The Blue Circular Economy project joined the Global Ghost Gear Initiative at this years UN led Our Ocean Conference in Oslo where they had a chance to host one of the many side events taking place over the course of 2 days.
The conference saw delegates from all over the world congregate to hear about the latest challenges and thinking on ways to improve our world’s oceans.
There were a number of themes that were focus for the event including:
Marine Protected Areas and Other Area-Based Management Measures
Climate change
Sustainable fisheries
Marine pollution
Sustainable blue economy
Maritime security
The event was attended by representatives from science, industry and political spheres as well as NGOs and individuals with a love for protecting and improving the worlds oceans.
Delegates pledged their commitments to actions as well as budgetary promises being made by many. Full details of the commitments made can be found here
The side event , titled “Addressing the ghosts in our oceans – solutions to tackling lost and abandoned fishing gear at scale including circular economy business opportunities” saw NTNU’s Siv Marina Flø Grimstad present the BCE project highlighting some of the economic potential that exists from re-purposing end of life fishing gear.
During the event, Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment signed the GGGI pledge and promised that Norway will make sure each of the 4,443 ports in Norway have reception facilities for damaged or lost fishing gear.