industry can create improved prospects for their own lives and their countries’ structural development.

Africa: CAP-Youth Empowerment Institute (YEI)

Africa’s continent boasts a vast shoreline with a myriad of coastal and marine ecosystems. These ecosystems provide coastal communities with food, jobs, livelihood, and economic opportunities. However, in many coastal African countries, job opportunities within the blue economy are not being maximised, for example, in 2018 the blue economy in Kenya only contributed to 2.5% of Kenya’s GDP. The former president of Kenya, Uhuru Kenyatta said that youth are at the forefront and will be the population that will drive the blue economy to 3x its present share of GDP and present jobs and huge prosperity to millions of Kenyans in generations to come.

One non-governmental organisation committed to training youth out of school is the CAP-Youth Empowerment Institute (YEI). Since being established in 2011, YEI has provided youth from the Kenyan coastal counties with market-relevant skills in selected blue value chains to improve their economic and employment opportunities within the blue economy via their Go Blue project.

These include sectors in maritime transport and logistics, maritime security, tourism and hospitality, vessel repair and maintenance, and agribusiness management.

As of December 2022, the Go Blue program has benefited 2,694 individuals (1,194 female and 1,500 male) across 9 Vocational Training Centers (VTCs) in coastal counties of Kenya. Among these beneficiaries, approximately 1,377 (571 female and 806 male) have been placed in either employment or entrepreneurship. Additionally, 60 young farmers have received support in agricultural practices. Capacity building has been provided to 51 VTCs, and 162 of their instructors have received training in digital literacy, work readiness, entrepreneurship, and employability skills. Furthermore, 141 members of Beach Management Units across the six counties have undergone various forms of capacity building.

Go Blue, A Success Story:

Richard, from Mikindani in Mombasa County, had a passion for marine logistics but couldn’t afford college fees. He joined the Go Blue project at Kisauni Vocational Training Center, completing a marine and logistics course in six months.

Darby Bonner Staff Writer at H2O Global News

The entrepreneurship skills he learned helped him manage his business professionally, with organised records and excellent customer service. Richard credits the Go Blue project for empowering him, especially through the toolkit he received, and suggests more self-employment-focused courses for youth training.

Europe: The Blue Generation Project

The European Blue Economy, currently providing around 5.4 million jobs, aims to double its employment by 2030. However, it faces a challenge: young people are not drawn to maritime careers, while businesses struggling to find the necessary workforce, skills, and profiles (European Commission SWD, 2017). In addition, the EU has approximately 14 million NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) aged between 15 and 29, with millions more at risk due to various factors. The Blue Generation Project (funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Youth Employment) seeks to bridge this gap by presenting blue economy careers as attractive, modern, and prosperous pathways for young people, offering a way out of unemployment.

The Blue Generation Project aims to inspire and involve young individuals pursuing sustainable careers within the blue economy sectors, including coastal tourism, aquaculture, ocean energy, marine biotechnology, shipbuilding, maritime transport, and fisheries. Central to the initiative is the Blue Generation Program (BGP), designed to attract, engage, and guide young people towards opportunities in the blue economy job market.

The BGP provides comprehensive information on blue career prospects in several European countries, along with mentoring programs and skills validation tools to assist youth in obtaining the necessary qualifications. Additionally, mobility exchanges offer hands-on

experience in various blue economy sectors. The project collaborates with experts from the blue economy and youth organisations to share knowledge about skills requirements, career paths, job openings, and training opportunities.

The Blue Generation Program included five cycles from 2018 to 2023, followed by evaluation and refinement phases. The first year focused on developing the Blue Career Job Platform, providing information on blue job positions and training opportunities across EU countries. The whole project aims to reach 39,000 young people through promotional activities, to convert at least 3,000 into employment or training in the blue economy. In 2022, they smashed this target announcing that they reached 40,000 young people already!

Seas of Opportunities Ahead

The blue economy presents a unique opportunity for countries to drive development, create jobs, and promote sustainable practices. By investing in research, implementing supportive policies, and fostering collaborations, we can unleash the power of the blue economy and create a brighter future for youth employment and sustainable development.

Our future is blue and the opportunities may be challenging, but the opportunities within the blue economy can be endless if we educate youth. The ocean is an economic powerhouse!

Plastic Pollution is Threatening The Blue Economy: A

Story of Ocean Expeditions, Technology and Policy to Create Change

Written By | NATASHA POSNETT

The blue economy, which includes the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, relies on healthy ocean ecosystems. However, one formidable threat is placing a significant strain on these vital economic activities: plastic pollution. This global issue negatively impacts the blue economy and the individuals and communities that rely on it for their livelihoods.

Without thriving oceans, there will not be a prosperous blue economy. Plastic pollution must be addressed and solutions implemented to improve the current situation. This is an all-hands-on-deck situation, and Jo Royle has been involved in it for most of her career.

Jo’s Story

Jo Royle’s career has been diverse and exciting. She started sailing very young and, in her 20s, was leading sailing expeditions around the world. On a trip to South Georgia in the South Atlantic – one of the most remote places in the world – she saw bright pieces of plastic littering the shore. After a journey of thousands of miles to a remote, uninhabited spot, plastic had arrived there first. That was a turning point. She knew

Jo Royle Founder, Common Seas

then that she needed to do something to protect the ocean from plastic pollution.

She helped design and build the Plastiki, a 60-foot catamaran made from reclaimed plastic bottles to raise awareness about plastic pollution. With an intrepid crew, she skippered the Plastiki across the Pacific, drawing international attention. When we arrived, there was huge enthusiasm for action, but no one seemed to know what to do.

For the next decade, she learned how to turn awareness into action, with a deep focus on technology and policy. This included working with the Pew Charitable Trusts on their Global Ocean Legacy campaign, which enabled the Blue Belt of Marine Protected Areas. She also initiated a project with Prince Charles’s International Sustainability Unit to drive organisations across the plastics value chain to deliver a circular economy. This resulted in the creation of the UK Plastics Pact, where over 100 major businesses pledged to eradicate single-use plastics.

All this led to Jo founding Common Seas with the aim to create an organisation that creates partnerships with governments and businesses to design and demonstrate ‘upstream’ solutions to the plastic problem.

Common Seas

Common Seas creates partnerships to design, deliver and demonstrate scalable solutions that tackle the source of our global plastic problem. Common Seas is made up of an international team of scientists, researchers, policy experts and behaviour change professionals. They focus on providing governments and businesses with tools and technical expertise to measure, analyse, reduce and report on their plastic use. To support this work, they seek to inspire and influence wider change through their plastic and human programme. Commissioning research into the human health risks of plastic and creating hard-hitting campaigns around the findings to provide governments and businesses with the necessary evidence to act.

Common Seas has become recognised as a leader in marine plastic pollution, and its wonderful success stories from around the world show the importance of its work.

Discovering Plastic In Human Blood

In their latest research, 77% of the blood samples tested came back positive for plastic. These results give governments and businesses a powerful incentive to take action and make a change.

Reduction and Reuse Project

This project took place in East Java, along the heavily polluted Brantas River. Around 1.5 million single-use diapers enter the river every day, and almost 40,000 tons of plastic waste flow into the ocean every year. In 2020, Common Seas started working with local government, community groups and mothers to provide families with free or subsidised reusable diapers. They successfully enabled 187 unemployed women to make and sell reusable diapers that stopped 3 million single-use ones from entering the Brantas River. The project demonstrated that reusable diapers can viably scale to significantly reduce single-use diaper use while boosting the local economy and protecting the health of babies and families.

Plastics Baseline And Policy Scenario Tool

Common Seas developed a tool called Plastic Drawdown, which helps countries understand and implement strategies to reduce plastic pollution. Plastic Drawdown models a country’s plastic footprint and analyses the potential impact of reduction policies. The policy team then advises partners on a policy design and implementation. So far, it has been deployed in Barbados, Greece, Grenada, Indonesia, Maldives, the Gambia and the UK.

Online Reporting Tool

PlasTICK allows businesses to easily measure, analyse and reduce the amount of plastic they use and waste. PlasTICK also makes it simple to communicate progress with employees, investors and customers.

Why did you decide to focus on plastic pollution when you started Common Seas?

Plastic kills and harms many millions of sea creatures. But it’s not just marine life that is impacted: humans are more exposed to plastic than any other species, and there’s strong evidence this negatively affects our health. A polluted ocean also harms our economy, global food supply and climate.

