Can You Innovate for a Sustainable Ocean

Oceans are life and if their health deteriorates our health will decline too. The lesson is simple, what we put in the ocean is what we’ll get returned. Hence there is a huge need for helping to recover the health of the human-ocean system.
Facts show the following:
More than three billion people depend on marine biodiversity in their livelihoods.
Oceans absorb about 30 percent of carbon dioxide produced by humans, buffering the impacts of global warming.
Marine fisheries directly or indirectly employ over 200 million people
Open Ocean sites show current levels of acidity have increased by 26 percent since the start of the Industrial Revolution

These and many more facts are addressed by the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life below water. Given the urgent need to face those challenges, the United Nations chose ‘Innovation for a Sustainable Ocean’ as the theme for 2020 World Oceans Day. This theme calls for innovative solutions, science, technology, community engagement, and youth leadership to trigger action to help and protect the oceans.
June 8th is celebrated worldwide in events and initiatives that raise awareness on the impact of humans on the oceans and on how to get involved in initiatives that promote their sustainable management.
Given the current situation caused by COVID-19, many of those events were organized online.
It doesn’t matter if we live far away from the ocean or the sea. Our behaviors, what we do/buy, and what we choose have an impact on the ocean. This means that everyone can do a little to get involved in an event or even something bigger like getting started with an innovative idea or project that helps oceans thrive and change lives in the longer term. Whether it is building new habitats or using local innovations to encourage people to support what they know may not understand, you can learn how to look for creative entrepreneurial opportunities.

Successful startups helping the oceans that can inspire you

Ocean startups fall under different categories. While plastic remains a burning issue, many startups focus on conservation, stewardship, research, sustainable tourism, education of local communities and new generations, sustainable and ethical food, local innovations, etc.

Currently, these are the most promising ocean startups

Ocean Cleanup
Plastic Odyssey
Final Straw
Searious Business
Abeego
River cleaning
Ocean Bottle
Origin Materials
Sulapac
Ichthion
#tide
Algramo
Clear Blue Sea
The Great Blue Barrier
Notpla
Loliware
Seabin project
Passport Ocean
PuraKai