Tuesday 14 March 2023

‘Oceans control the temperatures of the world’

“The ocean economy is worth around $1.5 trillion” – so why is the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal on marine wildlife the most underfunded?

We delve right into this question with Dr Darian McBain, CEO at Outsourced Chief Sustainability Officer Asia, in an exclusive interview on the ‘blue economy.’

Most are familiar with green finance and are aware of how it’s central to achieving net zero and climate aims – but why is blue finance not talked about in the same breath?

Dr McBain says: “The oceans are what really controls the temperature in the world, so the oceans have absorbed around 30% of manmade carbon emissions that have occurred. [They’ve] absorbed around 90% of the excess heat that we see through the greenhouse effect.

“So, whenever we start to look at the green economy and how we can transition towards net zero, we really also need to think about the blue economy because the oceans are such an important driver of any changes.”

Earlier this month, the High Seas Treaty was made to have 30% of all seas in protected areas by 2030 – with only 1.2% of high seas currently protected.

We discuss this agreement and more in the full interview.