The statistics surrounding plastic pollution are scary! Plastic production is on track to double, and ocean plastic pollution triple by 2040. Plastics will account for 5 – 10% of the world’s carbon emissions by 2050. To stay within a carbon budget consistent with 1.5 degrees, it is estimated we must reduce plastic consumption by 75% by 2050.

Meanwhile, 11 of the world’s 20 most plastic-

Continued on page 12

polluting countries lack a robust reduction strategy. And fulfilling every existing commitment to reducing plastic pollution will only reduce pollution by 8% in the next 20 years. There is no way out of this crisis that enables us to use the same volume of material; nature is not infinite.

Ten years ago, when I founded Common Seas, very few organisations were working to design and demonstrate solutions to ocean plastics. Therefore, we focused on inspiring interventions across the value chain by involving government, businesses and community partnerships. Today there is a vast community of practitioners with impressive capabilities to halt the threats of plastic pollution on our watch.

What are the greatest contributors to plastic pollution in our oceans?

The greatest cause of plastic pollution is our overconsumption and use of plastic products. We urgently need to change our lifestyles to reduce production, consumption and wastefulness. We can use a lot less, and what we use can be designed to last much longer—to be reused and shared. This is something that younger generations are engaging with much more already. We can seek joy in giving greater thought to the products we choose and how and when we purchase items. Of course, not all plastics are harmful, and some are incredibly beneficial. Still, we

must focus on quickly and significantly reducing the problematic and avoidable single-use plastics in our lives.

Certain commercial activities, such as aquaculture, wild fishing, and seaweed farming, significantly contribute to plastic pollution in our oceans. The rapid growth of inshore seaweed farming in Southeast Asia is concerning.

How does plastic pollution impact the blue economy?

Plastic pollution has far-reaching impacts on the profitability of commercial activities related to the oceans and coasts. The blue economy is vulnerable to the detrimental effects that are being seen globally.

The fishing industry is a cornerstone of the blue economy, providing income and food for millions of people. Plastic pollution affects the fishing industry in many worrying ways. For example, fish stocks are reduced by species becoming entangled in or ingesting plastic, fish catch becomes contaminated by plastic toxins, and fishing gear can be damaged by abandoned plastic waste.

Marine tourism is another essential part of the blue economy. White sandy beaches and clear waters are major attractions, but beaches and landscapes polluted with plastics do not attract tourists!

Plastic pollution also has many detrimental impacts on the environmental health of marine ecosystems. Key species are affected by plastic ingestion or entanglement, and plastic waste can spread disease and interrupt important nursery grounds. Oceans play an essential role in regulating the global climate, and disruption to marine ecosystems can impact their ability to absorb carbon dioxide, worsening climate change impacts.

Marine transport suffers greatly from plastic waste. Floating plastic debris acts as a navigational hazard, causing damage to vessels or accidents. Ports and harbours also have to factor in high maintenance costs to ensure their operations are as safe as possible.

How should we be addressing plastic pollution?

Addressing the impacts of plastic pollution on the blue economy requires a coordinated approach at international, national and local levels. We have the technical and policy knowledge to solve the plastics crisis and everyone has a role to play. A United Nations Plastics Treaty that agrees on global rules, along with robust, enforced national government policy, is absolutely critical in enabling the private sector to invest in technologies, materials, and systems that will enable us all to live with less plastic pollution.

The most obvious and urgent is a significant reduction in primary plastic polymer production. There are many supporting actions required, including;

• Governments and businesses transparently reporting reduction targets,

• Mandating against the use of polymers and chemicals of concern,

• Designing out the use of problematic and avoidable plastic products,

• Product design criteria - to include the mandate for reuse that is required to enable commercially scalable systems,

• Building out holistic, locally appropriate waste management systems. That are carefully designed to mitigate new burdens to people and climate, such as untested pyrolysis and incineration that locks in the calorific requirements of plastics.

My work is focused on ‘turning off the tap’reducing production and use. At the same time, we need to build out waste management to enable the fundamental human right to live in a healthy, unpolluted environment. This is the financial responsibility of producers, petrochemical companies, international development finance and national taxes and fees. The polluter pays principle must be mandated to enable the private sector.

Conclusion

The impacts of plastic pollution on the blue economy are worrying and multifaceted; it is much too big of an issue to solve alone. By implementing strategies that involve communities, businesses and government, Common Seas is using their collective expertise to solve the problem. Common Seas is working to protect our seas from plastic pollution; this is not only vital for the health of our ocean ecosystems but vital for the global economy.

Learn more contact: Jo@joroyle.com

Cleveland Water Alliance: Pioneering Innovation for Sustainable Water Management

Written By | DARBY BONNER

Freshwater - the most precious resource on our planet. A resource that is essential for all living organisms, major ecosystems, human health, food production, economic development, and more on Earth, yet it is under increasing pressure. With this in mind, we must come together to protect its health and continue utilising this vital resource.

In 2014, Cleveland Water Alliance (CWA) became a ray of hope following the devastating Toledo water incident. After seeing half a million people without water due to toxins from a harmful algal bloom entering their clean water sources, the CWA founders decided that they would not sit and watch this happen all over again.

Unfortunately, due to the increase in harmful algal blooms from climate change and bad farming practices, incidents such as this may happen again elsewhere in the region. However, CWA is fostering technology to best prevent it. The vision that brought about CWA is to revolutionise how their region, as well as the world at large, perceives, uses, and prospers from its water resources.

CWA’s Mission

CWA is committed to fostering a world-class freshwater innovation ecosystem that would be regarded as one of the leading in the world. It has several roles, which include; enhancing economic development, promoting the use of state-of-the-art technology, informing policymakers, and driving engagement and research in this area. In doing so, CWA seeks to position the Great Lakes region as a global hub for water innovation that will drive progress and prosperity for future generations.

Integration of Blue Economy Principles

CWA’s approach is founded on the incorporation of blue economy principles into its initiatives. They accelerate the Great Lakes region’s water economy by generating innovative answers to global freshwater issues, serving as a connector and hub. CWA provides quality data, meaningful connections, powerful solutions, valuable investment, and rich opportunities to

Samantha Martin Director of Communications and Engagement

those who use, manage, and monitor our planet’s most precious asset - water!

The force behind CWA’s acceleration is their Smart Lake Erie Watershed, where they have outfitted the Lake Erie Watershed with hundreds of sensors throughout a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure covering over 6,500 square miles, making it the largest digitally connected freshwater body in the world. This network of sensors provides robust, real-time data to industry, utility, agriculture, maritime, research, and recreational sectors across the region by enhancing CWA’s ability to provide functional, streamlined solutions for monitoring water quality in ever-changing conditions.

CWA has said that in addition to providing over 10 million data points per year, the Smart Lake Erie Watershed also acts as a testbed, allowing innovators, entrepreneurs, and companies to create cutting-edge technology that addresses the ever-evolving needs of water managers. These water managers can then deploy their technology in a variety of real-world conditions, contributing to sustainable water management.

When I asked CWA what challenges they face,

they said that testing and demonstrating technology is a major barrier to bringing innovation to the market. However, their Accelerator Testbeds allow innovators from all over the world to overcome this hurdle, whether that be a start-up or a multimillion-dollar corporation. After proving their technology within the testbed, the innovators may qualify to be matched with an end-user for a risk-free trial, launching them into the region’s market.

The Accelerator Testbeds have two major purposes:

1. To equip water managers, communities, and researchers with real-time information about the region’s water resources

2. To test and trial exciting new technology that addresses the ever-evolving needs of those water managers in real-world conditions

CWA Partnerships

CWA mobilises over 300 industry-leading companies, research institutions, utilities, and

maritime interests, as well as federal, state, and local government agencies. One exciting partnership to highlight: CWA works with Argonaut, a Cleveland high school program training students in maritime careers. The students help us deploy and maintain our buoys throughout the season while learning about the growing sector of smart water management.

What Does the Future Hold?

As we look toward the needs of the future, our economy will demand the expertise of water innovation technology. Industries and communities will need creative, new solutions to manage, conserve and optimise their water resources.

For example, this year, CWA are deploying various sensors that detect oil spills within waterways. The people and companies creating this technology will review the performance of their technology within CWA’s Testbeds so that they can make

tweaks as needed. If it performs well, CWA will help them host a trial with potential product end-users, like monitoring agencies, utilities, or municipalities. CWA acts as a launching pad into the US market, generating business within their region as they connect them with local resources such as manufacturing, office or lab space, and other business support services, like accounting, marketing, legal advisors, and more.

