Norway inaugurated over the summer a Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic, placed within the Arctic circle in one of Norway’s northernmost cities, Tromsø. Their task is to coordinate efforts to chart a course for sustainable use of the ocean and the Arctic, while working in line with the UN’s sustainable development goal 14 on conservation and sustainable use of the oceans. DNV GL has been assigned to put together a report for the Center, coordinating efforts for the proper use of the ocean and the Arctic.
Central to this initiative is development of knowledge, particularly about sustainable value creation within marine enterprises – an important part of the Centre’s task. The Centre will also foster close collaboration between teams of experts, including those active in the maritime and marine sectors, petroleum and mineral extraction, space technology and monitoring. Private enterprise is already involved in the Centre thorough an advisory council representing important academic institutions and marine businesses.
As such, DNV GL is responsible with producing the two first reports, the first focusing on the status of a sustainable blue economy in the Norwegian Arctic and a second forethought report analysing the challenges and benefits that will follow the developed sustainable blue economy in the Norwegian Arctic.
The studies, expected to be completed early next year, aim to build up the knowledge and support decision-makers, as they convert the global sustainable development goals into actions. Although the ocean is promising, as far as the economic growth is concerned, it is important to keep in mind the actions that threat the ocean:
- overuse
- pollution
- loss of biodiversity
- climate change.
A team of experts is currently working to assess how technology, innovation and digitalization can help sustainable growth of the ocean economy. The team has also been entrusted with mapping ocean governance and regulation for the UN Global Compact Action Platform for Sustainable Ocean Business.
Sustainable management of the ocean and value creation linked to it is at the core of DNV GLs business. In this project, we bring together expertise from Research as well as all of the DNV GL Business Areas.
…said Bente Pretlove, Program Director, Ocean Space.
