09/05/2016: WOC announces theme and draft program for 2016 Sustainable Ocean Summit

The international ocean business community will gather at the World Ocean Council (WOC) Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS) 2016 to advance leadership and collaboration in developing industry-driven solutions to ocean sustainable development challenges.

Taking place in Rotterdam on 30 November - 2 December 2016, with the theme of 'Ocean 2030: Sustainable Development Goals and the Ocean Business Community', the SOS 2016 will:

• Address the 2016-2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and what they mean for the ocean business community. 
• Advance development of SDG targets and indicators being developed with and for the Ocean Business Community via the WOC during 2016.

The SOS 2016 theme recognises:

• The SDGs adopted by the UN in 2015 to guide international economic development from 2016-2030.
• The growth of the ocean economy and the diverse ocean business community, and their contribution to the food, energy, transport, communications and other needs of society. 
• The role of the ocean business community over the next 15 years, and beyond, in 1) Ensuring the health, productivity and sustainable development of the ocean, 2) Advancing responsible ocean economic activity that contributes jobs, income, goods and services in support of societal needs.

The SOS 2016 program potential Plenary Sessions include:

1. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Ocean Business Community
2. Ocean Executive Forum: The Multi-Sector Ocean CEO Panel
3. Ocean 2030: Ocean industry projections and the future of the Ocean Economy
4. European Blue Growth: EU plans for the Ocean Economy and sustainable development, and the role of the Marine Strategy Directive 
5. Investment and innovation for ocean sustainable development

The SOS 2016 program potential Parallel Sessions include:

Improving ocean governance and marine planning 

• Law of the sea: What the development of a new binding legal agreement means for ocean industries and how to engage with other ocean stakeholders in balancing biodiversity and sustainable development
• Marine planning and international waters: shaping high seas sustainable development through spatial planning
• Marine planning and the North Sea: Multiple ocean use and sustainable development in a heavily used, transboundary sea basin
• Multi-use offshore infrastructure: Creating synergies in ocean industry facilities
• The future of ocean habitation: Projects and plans for living on and under the seas

Conserving marine biodiversity and reducing marine pollution 

• Marine protected areas and ocean industries: Balancing biodiversity conservation and sustainable development in an interconnected global ocean
• Marine sound: Reducing impacts to biodiversity through a global, multi-industry approach to marine sound
• BioFouling and invasive species: Reducing impacts to biodiversity through a global, multi-industry approach to biofouling
• Plastics and marine debris: Reducing impacts to biodiversity by ensuring adequate port reception facilities for shipborne wastes and discharges

Improving ocean knowledge 

• Smart ocean-smart industries: Industry data collection to improve ocean and climate knowledge

Contributing to food security 

• Fisheries: Ocean industry interactions and sustainable fisheries in a growing multiple-use ocean
• Pirate fishing: The role of ocean industries, technology and innovation in reducing IUU fishing
• Aquaculture: Advancing sustainable aquaculture in an increasingly crowded, multi-use ocean

Addressing climate change 

• Adaptation: Ocean industry collaboration to ensure ports resiliency for sea level rise and extreme events
• Ocean acidification: Advancing ocean business community knowledge and action
• Reducing CO2: Evaluating the potential for responsible carbon uptake initiatives
• Renewable energy and the ocean: Addressing constraints to the growth of offshore wind and ocean energy

Advancing maritime industry collaboration 

• Maritime clusters: Progress and lessons learned in private sector collaboration to advance responsible ocean economic development
• Maritime accidents: Prevention, search, rescue, recovery, salvage and pollution prevention
• Marine engines: Improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions across the sectors

Engaging sector developments and opportunities 

• Marine mining: Opportunities and challenges for a new ocean industry
• Dredging: Environmentally responsible dredging in support of sustainable development
• Offshore oil and gas: Cross-sectoral opportunities from rig decommissioning and re-use
• Shipping: Potential for synergies among green/clean/sustainable shipping programs

Creating regional ocean industry leadership

• Arctic: Ocean business scenarios and responsible artic development
• Western Indian Ocean/E Africa: Regional ocean industry leadership

More detailed information on these topics and a Call for Abstracts will be available soon. The final SOS 2016 program will reflect the level of interest in these, or other, topics. New topics may be added based on expressions of interest. Interested parties are invited to propose session themes that they would like to sponsor and organise. Please contact info@oceancouncil.org to propose a session at SOS 2016.

Visit the WOC site HERE.

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