Learn more: www.clevelandwateralliance.org

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Communities, Conservation, and Connecting Blue Minds with Hanli Prinsloo

By MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH

Hanli Prinsloo is a record breaking freediver, ocean conservationist, and founder of I AM WATER. She is a speaker at Blue Earth Summit, a 5,000 strong event that connects planet positive organisations, startups, politicians, and campaigners to tackle the biggest challenges our planet currently faces. It takes place in London between 14 and 16 October 2024.

We caught up with Hanli to hear about her life, inspiration and connecting people with the ocean through learning, inspiration, and conservation.

Could you give us some background about your life and your passion for the oceans?

I grew up on a horse farm in Johannesburg, South Africa. My first connection was not with the oceans - just wild nature. I loved spending time in stillness and nature - it helped me feel connected to myself. We had two rivers and a dam on the farm and my sister and I would pretend to be mermaids - we even had our own language!

Hanli Prinsloo Freediver, Speaker, Ocean Conservationist & Entrepreneur

When I was a child, no one that I knew spoke of freediving and scuba diving never really attracted me. I was more attracted to the idea of being free underwater.

Eventually I moved to Sweden to study at the University of Gothenburg. I really appreciated the Scandinavian approach to nature. I met a freediver and we swam in a fjord 20 metres down. It was pitch black and freezing cold, but I fell in love with the stillness. I knew this was what I wanted to do. Although I was freediving in quite adverse conditions, this experience equipped me for the future. Part of my love for freediving was also my personal journey into resilience and growth.

I then started documentary filmmaking. I was passionate about telling real stories about Africa. For me it’s a continent of huge opportunity and greatness of spirit.

Although filmmaking was my job, free driving was my passion. I started competing to get better. I was fascinated by what my body could do, holding my breath for extended periods of time. Fascination and curiosity drove a deeper connection to oceans and animals.

I went from being a competitive freediver to being an ocean adventurer. Exploring our shared planet drove a deep desire to be more actively involved in conservation.

The I AM WATER Trust is doing great work in educating local communities about the ocean. When and why did you decide to set it up?

I was seeing habitat protection but not seeing enough human relationship building with the ocean. In my own country, I was seeing children growing up every day with little connection to the ocean. And yet, through love and connection we learn to protect. There are so many beautiful beaches in South Africa but many are still populated by the privileged few.

I recognised that family generations of fear about the ocean needed to be dismantled. And I asked myself how I can help break this cycle of disconnection.

In 2010, I was inspired to create I AM WATER. The Trust is about developing programmes to bring underserved communities to the ocean. I became a trained free-driving instructor and met my husband Peter Marshall - he had been in the US Navy and was qualified in lifeguarding.

Together, we built various flagship programmes with local schools connecting pupils with the ocean. Our Ocean Guardians Workshops are our flagship programme consisting of two full school days of ocean explorations spent at the beach practising yoga-inspired stretching, breath work, and mindfulness, learning about the marine ecosystems and ocean challenges, the human body’s unique adaptation to being underwater, and exploring the intertidal zones and rock pools with marine experts.

Learning how to be confident in deeper water, understanding the ocean better and, of course, seeing the incredible life our ocean holds - from majestic kelp forests, to octopuses, small cat sharks, brightly coloured urchins and anemones, to an array of fish species. These workshops take place at various Marine Protected Area beaches in Cape Town to draw attention to the impact and importance of creating protected spaces where marine life can thrive.

What would you say are the main aims of the trust?

I AM WATER believes in ocean conservation through transformative human ocean experience. Our mission is to ignite a movement of blue minds across the planet, to facilitate physical and emotional connections to the aquatic environment, to build understanding of the interdependence of healthy humans and healthy oceans, and to influence behaviours to protect our global seas.

How does the trust help local communities benefit from the oceans, economically and socially?

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We feel especially passionate about working with under-resourced coastal communities where, despite living walking distance to the shoreline, we often find young people who have never seen the world just beneath the waves.

Our team of local coaches is at the heart of the work we do at I AM WATER. Our coaching community comprises marine scientists, NSRI crew members, lifeguards, and incredible ocean conservation advocates who are from the communities that we work with.

To establish a new relationship with the ocean for children, our programmes are delivered by young people (18 - 34 years) that often come from the same communities we serve.

Our coaches are empowering role models for the young participants of our various programmes. We provide the coaching community with continued training in first aid, free diving, public speaking, photography, and

career development skills in order to equip each and every one of our coaches with the skills to develop on a personal and professional level too.

What sort of programs does the trust oversee, and which one are you most proud of?

This is a two barrelled answer! I am really proud of our Ocean Guardians Workshops - making oceans accessible to children. Secondly, I am so proud that we’ve cracked the code on how to make this scale and transferable to everyone across the world through the Oceans For All Alliance.

What plans do you have for the future, personally and for the trust?

Oceans for All Alliance is a new ambitious programme that gives individuals the agency to run programmes in their own regions. We can now offer this training that makes the learning

journey more efficient as it offers 6-8 weeks of online training backed up with in person training in Cape Town. We’ve already run this with five different organisations and we’re fundraising to do more so that cost doesn’t become a barrier.

Our Ocean Travel freediving trips also help fund our programmes. We work with business and political leaders and believe this experience could also help create change amongst global decision makers. We are also hoping to go into partnership with travel brands to create more advocacy travel.

And, we are in the process of creating a range of sustainable masks for freediving called Egalas!

As a Blue Earth Summit speakerwhat are the key messages you want to convey?

There is so much to share around ocean connection and how we can practise this in our daily lives. Also, I want to remind people that a

passion can become a career and way of living. Putting passion and a sense of the natural world drives my motivation.

What appeals to you about Blue Earth Summit this year?

The coming together of like-minded people with similar visions. Often the blue economy is touted as a solution but Blue Earth Summit helps people talk about the positive impact of working together across sectors.

Hanli Prinsloo will be speaking at Blue Earth Summit in London between 16-18 October 2024.

For more information: blueearthsummit.com

CONTRIBUTE TO ISSUE 11 OF H2O GLOBAL NEWS

We are excited to announce that we are now accepting contributions for Issue 11 of H2O Global News Magazine! upcoming issue will focus on critical topics that impact our water systems and environment. We invite experts, researchers, and passionate individuals to share their insights on the following subjects:

• River Pollution

• Sewage Overflow and Treatment

• Microplastics

• Eutrophication/Nutrient and Chemical Pollution

• Agriculture Runoff

Submission Deadline: 20th August

Have something valuable to contribute? We want to hear from you! Your expertise and perspectives are crucial in raising awareness and finding solutions to these pressing issues.

Contact us for more information at editorial@h2oglobalnews.com

IntelliReefs: Revolutionising Ocean Conservation at Offshore Wind Farm Sites

Written By | DARBY BONNER

Th e immense, untapped potential of our oceans has emerged as gamechanging in a world seeking to transition to a more sustainable future. The "blue economy," a concept that fuses the responsible use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and ecosystem health, is an industry rapidly gaining attention. At the heart of this growing economy lies revolutionary technology to collaborate with turbines, like IntelliReefs, which has developed an innovative way to combine ocean wind farms with marine habitat restoration.

With their ability to generate substantial amounts of electricity, ocean wind farms offer a compelling solution to meet the world’s growing energy demands while minimising the environmental impact. By harnessing the consistent and powerful winds found offshore, ocean wind farms can produce more energy than landbased/onshore wind farms. This makes them a vital component of creating a greener future and a crucial ally in the fight against climate change.

It is estimated that worldwide, 2.15 billion people live in the near-coastal zone, with this number expected to increase. Placing ocean wind farms near these coastal communities, ensures efficient transmission and distribution of

the generated electricity from the turbines, reducing energy losses, promoting energy security, and increasing employment opportunities within the blue economy for locals.

Double Duty Real Estate: Converting Wind Farm Locations Into Thriving Ocean Habitats

Imagine towering wind turbines rising majestically from the ocean surface, their powerful blades harnessing the relentless force of offshore winds to generate clean energy. But these offshore wind farms are more than just industrial installations - beneath the waves, they have been transformed into vibrant marine havens that restore damaged ocean ecosystems using IntelliReefs' innovative Oceanite technology.

