Ambitions going forward
Ocean Space Centre. Illustration: Snøhetta/Plomp.
There has been increased awareness about the importance of the oceans and impressive developments in the ocean industries since Government’s first ocean strategy was presented. This applies, not least, to the new ocean industries. In the updated ocean strategy Blue Opportunities, the Government identified three focus areas for ocean policy in the future. These were skills and digitalisation, regional and local value creation, climate change and green shipping. The reasons for this were the ever-faster developments in technology and use of digital tools, ambitious climate targets, and the increasingly more important role played by the county municipalities in economic development. The three focus areas remain a high priority. Certain special initiatives will also be given serious attention going forward.
Prior to the summer of 2021, the Government will present a Coastal Strategy to promote profitable jobs, digitalisation and green competitiveness in existing and new industries along the entire coast.
Aquaculture has grown to become a significant industry in Norway, and may become even more important in the future. In order to realise the aquaculture industry’s potential for increased value creation within sustainable limits, the Government plans to present an aquaculture strategy before the summer of 2021. The strategy will address important challenges such as fish health and fish welfare, climate change and the environment, new feed resources and access to good and suitable areas. The issue of how we can utilise resources in a green circular economy will also be included in the strategy.
Work is continuing on renewing the marine technology laboratories at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). The Government has selected the Ocean Space Laboratories concept, which involves the construction of new laboratories in Trondheim. This also includes a fjord laboratory with measuring equipment for studying the environment, as well as devices in the waters off the coast of Ålesund and off the coasts of Hitra and Frøya. The laboratories will be adapted to the training and research needs of both established and new ocean industries.
In the spring of 2021, the Government will present a white paper to the Storting focussing on how Norwegian energy resources will contribute to well-paid jobs, value creation and welfare in the long term. The objective is that oil, gas and renewable energy will all continue to provide a basis for well-paid jobs and profitable industry across the entire country in years ahead. The white paper is forward-looking and describes the opportunities and policies for realising value creation and new jobs in the energy sector.
In the 2022 national budget, the Government will describe how the Ocean Panel’s various conclusions are to be followed up. The work of the panel will also be important in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and will be a priority going forward. In its report from 2020, the Panel emphasised that the ocean is even more important than we thought, that the state of the ocean is worse than we thought, but that the ocean also has many of the solutions required by both mankind and the planet. An important part of the follow-up of the Ocean Panel is to gain global support for the 100 per cent commitment and ensure that sustainable ocean plans are implemented for all areas under national jurisdiction.
Hawaii. Photo: Unsplash.
The Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development will be an important issue from 2021 until 2030 and will be a global initiative to increase knowledge about the ocean. For Norwegian research communities, the decade will be an important framework for both contributing internationally and aligning their own activities with key goals for sustainable development. The Research Council of Norway has prepared proposals for Norwegian research priorities and is organised in a manner which ensures that Norway is well prepared to participate in international research collaboration in the future. Norwegian participation is based on relevant national research programmes and established international cooperation, primarily through the EU. Relevant development cooperation programmes are also included as part of Norwegian participation in the Decade of Ocean Science. The most important activities have been reported to the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (UNESCO/IOC). Norwegian ocean research, international cooperation and fisheries aid are already extensive, but further strengthening of these efforts will be assessed in connection with the annual budget process.
The ocean dimension will be important for Norwegian cooperation with the EU, including at national and regional level, when implementing the EU’s “European Green Deal”, and the EU is a close ally in the work on combating marine litter. Ocean will continue to be an important issue for Norwegian cooperation with other Arctic countries and regions and in following up the white paper on the High North34.
Various ocean industries such as shipping, fishing and tourism have been heavily impacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples of this include major problems relating to crew changes in international shipping and the practical disappearance of the international tourism market due to travel restrictions.
We need to protect the ocean better in order to be able to produce more healthy food and clean energy, and to safeguard jobs and transport at sea. This is essential for global, sustainable development towards 2030.
Strong international blue-green ocean cooperation is more important than ever.
