By jointly addressing our mission of sustainable ocean economy through an ecosystem perspective, we will generate a better understanding of challenges and opportunities across sectors and borders. The program holds the potentials to create new sustainable growth paths for innovation, entrepreneurship and establish new industries.
The Nordic countries have an opportunity to be the leading region within EU and globally by creating innovative solutions within the field of ocean economy.
The challenge
As stated in the Horizon Europe mission on the ocean, healthy oceans, seas, coastal and inland waters are vital for our societies and the future of our planet. Further, they are the source of all life on Earth and our planet’s life-support system - supplying freshwater, renewable energy as well as providing benefits associated with our well-being, cultural values, tourism, trade, and transport.
The UNDP highlights that for most sectors that use and impact the ocean, from fisheries to aquaculture to industrial agriculture, the `business as usual` scenario will not deliver the kinds of transformational change needed to move towards a truly sustainable ocean economy.
Considering that ocean economy is clearly a focal point on an international level, the timing of the Nordic Sustainable Ocean Economy program is exceptionally good, and the program can have synergies and/or capitalize on other ongoing initiatives.
As such, the program will consider and do its best to capitalize on the opportunities offered by other projects for the Nordics to be a leading region in developing a sustainable ocean economy.
The aim is to strengthen the Nordic Ocean Economy and maritime industries, and to create increased market opportunities through a joint Nordic sustainable innovation and technology initiative.
The objectives
The program is one of eight initiatives launched by the five Nordic ministers of trade and industry. The initiatives represent a determined advance towards a stronger and more sustainable Nordic region and support the vision for the Nordic region to be the most sustainable and integrated region in the world by 2030.
The aim of the Sustainable Ocean Economy program is to uphold the Nordic region’s role as a pioneer in innovative new solutions that contributes towards making the Nordic region a frontrunner within the field of sustainable ocean economy.
The Nordic will not achieve transformative change by acting alone. A Nordic approach to a sustainable ocean economy will support and contribute to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the 2030 Agenda and work to strengthen the ambitions of EU Green Deal. It will also allow for ecosystem partners to take part in the Horizon Europe missions.
The approach
To make the ocean economy more sustainable, there is a need for innovative solutions and new business models. The program will apply a holistic ecosystem approach consisting of the three overarching dimensions: Space – Surface – Subsea. The program will facilitate collaboration across borders and sectors. This will unlock the vast potential of our ocean economy and make Nordic businesses more competitive.
- A joint Nordic sustainable innovative and technology initiative for the Nordic ocean economy and the maritime industry. This shall be with a holistic approach including the three dimensions of space, surface and sub-sea.
- Mapping of the ecosystem and Nordic strongholds to identify synergies, potential areas where the Nordics can take the lead, and to establish collaboration/joint activities with leading global initiatives within the field of sustainable ocean economy.
- Promoting Nordic Sustainable Ocean Solutions in selected markets with export potentials.