"Our proprietary Oceanite mineral mixture allows us to

Continued on page 24

engineer these wind turbine foundations to also function as optimized artificial reef structures that attract and nurture a wide diversity of marine life," said Melody Brenna, CEO and Co-Founder of IntelliReefs. "It's an amazing synergy between renewable energy production and habitat restoration."

IntelliReefs designs and casts customised artificial reef structures from Oceanite, a mineral substrate that can be seamlessly integrated into the foundations and support structures of offshore wind turbines. As detailed in their science site: www.intellireefs.com, Oceanite is a proprietary nano-composite material that mimics the chemistry, texture, and mineral composition of natural reef environments to provide an ideal habitat for coral, kelp, and pre-seeded marine biodiversity.

Traditional offshore wind farm developments have often been criticised for destroying sensitive marine environments during construction. IntelliReefs (sister company to the Reef Life Foundation), however, has turned this challenge into an opportunity! By applying their proprietary nano-composite technology to the wind farm structures, they have transformed these industrial installations into vibrant marine havens.

“I am determined to see this scientifically based, bedrock of oceanic infrastructure, bring life back to oceans; for the future of humanity and for ocean creatures to live in harmony, interact less destructively, building a more healthy environment for ALL of us, from the tiniest plankton, to the greatest whales, bringing back the brilliancy of healthy coral reefs!”.

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Melody Saunders Brenna, Co-Founder & CEO

The concept is remarkably simple yet profoundly impactful. Oceanite can be easily integrated into the wind turbine foundations and support structures for targeted results within a particular site and ecosystem. These structures are carefully engineered to mimic the complex contours and textures of natural reef environments, providing ideal habitats, hardscape rock, and equally important, void structures for a vast array of marine species, from oysters and corals to fish and other aquatic species, which marine laboratories and research facilities require to pre-seed aquaculture organisms, now missing from degraded oceans.

"Our proprietary Oceanite mineral mixture allows us to create these wind turbine foundations to also function as optimized artificial reef structures that attract and nurture a wide diversity of marine life," said Melody Brenna, CEO and Co-Founder of IntelliReefs. "It's an amazing synergy between renewable energy production and habitat restoration."

But IntelliReefs' vision extends far beyond simply creating artificial reef habitats. Their integrated approach also enables sustainable ocean farming and the cultivation of marine crops like oysters, algae, and shellfish directly on the wind turbine platforms themselves. This symbiotic relationship not only supports local food production but contributes to the overall health and resilience of the surrounding marine ecosystem.

IntelliReefs is currently working on a wind farm site that has a mixed sediment ocean floor, which they adapt to by GPS deployment site mapping and making the region suitable for creating an artificial reef habitat. VIDEO: Custom Design for Natural Reef Scape: Site, Species, & Functionality

Guyon Brenna, IntelliReefs co-founder, who won a Buckminster Fuller Challenge Award for the design of IntelliReefs’ Windfarm Units, currently building Military Grade Coastal Protection Systems

To assess the benthic community developing on the modules, permanent quadrats will be marked and photographed over time. Percentage cover analysis using Coral Point Count software will quantify the organisms colonising the modules. Statistical analyses like PERMANOVA and nMDS plots will evaluate differences in community composition between the Oceanite and concrete substrates, module mixes, and surface orientations. The motile fish and invertebrate community will be monitored using remote video cameras mounted near the modules and ROV video transects through the array. Organisms will be identified and counted using techniques like MaxN. Multivariate analyses will examine differences in motile fauna between sites.

Additionally, environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling and metabarcoding analysis by Nature Metrics, which they used in the Canadian Kelp Project, will be used to detect species settling on the modules by analysing trace biological material in surrounding water samples. This cutting-edge eDNA technique can reveal biodiversity missed by traditional visual observation methods alone.

Melody Brenna, IntelliReefs CEO and Co-Founder, interviewed for this article described windfarm operations meetings in current bidding stages:

"Wind Farm Project Managers have told IntelliReefs that they are committed to developing offshore wind energy in a truly sustainable way that minimizes environmental impacts. IntelliReefs' innovative approach of integrating their Oceanite artificial reef structures directly into their wind turbine project scope, as they see increased ROI for nature, corporate profitability, jobs, community inclusion, increased fish stocks, and the opportunities for small businesses cultivating kelp and seaweed based product lines are revolutionary.”

Not only does this allow them to offset habitat disruption during construction, but it actively restores and creates new thriving marine ecosystems around their offshore wind installations. The ability to cultivate oysters, kelp, seaweed, highly diverse aquaculture for cosmetics to cancer-fighting medicines, algae; and building biodiversity while generating renewable energy is a powerful symbiotic relationship!

They see tremendous potential for disruptive aquaculture applications of Oceanite Marine Mineral Tech - from cultivating kelp and other seaweeds for food, fertiliser, and pharmaceuticals in places like China, to growing high-value shellfish and finfish species integrated with their offshore wind farms in areas like South Africa. This Blue Tech approach enables sustainable seafood production and coastal economic development for a wide variety of businesses, and coastal communities.

They've been impressed by IntelliReefs' results showing rapid 100% coral coverage on their Oceanite structures within just 14 months, as well as the 400% increase in local biodiversity observed at deployment sites. This technology represents a significant step forward in enhancing the ROI of sustainable offshore wind development.

Major wind farm developers see tremendous potential in partnering with IntelliReefs to turn their ocean wind projects into multi-purpose facilities that provide clean energy while actively enhancing conservation and enabling sustainable ocean farming and aquaculture operations. IntelliReefs' nano-composite reef design is the future for true environmental co-existence of offshore wind at scale.

A Brighter Blue Economic Future

As the world grapples with the challenges of climate change and depleted natural resources, innovators like IntelliReefs offer a proven solution that addresses both issues simultaneously through the blue economy approach. IntelliReefs is at the forefront of transforming how offshore wind development takes place - helping to revolutionise the energy transition in harmony with marine ecosystems. Wind farm project managers look forward to collaborating with IntelliReefs to responsibly expand offshore wind and the Blue Tech economy together.

Does your offshore wind energy project need an environmental revitalization component?

Contact IntelliReefs today to learn how Oceanite can transform your development into a sustainable, ecoconscious model for the blue economy science@ intellireefs.com

Ocean Recovery Declaration: Supporting a Sustainable Blue Economy at a Local Government Level

Written By | NATASHA POSNETT

Emily Cunningham, Co-founder of the #Motion4theOcean Local Government Ocean Recovery Declaration, shed light on her mission and why she feels it is essential to address our most significant ocean issues at a local government level. The blue economy allows humans to achieve sustainable development and economic growth mutually, but it doesn’t come without challenges. We need to address the most significant pressures on our marine ecosystems to have a sustainable and healthy future with the numerous benefits our blue economy provides us.

What Is #Motion4theOcean?

Motion for the Ocean was created to help local authorities play their part in achieving a clean, healthy and productive ocean and all of the direct economic, health and well-being benefits it provides. The "Motion for the Ocean" - or Local Government Ocean Recovery Declaration - is a model motion* for councils to follow. Developed by Emily, together with other ocean experts, it is an evidence-based blueprint for ocean action at a local government level and can be adapted to suit local circumstances.

*A motion is a proposal put forward for decision by Councillors; if a majority vote is achieved, the motion is passed. A "model motion" is a template and can be adapted to local circumstances.

“Myself and my fellow co-authors, Dr Pamela Buchan and Nicola Bridge, recognised the success of the Climate Emergency Declaration and sought to create a version for the ocean emergency. We recognised that there was much within a local government's power and responsibility that affected ocean health, so we created a blueprint to enable councils to become actors for ocean recovery at minimal cost.”

So far, the initiative has seen great success, with 27 Councils already making an Ocean Recovery Declaration using Motion for the Ocean- 26 are in England, and 1 (so far) in Wales. There are two versions of the motion: one for coastal councils and one for inland councils. The inland version takes a source-to-sea approach, recognising that no matter where we live, we impact and are impacted by our ocean. Sewage, chemical and plastic pollution are all significant drivers of the decline in ocean health, and action to address these threats upstream is incredibly valuable in achieving the recovery of our ocean ecosystems.

How Is #Motion4theOcean Helping To Protect The Marine Environment And Ensure Sustainable Use?

The evidence is clear that our ocean is in a state of emergency. An ocean in crisis is terrible news for all coastal economies and the prosperity of coastal communities. Fishing, aquaculture, tourism, recreational activities and ocean travel will all take a hit from a struggling ocean.

