Our Executive Chairman, Douglas Hansen-Luke recently featured as a signatory in support of an article published by the French publication Les Echos, demonstrating his and Future Planet Capital’s commitment to protecting and investing in our planet’s Ocean.
Noting the disparity between ocean-based investment and current investment levels in novel technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), the article focuses on the importance of our Ocean in tackling climate change – in the immediate and long-term.
Despite being Earth’s largest entity, covering 71% of its surface, the Ocean’s depths remain lesser known and understood than the face of the Moon. And let's not forget that the seas produce between 50-80% of the world’s oxygen and absorb 9.2 gigatons of carbon dioxide annually – almost 30% of total carbon emissions. No doubt, the Ocean is essential for all life on Earth.
Scientists have long emphasised the importance of protecting our Ocean and, indeed, the need for collective action to do so effectively. But recent planetary and biological developments have served as a shock to the system for many.
Not least, Ocean temperatures are rising at an unprecedented rate. While this can be put down to the likes of El Niño in part, human activity is half to blame. At the same time, ocean acidification has spiked as a direct result of human-induced CO2 emissions reaching their peak in 2023. This serves as a direct threat to ocean life and biodiversity – the most important enabler in the Ocean’s capacity as both a carbon sink and oxygen pump.
Should we fail to act in reversing this damage as a matter of urgency, the repercussions will be monumental. Not just for the three billion people that live in coastal areas and rely directly on the Ocean’s resources, but for the planet as a whole.
To encourage action, engaging state and political actors in committing to addressing these issues is key. The United Nations Global Ocean Conference in a year’s time serves as a landmark moment on this journey, and will – we hope – set us on a path towards a blue-focused COP.
More than this, though: we need endorsement from the private sector and, specifically, from investors and the finance space. It is paramount that sustainable, blue solution investments become central to any investment and fund strategy, so that we are able to direct capital towards the sectors and innovations that need it most.
Find out more in the full article: https://www.lesechos.fr/idees-debats/cercle/opinion-climat-investisseurs-noubliez-pas-locean-2101005