Over half of the world’s oxygen is produced by the ocean and it absorbs 50 times more carbon dioxide than our atmosphere. As it covers 70 percent of the Earth’s surface, it is one of the biggest drivers for regulating our climate as well as weather patterns and holds 97% of our planet’s water.More than three billion people globally rely on coastal and marine biodiversity for their livelihoods and the ocean fulfils an important role in feeding the planet’s growing human population.The combined assets of the ocean are valued at over $24 trillion while the annual gross marine product of the ocean, at USD2.5 trillion, is equivalent to the gross domestic product of the world’s eighth largest economy. There is a well-documented connection between ocean health and issues related to economic development and governments across the globe are increasingly looking to the ocean to drive economic growth.
Their vastness have made oceans appear to be limitless sources of food, livelihoods, transportation and recreation. However, in recent times we have begun to reach the limits of the oceans. The irreplaceable environmental, social and economic value as well as future potential of this new frontier will be squandered if the ocean and its resources are not used and managed in a sustainable way.
The OFC business model that is designed to:
Protect our oceans and other ecosystems
Through sustainable, financially viable investment
In a manner that delivers demonstrable and verifiable environmental and socio-economic benefits
As well as increasing the asset value of oceans and other ecosystems
While also providing appropriate risk adjusted returns for its investors and funders
OFC is a scalable and financially sustainable initiative that focusses on protecting our ecosystems so as to enable the sustainable use of resources towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals related to economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, hunger, health, energy, sustainable communities and global partnerships.
Socially Equitable. Environmentally Sustainable.
Economically Viable.
¹Natural Capital can be defined as the world’s stocks of natural assets which include geology, soil, air, water, and all living things. It is from this Natural Capital that humans derive a wide range of services, often called ecosystem services, which make human life possible. Poorly managed Natural Capital becomes not only an ecological liability, but a social and economic liability too
²Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are defined by International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as “actions to protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural or modified ecosystems, that address societal challenges (e.g. climate changes, food and water security or natural disasters) effectively and adaptively, simultaneously providing human well-being and biodiversity benefits”.
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