When making the Ocean Recovery Declaration, a local government commits to developing a sustainable and equitable blue economy that delivers ocean recovery and local prosperity.

This is one of 8 evidence-based commitments a council makes when passing the Motion for the Ocean. The others include:

• Embedding ocean recovery in all strategic decisions, plans and approaches to decisions by the Council.

• Ensure local planning and nature, biodiversity, and climate strategies support ocean recovery.

Emily Cunningham Co-founder of the #Motion4theOcean Local Government Ocean Recovery Declaration

Image credit: Emily Cunningham

• Work with local partners to improve water quality and increase sustainability in (marine) industries.

• Grow ocean literacy locally, ensuring pupils can experience the ocean (or local river) first-hand.

The council commits to creating an action plan within <12 months on how it will deliver these commitments, ensuring time-bound accountability.

“Our ocean is in this sorry state because we have not used its resources sustainably. Recognising that our ocean is in a state of emergency and that local government has an essential part to play in ocean recovery is the foundation of the Motion for the Ocean.”

Why Is Sustainable Use Of Our Oceans Vital?

Sustainable ocean management is crucial for the health of our planet and future generations. There are many opportunities for economic development in the marine environment, but these must be harnessed sustainably. Our oceans support valuable industries such as tourism, fishing, shipping and renewable energy, all of which rely on healthy marine environments. Preserving the biodiversity of our oceans is also essential for scientific research and the discovery of resources and medicines. We have to learn from our past mistakes and look to develop a sustainable and equitable blue economy.

“Continuing our current trajectory of overharvesting and polluting our ocean is not an option. Scientists and policymakers are concerned about ocean "tipping points" - significant, often abrupt, changes in an ecosystem due to human activities. These tipping points can be difficult to anticipate, and history has shown us they are difficult and hugely expensive, if not impossible, to reverse. For example, the Baltic Sea crossed a tipping point in the 1980s and has yet to recover, causing great economic, environmental and social loss.”

We know that ocean health and human health are fundamentally linked. Sustainable use of our ocean is vital not only from an economic perspective but also for our health and well-being.

“Breaching a tipping point robs us of current economic value and destroys future economic opportunity. By changing our economic model to one of sustainable resource use, we ensure the longevity of existing marine industries (that can adapt) and retain the potential for new sustainable marine industries.”

How Does Ocean Recovery Benefit The

Blue Economy?

“Many people consider blue economy to mean a

transactional exploitation of marine resources, but I advocate for a definition of blue economy as one that uses ocean resources regeneratively. We are already starting from a much-diminished baseline, so we must aim to recover ocean resources - not just no further loss.”

A clean, healthy and productive ocean means more opportunity in the blue economy - so we must work to recover the ocean to that state.

But whose responsibility is ocean recovery?

All too often, we look to national government, but the Motion for the Ocean was born from a recognition that local governments also have an essential role to play in ocean recovery. Local governments taking action towards ocean recovery is an investment in the future prosperity of the communities they are elected to serve.

“I also advocate that ocean recovery is the equal responsibility of marine industries. If they are reaping financial rewards from our ocean - a global common resource - then they must ensure it is done in a regenerative way. It gives me great hope that many marine industries recognise and are actively championing this.”

Aiming For Worldwide Success

“I'm incredibly lucky that I've experienced the wonders of our ocean first-hand - from diving in a submarine in Antarctica to studying nesting sea turtles in Sri Lanka, but the downside is witnessing the destruction of our ocean with my own eyes. The changes I've seen in my 15-year career are devastating - beyond anything I could ever have imagined - and I know our ocean can't take much more.”

Emily’s passion for our oceans is fuelling her mission and desire to expand the Motion for the Ocean worldwide. She fully understands the importance of a sustainable blue economy and believes their work will help local governments achieve this.

“I recently presented the Motion for the Ocean to city leaders worldwide at the UN Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona (April 2024), and we have received interest from Africa and Oceania. Our blueprint has been so successful that we're keen to export the Motion for the Ocean model and enable it to create an impact overseas as it did here in the UK.”

You can help by asking your local council to pass a Motion for the Ocean. For all the information you can visit: lgacoastalsig.com/motion-for-the-ocean

Africa’s Blue Economy: Building a Sustainable Future

Written By | MARTYN SHUTTLEWORTH

In Africa, promoting the blue economy to encourage sustainability and community engagement is supporting growth and prosperity. Across the continent, environmental entrepreneurs are investing in people and empowering communities while raising awareness of conservation and sustainability.

As part of this environmental movement, Proscovia Alando, an expert in aquaculture, promotes a number of initiatives to raise awareness of the blue economy and help the continent’s many innovative startups. Proscovia discusses how she is promoting the environment, investing in communities, and building a sustainable future for Africa.

Could you give us a brief background about yourself and your experience?

I currently serve as the Program Manager for the newly launched Blue Venture Builder Program in Africa at Hatch Blue. With almost a decade of experience in the seafood industry and an MSc in Sustainable Aquaculture from The University of Stirling, I am dedicated to advancing sustainable practices and innovative solutions in

economy.

My journey has equipped me with specialized certifications in Aquaponics and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), providing the technical expertise needed to navigate the complexities of our field. Throughout my career, I have spearheaded several projects, from developing Standard Operating Procedures for cage aquaculture businesses to actively managing farms and delivering training on best aquaculture practices and value addition. One project particularly close to my heart involves promoting sustainability and women's empowerment in aquaculture through initiatives like farming insects for alternative protein in fish feed and sharing empowering stories of women in aquaculture through The Fish Site.

My work aligns deeply with the principles of the blue economy. I am committed to developing sustainable solutions that safeguard our aquatic resources while fostering economic growth and community well-being. Currently, our focus at Hatch Blue is on supporting entrepreneurs with scalable, sustainable ventures.

My motivation stems from a deep-seated desire to effect tangible change in the world. I firmly believe in our

aquaculture, the circular economy, and the blue

National Trout Hatchery Kenya

Proscovia Alando Program Manager at Blue Venture Builder Program in Africa at Hatch Blue

capacity to produce food sustainably and efficiently to feed the global population. As I look to the future, my goal is to continually push the boundaries of innovation in the blue economy sector, inspiring others to join our crucial efforts.

How can the blue economy support growth and communities in Africa?

The blue economy in Africa offers vast potential for economic growth and community development. Leveraging the continent’s abundant aquatic resources can drive sustainable progress through several avenues:

Economic Growth: Developing industries like fisheries and tourism in Africa can create jobs and boost trade fostering resilience against market fluctuations.

Sustainable Practices: Prioritizing sustainable aquaculture, fishing methods and clean energy projects ensures resource longevity and mitigates climate change effects.

Environmental Protection: Establishing marine protected areas and improving waste management safeguards biodiversity and human health while restoring degraded ecosystems.

Technological Innovation: Harnessing technology enhances resource management, promotes aquaculture growth, and optimizes supply chains for sustainable resource utilization.

How can venture capital promote a sustainable blue economy?

Venture capital plays a crucial role in promoting a sustainable blue economy by financing innovation, scaling eco-friendly practices, and expanding market ecosystems. Here’s how:

Funding Innovation: Venture capital fuels startups developing sustainable marine technologies like offshore wind and eco-friendly aquaculture.

Scaling Sustainability: It supports growth in sustainable fisheries, marine conservation, and eco-tourism through infrastructure investments.

Market Creation: Investment in sustainably sourced seafood products creates markets for environmentally friendly goods, especially for SMEs.

Building Ecosystems: Venture capital fosters innovation ecosystems, connecting startups with mentors and promoting collaboration for regulatory support.

Driving Impact: With a focus on impact investing, it ensures companies prioritize measurable environmental outcomes, driving positive change in the blue economy.

What

support do you give to communities and businesses? How does this help them develop?

I am involved in multiple initiatives that support communities and businesses in the blue economy, particularly in aquaculture and seafood sectors. Here’s how:

Hatch Blue Collaboration and Partnerships: As Program Manager, I foster collaboration, identify promising ideas, and facilitate partnerships, driving innovation and sustainability in the blue economy. By connecting businesses with resources and support, I enable scaling, innovation, and access to new markets, crucial for sustainable development.

The Fish Site Exposure: Through writing about SubSaharan African aquaculture, I provide media exposure, attracting potential customers, partners, and investors, boosting credibility and encouraging best practices adoption.

