Our Ocean business reception

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Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to be here with you to celebrate industry’s commitment to the oceans.

There is indeed much to celebrate.

The business community is pushing hard for green solutions.

Cooperation between sectors and stakeholders is essential if we are to achieve the SDGs.

The private sector is playing a key role.

All over the world, creative and capable companies are spearheading innovative solutions by developing

• new ways of working together;
• new business models;
• new financing mechanisms; and
• new technology and scientific methods.

However, these solutions have not yet been fully mainstreamed.

It is still too easy to think in terms of short term-profit rather than long-term gain.

In order to rectify this, we need better regulation.

But we also need trailblazers that can lead the way.

Many of you can count yourselves among these trailblazers.

This applies not least to our hosts – Bloomberg Philanthropies and REV Ocean.

I would like to thank you for organising this event, and for your support in the run-up to Our Ocean.

Norway is a nation steeped in ocean history.

If it had not been for the ocean, our people would not have survived over the centuries.

The ocean has been our source of food, and it has given us our trading commodities and a vital transport system.

Today, we are a leading ocean nation.

Our coastline is one of the longest in the world.

The marine areas we manage are more than five times the size of our land areas.

Many thousands of Norwegians work in one of the ocean industries.

These industries account for about 70 % of Norway’s export revenues.

• Norway is one of the world’s largest oil and gas producers.
• It is one of the world’s largest and most advanced shipping nations.
• It is the world’s second largest exporter of fish and seafood.
• And it has a world-class supply industry.
• Last but not least, Norway is at the forefront of ocean research and responsible marine resource management.

For a long time, our ocean industries have demonstrated our ability to harvest the resources of the sea, without depleting them.

 

The oceans also hold great potential when it comes to future economic growth.

The OECD has predicted that the ocean economy could double in size by 2030.  

But this will only happen if ocean health and ocean productivity are seen as two sides of the same coin.

In the long run, what is good for the ocean environment is also good for ocean business.

This is the principle on which integrated ocean management is based.

The expertise, vision and commitment of the private sector are crucial to achieving the sustainable ocean economy we need for the future.

I count on all of you to continue to develop the solutions that will take us closer to ensuring clean, healthy and productive oceans.

Thank you.