The oceans are vital to the health of our planet and the well-being of humanity. However, the current utilization of our oceans is unsustainable and threatens both marine ecosystems and human livelihoods. According to the UN, an estimated €147 billion per year globally is needed to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14: Life Below Water by 2030. To date, only €21 billion is available: of this, €16.8 billion comes from domestic and international public sources and €4.2 billion from private investors. This leaves a funding gap of €126 billion still to be addressed. Recognizing the urgent need for systematic change in how we manage and invest in our oceans, mobilizing private capital is, therefore, critical to closing the gap.
The Ocean Economy represents a vibrant and promising investment sector, with the potential to drive sustainable growth, innovation and combat climate change.
Historically a cornerstone of the all the Arctic economies, the Ocean Economy continues to contribute significantly to regional GDP. Despite this, insufficient data or knowledge is available for investors interested to explore the Ocean investment opportunities and few investors in the region have a specific focus or mandate to invest in this sector.
The purpose of this session is to discuss and share insights about the unique investment opportunity the Arctic Ocean Economy has to offer and what concrete political and economic actions need to be taken to attract more private capital into this sector. The session will explore innovative financing mechanisms and investment opportunities that support the systematic transition towards a more sustainable ocean economy.
Some of the topics discussed in this session are:
- The Scale: How private capital can contribute to closing the critical €126 billion funding gap for a sustainable ocean future.
- The Opportunity: Why the Arctic region is a hotbed for sustainable ocean industries and innovation.
- The Roadmap: Expert insights on the political and economic steps needed to attract more private capital to the sector.