Samaky Hub Training and Consultancy: As founder, I provide training, capacity building, and consultancy services, empowering businesses with essential skills and sustainable practices for long-term growth.

This collective support empowers businesses and communities, fostering growth, credibility, innovation, and resilience in the blue economy.

You emphasize sustainability within aquaculture and fishing. How do you encourage people to take care of their resources?

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Cage fish farmers

Sustainability is central to my approach in aquaculture and fishing. As a co-founder at Ressect, we not only farm Black Soldier Fly (BSF) insects for fish feed but also train and establish facilities for insect farmers. This reduces overfishing pressure and promotes a balanced ecosystem. I educate communities through workshops and writings, emphasizing sustainable practices' longterm benefits. Balancing aquaculture and fisheries is crucial; each sector's health affects the other. Collaborating across industries fosters innovation, while advocating for science-based policies ensures responsible resource management. Through initiatives like Blue Venture Builder - Africa, we build networks to drive sustainable practices, ensuring a thriving blue economy for generations to come.

Do you find that people in Africa are receptive to your ideas? What challenges have you faced?

Yes, many in Africa are increasingly receptive to sustainable practices in aquaculture and fishing, recognizing the need for balance between economic growth and environmental stewardship. My work with Samaky Hub, The Fish Site contributions, and Ressect involvement have garnered positive responses, showcasing enthusiasm for sustainable initiatives.

However, challenges persist. Limited financial resources hinder adoption, exacerbated by infrastructure deficits. Knowledge gaps and regulatory complexities pose barriers, compounded by cultural nuances. Climate change further strains sustainability efforts. To overcome, I prioritize partnerships, advocacy, and community engagement. At Hatch Blue, we foster a connected community, promoting innovation and sustainable growth in the blue economy sector. Building key relationships and facilitating partnerships are integral to amplifying sustainability efforts, locally and nationally.

You are a great believer in promoting women and youth within aquaculture. Could you tell us more?

Promoting women and youth in aquaculture is central to my work. I focus on training, mentorship, and community building to empower them for success:

Training and Capacity Building: At Samaky Hub, we offer tailored consulting and training programs to equip women and youth with essential skills in aquaculture and business management.

WhatsApp Community Group: I maintain a WhatsApp group, sharing opportunities and providing personalized guidance to over 300 members across the globe

Highlighting Success Stories: Through the Fish Site, I showcase achievements to inspire broader participation and challenge stereotypes.

Inclusive Programs: At Hatch Blue, we ensure inclusivity the Blue Venture Builder program, providing resources and opportunities to women and youth.

Advocacy and Policy Engagement: I advocate for gender equality and youth participation in aquaculture policies. In 2022, I collaborated with colleagues at The African Food Fellowship to draft aquaculture policy reforms. These reforms were shared with the Government of Kenya, aiming to enhance regulations and opportunities within the aquaculture sector, fostering sustainable growth and inclusivity.

What do you count as your main successes?

That I am deeply fulfilled by what I do.

Is there anything else you want to add?

I want to encourage women and youth to pursue their dreams in the aquaculture and blue economy sectors. Your dreams are valid, and your contributions are vital to the future of our industry.

Lake view fisheries Kenya

Victory farms Kenya

Seaweed Farming to Improve Marine Protected Areas and Support Coastal Communities

Written By | NATASHA POSNETT

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are critical for the conservation of marine ecosystems. They offer valuable benefits by protecting the area from habitat destruction, overfishing and pollution threats. MPAs act as sanctuaries for marine life and are often established to protect habitats crucial for the survival of a certain species. The economic benefits of wellmanaged MPAs are essential. They generate revenue for local economies by allowing sustainable fishing and aquaculture to thrive and attracting visitors.

Seaweed farming is a promising sector of the sustainable blue economy with numerous environmental and economic benefits. The Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance’s (ORRAA) Coast 4C project is advancing regenerative seaweed farming within MPAs in the Philippines to enhance the resilience of climate-vulnerable coastal communities and the health of marine ecosystems. This project focuses on combining the benefits of MPAs and seaweed farming to create a sustainable blue economy that supports coastal communities who are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Chip Cunliffe, Co-Founder and Programme and Risk Director for ORRAA, told us more about the project and its desired outcomes.

Coast 4C Project

“The Coast 4C project is pioneering a transformative approach to ensuring coastal communities in the

Risk

from a sustainable blue economy by developing market-based solutions that leverage seaweed farming to enhance resilience in these climate-vulnerable areas. Starting with eight MPAs, the project provides comprehensive support to seaweed farmers, 80 per cent of whom are women. The support includes providing highquality equipment and seedlings, improved on-farm technologies, and management assistance to develop and expand sustainable seaweed farms.”

Seaweed farmers in the Philippines are some of the world’s most exposed and climate-vulnerable communities. A highly fragmented value chain and lack of investment in production means that seaweed farming methods have remained largely the same for over six decades. By working with farmers to improve the quality and quantity of seaweed farming yields and linking this directly to improved marine resource management, the project aims to support the development of sustainable livelihoods and the implementation of the Philippines MPA network.

A vital element of the project is its commitment to coastal and community resilience. By agreeing to buy

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Philippines benefit

Chip Cunliffe Co-Founder and Programme and

Director for ORRAA

each kilo of seaweed produced at a higher price than the open market, Coast 4C is directly contributing to the economic security of these farmers, ensuring they receive fair price value for their efforts.

The project involves farmers co-managing the MPAs, including establishing and monitoring no-take and sustainable use zones. This ensures that the benefits of the sustainable blue economy are equitably distributed and empowers local communities to have a direct stake in conservation, adaptation and resilience efforts.

Coast 4C and its partners are also committed to monitoring and evaluating the performance of these farms and the ecosystem services they provide. This data is instrumental in developing the innovative financial products that ORRAA supports, like farm finance and crop insurance, aimed at enhancing the economic resilience of the farmers. These measures are key for supporting the livelihoods of the communities and contributing to the overall health and sustainability of ocean ecosystems.

What Is The Challenge?

Seaweed farming in small-scale fishing communities faces numerous risks beyond climate change, including limited access to quality seedlings, theft of seaweed and farming equipment and harmful fishing practices. In the absence of risk management services, unsustainable practices prevail. Due to a lack of access, seaweed farming methods and approaches more resilient to climate change are generally out of reach for smallholder farmers.

Creating A Solution

Coast 4C will deliver farm input packages to 300 farmers that will increase resilience by reducing pest and disease mortality and improving the quality of seaweed

crops. These packages comprise highquality seedlings from Coast 4C’s expanding network of 18 nurseries, along with training, and materials for climateresilient farming practices. Delivery is facilitated through self-help community banks using the Village Savings and Loan Association model, fostering social capital and financial literacy. This work is integrated into iMPA management plans to ensure that regenerative seaweed farming contributes to positive biodiversity outcomes.

Marine Protected Areas For A Sustainable Blue Economy

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are critical for a sustainable blue economy. They are the cornerstone for balancing ocean and coastal ecosystems with economic growth. MPAs are instrumental in safeguarding ocean biodiversity, which is crucial for the fishing and tourism sectors and forms the backbone of the sustainable blue economy. By ensuring the health and resilience of the ocean’s ecosystems, MPAs contribute significantly to the sustainability and productivity of fisheries, which are essential for food security and livelihoods.

“MPAs can also be vital in building resilience against climate change. Coastal ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs, often protected within MPAs, are biodiversityrich, are nurseries for many fish species and play a significant role in carbon sequestration. They serve as natural first-line defences to storm surges and coastal erosion, safeguarding coastal communities and infrastructure. “

In addition to their environmental and economic benefits, MPAs are essential for scientific research and monitoring marine biodiversity. They provide invaluable data that can inform sustainable management practices across various sectors of the sustainable blue economy. Combined with the traditional and indigenous knowledge of coastal communities, these insights facilitate the development of policies that balance sustainable and equitable economic uses with conservation and community needs.

Poor Management of Ocean Resources

“Seaweed farmers have been severely impacted by a legacy of poor management seen through the dramatic loss of mangroves in recent decades. Their decline has left these communities more exposed and vulnerable to extreme weather events and rising sea levels.”

