Deep Dives
Thought-provoking research providing extensive learning opportunities
Virdin, J. et al., Science Advances
Most of the revenues extracted from use of the world’s oceans is concentrated among 100 transnational corporations, which have been identified for the first time by researchers at Duke University and the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University.
Dubbed the “Ocean 100,” these “ocean economy” companies collectively generated $1.1 trillion in revenues in 2018, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances.
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Joywin Mathew, DLA Piper
The annual economic value generated by our oceans is approximately USSD3 trillion, making the ocean economy, the fifth largest economy globally. However, the health of our oceans has deteriorated drastically from overfishing, marine littering, the effects of climate change and the rapid increase in the intensity and diversity in the ways we use our oceans.
The financial sector has a key role to play in supporting ocean sustainability and delivering transformative change to ocean economies.
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P.T. Harris et al., Science of the Total Environment - Elsevier Plastics & Pollution
Marine litter is a global problem which poses an increasing threat to ecosystem services, human health, safety and sustainable livelihoods. In order to better plan plastic pollution monitoring and clean-up activities, and to develop policies and programmes to deter and mitigate plastic pollution, information is urgently needed on the dif-ferent types of coastal ecosystem that are impacted by land-sourced plastic inputs, especially those located inproximity to river mouths where plastic waste is discharged into the ocean.
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Peter S. Ross, et al., Nature Plastics & Pollution
Microplastics are increasingly recognized as ubiquitous global contaminants, but questions linger regarding their source, transport and fate. We document the widespread distribution of microplastics in near-surface seawater from 71 stations across the European and North American Arctic - including the North Pole.
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Dr. Alvar Carranza and Dr. Philine S.E. zu Ermgassen Fisheries & Aquaculture
RSM studies can benefit marine shellfish farming and biodiversity across genetic, species-population, community-ecosystem and landscape levels.
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Jacob Corvidae et al., World Economic Forum Energy Solutions
Cities cover 3% of the earth’s land surface yet they create more than 70% of all carbon emissions. To keep global temperature increases to 1.5°C or below, cities have to achieve net-zero. This report provides a global framework and recommends an integrated energy approach, defined as “systemic efficiency”, as a solution to the current environmental, economic, health and social crises.
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Marine Stewardship Council Fisheries & Aquaculture
Fisheries across the globe are already demonstrating that fishing sustainably is not only achievable but more productive too, contributing to a food-secure future.
To accelerate this change, industry, retailers, governments and consumers need to prioritise and support sustainably sourced seafood.
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The Pew Charitable Trusts and SYSTEMIQ Plastics & Pollution
“Breaking the Plastic Wave: A Comprehensive Assessment of Pathways Towards Stopping Ocean Plastic Pollution” presents a first-of-its-kind model of the global plastics system. It is an evidence-based roadmap that describes how to radically reduce ocean plastic pollution by 2040 and that shows there is a comprehensive, integrated, and economically attractive pathway to greatly reduce plastic waste entering our ocean.
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Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission/ UNESCO
On 5 December 2017, the United Nations declared that a Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development would be held from 2021 to 2030. The Ocean Decade provides a common framework to ensure that ocean science can fully support countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
The Ocean Decade provides a ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunity to create a new foundation across the science-policy interface to strengthen the management of our oceans and coasts for the benefit of humanity.
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Northrop, E. et al., High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy / World Resources Institute
This new Ocean Panel-commissioned report, ‘A Sustainable & Equitable Blue Recovery to the COVID-19 Crisis’, offers a timely and practical roadmap featuring five priority blue stimulus opportunities that are ripe for immediate investment of stimulus funding.
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The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Energy Solutions
This report aims to deliver holistic insights into ocean energy and its potential, outlining the steps necessary to reach commercialisation of these innovative power generating technologies.
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Rebecca R. Hernandez, et al., Frontiers in Sustainability Energy Solutions
In this study, we use an innovation systems approach to construct a comprehensive roadmap for solar and wind energy to anticipate and improve impacts of a transition to a low carbon future in a manner ensuring climate goals and SDGs are mutually reinforcing.
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Miri Trainic, et al., Nature Plastics & Pollution
The ubiquity of AMP from terrestrial sources, and the ubiquity of MP in the world’s oceans raise the question whether AMP are present in the remote marine atmosphere. We searched for marine AMP during the Tara Pacific expedition, a 2.5 year research project that investigates coral reefs and plankton communities.
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Nikiema, J. et al., UNEP Plastics & Pollution
With a focus on wastewater, the publication presents a range of solutions to reduce plastic and microplastic pollution from the source to the sea. It also encourages policymakers and practitioners to set priorities and select those that are more cost-effective and suitable for their local context. Finally, it stresses the importance of having technical solutions in addition to appropriate legislation, economic instruments, education, and awareness that force real change on the ground.
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IWMI and CGIAR, UN Environment Programme Plastics & Pollution
From source to sea, our waters are contaminated by a plastics scourge. A new study by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) offers a number of technological solutions aimed at tackling one of the world’s most pressing issues.
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Thoman, R.L. et al., NOAA Arctic Program
The Arctic Report Card (ARC) provides an annual update on the state of the Arctic's climate and environment as well as highlights of Arctic science news of the past year. ARC2020 features 16 essays, 11 of which provide updates on a wide range of Arctic science topics, from the past year's air temperatures and sea ice conditions to the latest in bowhead whale research.
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Oceana Plastics & Pollution
How Amazon is flooding our communities, environment, and oceans with hundreds of millions of pounds of plastic packaging and how they can stop.
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Office for Coastal Management, NOAA Energy Solutions Fisheries & Aquaculture Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism
These reports examine the critically important economic contributions of the oceans and Great Lakes to the marine economy of the United States.
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Emily Elhacham et al., Nature Plastics & Pollution Shipping & Ports Tourism
Here we quantify the human-made mass, referred to as ‘anthropogenic mass’, and compare it to the overall living biomass on Earth, which currently equals approximately 1.1 teratonnes.
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Maya Al-Sid-Cheikh et al., Nature: Communications Material Plastics & Pollution
Available analytical methods cannot detect nanoplastics at environmentally realistic concentrations in complex matrices such as biological tissues. Here, we describe a one-step polymerization method, allowing direct radiolabeling of a sulfonate end-capped nano-sized polystyrene (nPS; proposed as a model nanoplastic particle representing negatively charged nanoplastics).
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