Current Projects

Brief project description: The medium-sized project Strengthening the Blue Economy: the Economic Case, Science-Informed Policy, and Transparency, is designed to tackle the features underpinning the assumption that “one can either generate wealth from the ocean or have a healthy ocean, but not both”.  

The overall project objective is that governments and businesses commit to and begin implementing policies, programmes and investments that advance the transition to the Blue Economy (a sustainable ocean economy). 

The project supports three main areas of work: 

1) The production of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel) landmark 2020 report ‘Ocean Solutions that Benefit People, Nature and the Economy’;    

2) At least four ‘Blue Papers (BPs)’, commissioned by the Ocean Panel that offer a synthesis of knowledge, new thinking and perspectives, and opportunities for action that serve as inputs to the Ocean Panel’s report; and 

3) A beta version of ‘Ocean Watch’, which is a platform that will provide the data, the analyses, and the visualisations (maps, graphs, charts etc.) that are needed to support work in the spatial and integrated management of the ocean. 

The project is comprised of four components: 

Component 1: "Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy" 

This project has contributed to the research and writing of the Ocean Panel's landmark report, ‘Ocean Solutions That Benefit People, Nature & the Economy’ (or ‘Ocean Solutions’ report) commissioned by the Ocean Panel. The report, launched in December 2020 and written by SYSTEMIQ and the Ocean Panel Expert Group co-chairs, sets out a new ocean narrative. This comprehensive report contains science-based, practical solutions that governments and businesses can adopt to help achieve a sustainable ocean economy where people have more opportunities and better health, nature thrives, and resources are distributed more equitably. It focuses on the urgent need for action and sets out a roadmap on how to attain a sustainable ocean economy by 2050.  

The report was produced and released alongside the ‘Transformations for a Sustainable Ocean Economy’, a call for international action, focusing on five key areas – ocean wealth, health, equity, knowledge and finance. This knowledge product has been endorsed by 15 Ocean Panel Heads of State and Government1. Countries are now working in earnest to translate this agenda into actionable policies and programmes domestically, and mechanisms are in development to follow progress. 

Component 2: “Blue Papers” substantiating “Building a Sustainable Ocean Economy” recommendations 

A series of 16 Blue Papers (BPs) were commissioned by the Ocean Panel - alongside three special reports - to form a comprehensive assessment of ocean science and knowledge and to inform the Ocean Solutions report and the Ocean Panel’s action agenda. The BPs provide a synthesis of the latest science and knowledge on some of the ocean’s most pressing challenges and opportunities for action. The BPs were authored by leading experts from around the world from the Ocean Panel Expert Group and beyond. Together more than 250 experts and authors representing 48 countries — 44% of whom are women – contributed to this research. The BPs are an independent input into the Ocean Panel process and do not represent the thinking of the Ocean Panel.  

The GEF funding has supported the elaboration and launch of four BPs: Ocean-Based Renewable Energy & Deep Seabed Minerals, the Human Relationship with Our Ocean, Ocean Finance and Coastal Development. Many of the 16 BPs have been adapted and released in the science journal Nature and some of its sister journals, including two funded under this project, Challenges to the Sustainability of Deep-Seabed Mining and Financing a Sustainable Ocean Economy. 

Component 3: “Ocean Watch” beta - online monitoring system to support monitoring of impacts of policies and practices.  

Launched in November 2021, Ocean Watch, an open data platform for the global ocean, supports greater integration of data into marine policy-making. This platform provides the data, analyses, and visualisations needed to support national planning entities in the integrated management of the ocean. Building upon existing datasets, Ocean Watch provides an integrated source of ocean data, uniting ocean sectors and ensuring holistic ocean management. Potential users and stakeholders’ feedback and priorities guide the platform’s development and data collection.  

This project also contributed to the development of the interactive Global Coral Reef Profile, which provides consolidated, map-based information and indicators on the value of coral reefs, the threats they are facing and factors that promote reefs resilience. Equally, the Coral Reef Data Hub, has been made available and includes 30 global data sets relevant to coral reefs. Further description and a request for feedback on the profile can be found on the International Core Reef Initiative. 

Component 4: Knowledge management and sharing 

Through tailored communications and outreach strategies, this project ensures that the outputs and knowledge products from all three components are shared widely to ensure maximum impact and visibility. Outreach is coupled with public awareness campaigns and planned activities, including, but not limited to, op-eds, blogs, podcasts, videos and social media toolkits. The project will also disseminate its knowledge products and stories via IW:LEARN and a project page on the World Resources Institute website, liaise with members of the IW:LEARN community and take part in IW conferences (if possible). 

The Executing Agency (EA) for the project is the World Resources Institute (WRI), which houses the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) as the team managing the project and serves as the Project Steering Committee (PSC)’s secretariat. WRI is well-positioned as an EA for this project, as it acts as the Secretariat for the Ocean Panel, as well as the Co-Secretariat for the Friends of Ocean Action (FOA), and the convenor of the Resource Watch partnership. The PCU oversees the daily implementation of the project, ensuring monitoring and reporting duties are carried out by liaising with component leads.  

Key to working with the partners involved was effective communication and feedback mechanisms, for instance with SYSTEMIQ for the Ocean Solutions report updates, as well as meetings with Expert Group Co-chairs and authors to discuss all Blue Paper progress. Similarly, Ocean Watch technical staff and development leads provide updates at monthly programme meetings involving PCU staff and Ocean Watch technical staff.

The objective of the INMS project is to improve the understanding of the global nitrogen cycle towards the establishment of an International Nitrogen Management System using targeted research. INMS is executed by the International Nitrogen Initiative, hosted by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH). 

Component 1: Tools to apply methods for understanding Nitrogen Cycle 

This component is developing the necessary tools and approaches that form the basis for improving understanding and quantification of the global nitrogen cycle, and hence a foundation for developing the necessary interventions at global and regional scales.  Component 1 focuses on establishing methods, models and indicators, considering especially the datasets that are required.   

Component 2: Regional / global quantification of N use, flows, impacts and the quantitative benefits of applying best management practices 

The aim of this component is to apply tools, methods and data to synthesize knowledge on nitrogen flows, threats and benefits in the context of the global nitrogen cycle.  It is applying key inputs in the form of tools and methods developed in Component 1, together with outcomes from the regional demonstration activities of Component 3, to analyze the current status of N flows, threats and benefits.  

Component 3: Regional demonstration of Full Nitrogen Approach 

This component establishes targeted research demonstrations on the nitrogen cycle at a regional scale for each of the main world regions. The approach is to demonstrate how a joined up approach to nitrogen management can catalyze stronger action for a cleaner environment (water, air, greenhouse gas, ecosystems, soils) and improved food and energy production simultaneously. The choice of regional scale reflects the need to link between local and global scales, to share regionally specific lessons and to work in partnership with regional intergovernmental and other international processes.  

Component 4: Awareness raising and knowledge sharing 

The purpose of this component is to support internal and external communication and knowledge exchange in the project. Key to the success of this targeted research activity is the uptake of emerging results by other partners, ongoing engagement and exchange of ideas with stakeholders to ensure that tools and products are fit for purpose and communication of all results in the most effective way.