Mangroves also play a crucial role in supporting the growth of farmed seaweed by providing a stable growing environment for these marine plants. The decline of mangroves has led to increased rates of ice-ice disease, a devastating condition affecting the commercial cultivation of seaweed caused by environmental factors like increased ocean temperature, decreased salinity and high light intensity, further compromising the livelihoods of local farmers. The highly fragmented value chain and lack of investment in production also mean that seaweed farming methods are largely unchanged from those used over half a century ago. Harmful fishing practices, stolen seaweed and farming equipment, and low-quality seedlings are risk multipliers for these farmers.

Project Outcomes

“ORRAA would like to see a significant increase in the resilience and sustainability of climate-vulnerable coastal communities through improved seaweed farming practices. . This project aims to reduce pest and disease mortality and enhance the quality of seaweed crops as well as empowering farmers with the tools and knowledge needed to thrive,.”

Coast 4C is looking at the long-term benefits of the communities. They hope to increase social capital and financial literacy using self-help community banks based

on the Village Savings and Loan Association model. This approach strengthens economic resilience and builds a sense of community and mutual support among farmers, particularly for women in the community.

‘We hope to see the development and successful implementation of an affordable insurance product, protecting the farmers against extreme weather events and other external shocks like ice-ice disease. Such insurance products, as innovated by another one of our projects – Bahari Remedies –can build resilience against the consequences of crop failure, natural disasters, market fluctuations and health problems, building economic security for all.”

Seaweed farming is a vital part of the sustainable blue economy. It offers a regenerative path for economic development while addressing social challenges and creating stronger coastal communities. It is great to see the work being achieved in the Philippines and how it complements the environmental benefits of MPAs. The Coast 4C project is demonstrating the excellent link between seaweed farming and MPAs and how mutual benefits can be gained by everyone involved.

For more information, visit: oceanriskalliance.org

Expert Views on the Blue Economy

Find out more about the Blue Economy and how it benefits us all with expert insights. Discover how they are making the oceans a sustainable resource and creating a better future.

Maximiliano Bello

Mission

Blue Policy Director

What is the importance of the blue economy in your area/region?

I don’t think the water industry faces different challenges vs. any other regulated, infrastructure-driven industry (e.g. power, transportation, etc). I actually think the biggest challenge is that these businesses (like many others) don’t have good processes for business process transformation well, and to get the most out of digital transformation a business must deal with non-digital part first. For example, considering how workflows, pricing, and org structure will change to effectively get the most value from a software implementation is critical, yet its usually an afterthought when evaluating digital technologies.

What conditions are needed for a sustainable blue economy to prosper and grow in the future?

Blue economy is a term that constantly changes, depending on who is using it. Most of them do not consider the conservation, preservation, or protection of the ocean. We have an existing blue economy (just like we have been doing for a while) that considers the overexploitation of the “resources” as an asset, an economy, that externalizes the cost of using the ocean, as a source, as a trash can, as a provider. There isn’t “sustainable” without the preservation of functional ecosystems, there are no jobs or “growth” with a dead ocean.

What innovative approaches is your company taking to promote sustainability within the blue economy?

It’s actually an old idea, but still the best idea. Polynesians have been using them for thousands of years and science today, can back them up, we have great information and facts that prove that they work. They are called in Polynesia Tapus or Rahuis, we call them Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). But I am talking of MPAs that actually protect ecosystems, species, functions, and processes, these are highly and fully protected areas only, of those, we only have 3% on the planet, meaning 97% are for sale. We are in the business of promoting them, of working with local communities and groups, governments and scientists, fishermen and the tourism sector, to show them protection is actually great for everyone.

Katrin Kreidel

hydrop systems Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder

What is the importance of the blue economy in your area/region?

Even though Stuttgart, Germany, is a low-water region, this is often not recognized because there is a long-distance water supply in place. Due to the lack of connection to the ocean, access to water is often taken for granted. There is a lack of awareness about this important issue, and we want to change that!

What innovative approaches is your company taking to promote sustainability within the blue economy?

At hydrop systems, we are raising awareness about the important issue of water consumption. We make household water consumption visible with an add-on solution and artificial intelligence that detects leaks and optimizes water usage, broken down by specific activities (e.g., shower, toilet flush). Additionally, we provide personalized water-saving tips and offer information to help reduce water pollution everywhere.

How does your company address the balance between economic growth and environmental conservation in the blue economy sector?

As water scarcity is unfortunately often not considered an urgent issue in some parts of Europe, we are addressing this by focusing on saving money and preserving memories through early leakage detection.

Can you discuss any partnerships or collaborations your company has established to advance research and development in the blue economy?

We are partnering with the water meter producer Lorenz, which offers refurbished water meters, to develop a water meter that naturally incorporates our solution to further increase resource efficiency.

Liris Maduningtyas

JALA Chief Executive Officer

What is the importance of the blue economy in your area/region?

The blue economy that emphasizes sustainable use of ocean resources is pivotal for Indonesia. In shrimp farming, sustainable practices are essential to protect the environment. These practices can also empower local communities and bolster the local economy. While awareness among farmers is growing, widespread adoption of sustainable practices is still a challenge. Industry players, including JALA, are actively promoting the blue economy to ensure its principles are embraced widely.

What conditions are needed for a sustainable blue economy to prosper and grow in the future?

For a sustainable blue economy to thrive, we need effective and responsible aquaculture and fishing practices. This includes proper management and informed decision-making in cultivation. JALA is leading the way with our end-to-end solutions and Climate Smart Shrimp Farming (CSSF) initiative, aiming to set a benchmark for sustainable aquaculture practices.

What innovative approaches is your company taking to promote sustainability within the blue economy?

CSSF in Lalombi, Central Sulawesi is one of our initiatives aiming to intensify production and restore mangroves in the surrounding area to help protect coastal regions. In this project, we use a gravity-based water flow system and a three-stage effluent water management system to save energy. We also emphasize social responsibility. Other than that, we develop a shrimp farming management application and a water quality measurement device that enable farmers to get real-time data on various parameters and make informed decisions in water quality management.

How does your company address the balance between economic growth and environmental conservation in the blue economy sector?

JALA prioritizes efficiency in shrimp farming to achieve economic growth. The data analytics feature in our app empowers farmers to optimize production and implement sustainable practices. By making informed decisions, farmers can enhance productivity and reduce ecological footprints.

Stuart Rudick

hydroao.org Water Steward

What is the importance of the blue economy in your area/region?

I live in Kauai, one of the wettest places on our planet. Amazingly, we have also experienced drought here as well. As an Island we are surrounded by water and the Hawaiian name for water is WAI, the same name for life.

What conditions are needed for a sustainable blue economy to prosper and grow in the future?

It is critical to have large amounts of capital invest in our future solutions from private and public funds. Many new funds focused on climate solutions are also investing in water innovations. There is a water energy nexus as water is used in most energy creation and is key to our energy solutions. As example, green hydrogen is a future, clean energy source that also creates clean water and reduces carbon output.

What innovative approaches is your company taking to promote sustainability within the blue economy?

We are deeply involved with the leading innovations of desalination. atmospheric water, green hydrogen, bio, plant and ocean based polymers (replacing fossil fuel plastics), agriculture solutions reducing water use, AI and ML applications to improve water efficiency and mitigating water loss.

How does your company address the balance between economic growth and environmental conservation in the blue economy sector?

They are connected. To scale a solution must have great economic funding and success. They are not tradeoffs. We must be mindful of the total cost and impact to nature and environment when looking at the true total cost of all solutions.

Can you discuss any partnerships or collaborations your company has established to advance research and development in the blue economy?

We collaborate with 50+ Universities, NGOs, and think tanks on water and climate solutions.

Chris Roper

Roper Resources Ltd President

What is the importance of the blue economy in your area/region?

Sidney on Vancouver island is a hot bed for marine companies.

What conditions are needed for a sustainable blue economy to prosper and grow in the future?

Ongoing testing and monitoring of the oceans, worldwide. Restricting plastics from entering the ocean.

What innovative approaches is your company taking to promote sustainability within the blue economy?

We have introduced the world‘s most cost-effective sampler for acquiring water samples at depth in the ocean.

How does your company address the balance between economic growth and environmental conservation in the blue economy sector?

Ramp up very slowly and don’t get ahead of the game.

Can you discuss any partnerships or collaborations your company has established to advance research and development in the blue economy?

Roper resources limited is currently in discussions with NASA about utilization of the CEWS To acquire water samples on distant planets.

What strategies does your company employ to ensure inclusivity and equitable access to opportunities within the blue economy workforce?

Connections and assistance from the government

What improvements would you like to see in the blue economy industry?

