Quick Dips
Curated topical articles on the Blue Economy

New algorithm can analyse plastic pollution in the ocean

• Liz Allen, Forbes • Plastics & Pollution

While we know plastic is terrible for marine life, detecting plastic pollution in the ocean is notoriously challenging.

Read more → (3 minute read)


The seaweed start-up that's set to slash livestock methane emissions

• Megan Howell and Rob Fletcher

Alexia Akbay, founder and CEO of seaweed farming start-up Symbrosia, explains to The Fish Site how the company aims to both reduce the carbon footprint and improve the productivity of ruminant livestock agriculture.

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Chemists develop fast-degrading plastic for cleaner oceans

• Kevin Dickinson • Plastics & Pollution

The researchers hope to develop a no-trace plastic to curtail marine pollution and ghost fishing.

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North America’s blooming ocean-tech innovation ecosystem

• David Hume, World Ocean Initiative / The Economist Group • Energy Solutions • Fisheries & Aquaculture • Plastics & Pollution • Shipping & Ports

Guest blogger David Hume, marine energy manager with the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the US, considers the role of innovation hubs in nurturing blue economy businesses.

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Blue Tech Voices - Directors of the Pacific Marine Energy Center (PMEC)

• Ali Trueworthy, The Liquid Grid • Energy Solutions

Ali Trueworthy, a student at Oregon State University and researcher at PMEC, sat-down with the PMEC directors from each university, Dr. Brian Polagye, Dr. Jeremy Kasper, and Dr. Bryson Robertson, to get their thoughts on the future of the center, marine energy, and the blue economy.

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For the 50th Birthday of Earth Day: Environmental Investors are Winning the Decade

• Matthew Mulrennan

This week represents 50 laps around the sun since the first Earth Day. Although environmental challenges are not to be underestimated, there is much to be optimistic about for the next 50 years as an unlikely ally, the financial sector, is helping turn the ‘environmental economy’ into ‘the economy’.

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When it comes to battling climate change and sea rise, what does it mean to be ‘resilient’?

• Courtney Humphries

Resiliency is the hot buzzword in developing Boston’s waterfront. But what is it? And might it be better to just not build there at all?

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Sustainable fishing staying afloat in developed world, sinking in poorer regions

• UN News • Fisheries & Aquaculture

More people than ever rely on fisheries and aquaculture for food, and income, but the seafood industry is facing a “dangerous” sustainability divide when comparing trends in the developed world versus those in poorer regions, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) revealed on Monday.

Read more → (3 minute read)


Urchins and Kelp

• Netflix

California’s kelp forests are currently facing a major threat: deforestation. The root of this issue can be attributed to small, spiny invertebrates – purple sea urchins.

Read more → (2 minute read)


How Starfish, Snails and Salmon Fight Pandemics

• C. Drew Harvell

They are resilient and immunologically cunning in ways we’re continuing to discover.

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Rebuild it, shade it, breed it: three tactics to buy time for the Great Barrier Reef

• Graham Readfearn

While emissions reduction is the only long-term solution, scientists are testing ways to keep the reef going in a warming world

Read more → (3 minute read)


IUCN Issues Brief: Marine plastics

• IUCN • Plastics & Pollution

Plastic pollution is the most widespread problem affecting the marine environment. It also threatens ocean health, food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism, and contributes to climate change. 

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Researchers document a 30-year plan to rebuild ocean life

• Cara Giaimo

It’s actually been done before. Now the challenge is to scale up—way up.

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Opinion: We need a global movement to transform ocean science for a better world

• Linwood Pendleton, Karen Evans, and Martin Visbeck

The current scale, pace, and practice of ocean scientific discovery and observation are not keeping up with the changes in ocean and human conditions. We need fundamental changes in the way that researchers work with decision makers to co-create knowledge that will address pressing development problems.

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Norway approves plans for Equinor’s 88MW floating wind farm

• Rachel Cooper • Energy Solutions

Norway has approved plans for Equinor’s floating wind farm.

 

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Shipping industry seeks response to calls for cuts in emissions

• Bethan Staton and Harry Dempsey, Financial Times • Shipping & Ports

World’s fleet under renewed pressure to clean up its act and curb greenhouse gases

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Taking Stock of China’s Actions to Steer Green Shipping

• Barbara Finamore • Shipping & Ports

Studies conducted in the past few years by Chinese researchers clearly show that shipping has become a significant source of air pollution in China’s main port cities (as shown in the above figure). Because these port cities are so densely populated, emissions from ships threaten the health of a large portion of China’s population.

Read more → (8 minute read)


A.I. is Helping Scientists Understand an Ocean's Worth of Data

• Tatiana Schlossberg, NYT • Fisheries & Aquaculture • Plastics & Pollution

Machine-learning applications are proving to be especially useful to the scientific community studying the planet's largest bodies of water.

Read more → (6 minute read)


ABB brings fuel cell powering for large ships a step closer

• Joshua S. Hill • Energy Solutions • Shipping & Ports

Swiss-Swedish electronic manufacturing giant ABB has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with French hydrogen technologies specialist Hydrogène de France to jointly manufacture megawatt-scale hydrogen fuel cell systems for ocean-going vessels.

Read more → (4 minute read)


The blue economy – riding a wave of optimism?

• Maram Ahmed • Tourism

Coastal tourism and maritime transport have important roles to play in the diversification efforts of regional economies

Read more → (2 minute read)