Based on the Blue Food Assessment official website, Blue Foods -- also known as aquatic foods -- are foods obtained or grown from seas, rivers, lakes, ponds, canals, and tanks. Blue foods can be obtained from aquatic animals, plants, or algae. They protect the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people and are an important food source for billions of people around the world.
Sustainably produced blue food helps achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including the goals to end hunger and improve health (SDGs 2 and 3). Increase the sustainability of our oceans, water, climate, and land (SDGs 6, 13, 14, 15). Achieve gender equality, improve livelihoods, and reduce inequality (SDGs 5, 8, and 10).
- Blue Investment;
Previously this topic had also been discussed and there was a program called BlueInvest organized by the EU. Based on EU Official Website, BlueInvest aims to foster innovation and investment in sustainable technologies for the blue economy by supporting early-stage companies, SMEs, scale-up readiness, and access to finance. This is made possible by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund.
- Marine Tourism;
Based on the Indian Ocean Rim Association document, Orams (1999) defines marine tourism as including 'those recreational activities that involve travel away from one's place of residence and which have as their host or focus the marine environment (where the marine environment is defined as those waters which are saline and tide-affected)'
- Marine Pollution;
Based on the National Geographic website, Marine pollution is a combination of chemicals and debris, most of which originate on land and are washed into the ocean or blown away. This pollution damaged the environment, the health of all living things, and the economic structure of the world.
- Marine Conservation;
Based on a book called 'Marine Conservation: Science, Policy, and Management by G. Carleton Ray and Jerry McCormick-Ray, Marine Conservation is the protection and conservation of the oceans and marine ecosystems through planned management to prevent overexploitation of these marine resources. Marine conservation is grounded in the study of marine flora and fauna resources and ecosystem functioning and is driven by responding to apparent adverse environmental impacts, such as species loss, habitat degradation, and changes in ecosystem functioning, and human. Focusing on limiting the damage caused by marine ecosystems, restoration of degraded marine ecosystems, and protecting endangered species and ecosystems of marine life. Marine conservation is a relatively new field that has developed in response to biological problems such as extinction and marine habitat change.
- Maritime Skills.
Apart from the eight topics above, this topic regarding maritime skills is no less important. This maritime skill is really needed in the implementation of the eight topics above.
The O20, with the support of the World Economic Forum (WEF), will be led by Indonesia during the 2022 G20 Presidency, followed by a G20 Presidency that will work closely with relevant industry and civil society on the G20 agenda. The World Economic Forum (WEF) is well positioned to help realize and enhance of the O20 platform with its existing portfolio of activities on the oceans and climate agenda.
Â
So, what is the importance of O20 in the G20?
If we protect our oceans and use their resources sustainably, they have great potential to boost economic growth, create jobs, and mitigate some of our most severe climate impacts. This is also called the "Blue Economy". With members representing 45% of the world's coastlines and 21% of its exclusive economic zones, the G20 has a special obligation to protect marine ecosystems, and as the world continues post-pandemic, it is important to develop ocean-based climate solutions in a good position to implement recovery. A 2021 report by the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy states that combining ocean-based climate and nature-based solutions such as these will produce about 4 billion tonnes per year by 2030 and it has been found that over 11 billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced. That's the equivalent of him shutting down all the coal-fired power plants in the world for a year. Even modest investment in these solutions to build a sustainable blue economy can go a long way towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 14 (Life Under the Sea).