More funding available for technology developments, around climate monitoring, and simply.

Alex Schulze

4ocean CEO & Co-Founder

What innovative approaches is your company taking to promote sustainability within the blue economy?

As one of the largest ocean cleanup companies in the world, 4ocean is doing everything we can to promote sustainability within the Blue Economy, with over 200 full-time captains and crews and over 36 million pounds of trash removed since 2017.

We employ crews around the world to collect trash and plastic from oceans, rivers and coastlines, and transport these materials to our processing facilities and transform them into sustainable, handcrafted products which help fund cleanup operations around the world. This allows us to innovate new projects and form effective partnerships to help clean and restore some of the regions most affected by ocean pollution.

How does your company address the balance between economic growth and environmental conservation in the blue economy sector?

When we first started 4ocean, it was to accomplish one goal: end the ocean plastic crisis. That’s why we decided to launch 4ocean as a Certified B Corp and Public Benefit Corporation. Our entire business model is designed to advance our mission of ending the ocean plastic crisis by funding daily ocean, river, and coastline cleanups; creating jobs for people whose lives and livelihoods are impacted by plastic pollution; creating an economy for recovered ocean plastic by using the materials we collect to create new products that support our mission; and inspiring people to adopt a more sustainable lifestyle that will help keep plastics out of the ocean.

Can you discuss any partnerships or collaborations your company has established to advance research and development in the blue economy?

A huge part of our movement comes from raising awareness about ocean health, which is why we teamed up with Dana White and the UFC to launch Fight for the Ocean, a campaign that educates people about ocean health with a fundraiser to help fund future cleanups.

In Guatemala, we launched A River of Change in partnership with Corona International to build a floating barricade in the Rio Motagua, designed to intercept and collect the over 40 million pounds of plastic waste that flows out to the ocean each year while employing local community members.

We also helped launch a series of autonomous drones with The Searial Cleaners that use AI technology to maximize our cleanup efforts that sift through beach sand to recover plastic and collect floating debris and surface oils from waterways.

Beyond these unique offerings, we also partner with brands interested in reducing or mitigating their plastic footprint, funding cleanup operations, or pull pounds of plastic for every product or service sold. We want to make cleaning the ocean accessible for everyone, and with more brands interested in supporting the Blue Economy, we know we’re just getting started.

Marc Yaggi

Waterkeeper Alliance Chief Executive Officer

What conditions are needed for a sustainable blue economy to prosper and grow in the future?

Pollution, climate change, habitat destruction, and overfishing threaten the very foundation of coastal economies. To ensure a prosperous future, we need strong, science-based safeguards that are enforced. Moreover, a blue economy must also include freshwater systems. It is a matter of interconnectedness, as rivers flow into oceans, therefore pollution and degradation upstream significantly impact ocean health.

A blue economy means prioritizing sound science, holding polluters accountable, investing in nature-based solutions, and supporting coastal communities to be stewards of their own resources. Rather than disproportionately benefitting large corporations, a blue economy must also include and support small-scale fishers, Indigenous groups who depend on water resources for their livelihoods, and coastal community small businesses.

A blue economy built on pollution and exploitation is a house of cards. Prioritizing short-term economic gains undermines the ocean’s ability to support future generations. For example, the proposals for offshore oil and gas drilling off the coast of Senegal is not only incongruous with curbing climate change, but it also threatens the country’s thriving fisheries sector, which employs 17% of the country’s working population and provides more than 40% of the country’s animal protein. This proposal is the opposite of what is needed for a sustainable blue economy.

What strategies does your company employ to ensure inclusivity and equitable access to opportunities within the blue economy workforce?

Waterkeeper Alliance works to ensure every person, everywhere, has access to clean, safe water. This means actively fighting systemic injustices that limit access, availability, and security.

We collaborate with frontline communities, amplify diverse voices, and champion policies that promote inclusive decision-making and equitable distribution of resources in the blue economy. A thriving blue economy should leave no community behind.

Digester Mixing SPECIALISTS

Technology and Innovation

Breaking the glass ceiling on water technology

Mocean Energy

Website URL: mocean.energy

Product Name: Blue Star - Ocean Energy Converter

Product Details:

Mocean Energy’s Blue Star combines wave and solar energy conversion – alongside energy storage capacity – to deliver kilowatts of renewable, reliable, local power for applications across the Blue Economy. The award-winning Blue X prototype – full-scale precursor of Blue Star – has clocked 18 months of operational time at-sea off the Orkney Islands.

Oneka Technologies

Website URL: onekawater.com

Product Name: Oneka Iceberg

Product Details:

Oneka has partnered with the City of Fort Bragg, as part of their Blue Economy initiatives, to deploy a 12-month pilot project with its wave-powered sustainable desalination solution. Oneka aims to provide clean, affordable freshwater, supporting local communities and industries while preserving marine ecosystems and promoting sustainable development.

Seaze

Website URL: seaze.co

Product Name: Seaze Podcast

Product Details:

Seaze is dedicated to promoting people working to protect and regenerate our oceans through impact-driven businesses. From replacing harmful plastics with seaweed packaging to using recycled oysters in fashion, our podcast presents a new wave of entrepreneurs doing business differently. Driven by a desire to positively impact our oceans, we help blue organizations share their work with the world with impactful communications.

Sway

Website URL: swaythefuture.com

Product Name: Sway Seaweed Packaging: Firstwave™, TPSea™, TPSea Flex™

Product Details:

Sway is tackling the world’s ubiquitous single-use plastic problem by creating and commercializing homecompostable materials made from a regenerative resource: seaweed.

Our patented thermoplastic pellets and flexible packaging match the vital performance attributes of conventional plastics and mesh seamlessly with globally scaled manufacturing infrastructure, enabling mass adoption and impact. Unlike plastic, Sway materials are made from an abundant, planet-replenishing feedstock and decompose into healthy soil after use.

Watsan Envirotech Private Limited

Website URL: watsan.in

Product Name: Terafil Natural water purifiers

Product Details:

This unique filter media made of siliceous clay filters contaminants like pathogens, heavy metals, turbidity, colour, and odour. These filters are very useful in remote areas where there is no electricity. The purifier uses gravity and nano-filtration to remove impurities while the potable water percolates through for collection in the bottom vessel.

These DIY products have been deployed to almost 500,000 rural households, families below the poverty line, and almost 20000 schools and primary child care centres across India. Watsan also produces add-ons like arsenic and fluoride removal purifiers suitable for regions with higher than permissible limits because conventional R.O machines do not remove these contaminants.

Global events

ACE24 | American Water Works Association

Date: 10 June - 13 June

Location: Anaheim, CA, USA Website:.awwa.org/ace/

AWWA’s 2024 Annual Conference & Expo (ACE24) is a four-day conference accompanied by a three-day trade show, orchestrated by the American Water Works Association (AWWA), serving as a focal point for water sector professionals to acquire knowledge, forge connections, and gain inspiration for addressing today’s global water challenges.

ACHEMA

Date: 10 June - 14 June

Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany Website: achema.de/en/

ACHEMA is a five-day event for the process industry particularly the chemical, pharmaceutical and food industry with manufacturers and service providers from over 50 countries presenting their products for chemical, pharmaceutical and biotech research and manufacturing as well as energy and environmental services.

Singapore International Water Week

Date: 16 June - 20 June

Location: Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Website: siww.com.sg

The Singapore International Water Week spans five days, gathering thought leaders, experts, and practitioners from governments, utilities, academia, and industry to collaborate and devise innovative solutions aimed at addressing urgent urban water challenges on a global scale.

IWA

Date: 24 June - 28 June

Location: Essen, Germany

Website: iwa-let.org

The IWA Leading Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies is designed to be the place for sharing the latest insights into how pioneering science, technological innovation and leading practices will shape the major transformation in water management that is underway.

Water Africa 2024

Date: 26 June - 28 June

Location: Accra International Conference Centre, Accra, Ghana Website: ace-events.com

Water Africa 2024 is a two-day event covering water and sanitation. There is also a seminar programme running alongside the trade exhibition.

European Wastewater Management Conference & Exhibition

Date: 2 July - 3 July

Location: The Point at Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester, United Kingdom Website: ewwmconference.com

The European Wastewater Management Conference & Exhibition is a two-day event providing an essential annual update on the latest innovations, best practice, cuttingedge technology and research in the wastewater sector. pharmaceutical and biotech research and manufacturing as well as energy and environmental services.

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