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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why is there a need for the World Ocean Council?How is the World Ocean Council different from existing organizations and efforts?
What will the World Ocean Council do and achieve?
How did the World Ocean Council originate?
What is the legal status of the World Ocean Council?
How is the World Ocean Council supported?
Who does the World Ocean Council seek to include as members?
Who are the current members of the World Ocean Council?
What is the World Ocean Council governance structure and situation?
How can non-business entities engage in the World Ocean Council?
What are the benefits to business of becoming a member of the World Ocean Council?
What are people saying about the World Ocean Council?
Why is there a need for the World Ocean Council?
Oceans provide 59% of the world's ecosystem benefits; nearshore marine areas alone (5% of the Earth's surface) provide 38% of these global benefits. The global marine environment and its resources are being degraded, destroyed and overexploited at an ever increasing rate and global scale. This is affecting the coastal inhabitants and communities worldwide that depend on marine areas for food and livelihood, as about 37% of the world's population lives within 100 km of the sea. The ocean's essential role in regulating climate is being compromised as ocean ecosystem health declines.
d's The private sector is a primary user of ocean areas and resources. Many businesses are entirely dependent upon ocean resources, services and space, e.g. marine transport, offshore oil and gas, ports, fisheries, aquaculture, marine tourism, and seabed mining. The worldwide economic value of ocean goods and services is estimated at USD 6-21 trillion. Ocean industries such as shipping, oil, fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism are big and are expanding rapidly, bringing ever increasing impacts to the marine environment and its biodiversity. Seaborne shipping accounts for about 90% of global trade. US container shipments quintupled from 1980 to 2006, and worldwide cargo will double or triple by 2020. Cruise ship passenger capacity doubled in the past 20 years and continues to expand. Shipping impacts to marine biodiversity include oil spills from tankers and fuel tanks, invasive species, and waste discharge at sea. Ship borne air pollution is projected to increase 150% over the next 30 years.
Ocean oil industry activity increased 9% in recent years. About 4,000 ocean wells exist around the world and exploration is expanding to ever deeper areas, particularly in many developing countries. Oil and gas industry operations in the marine environment result in a range of impacts from seismic testing, platform spills, drilling waste, etc. In the area of fisheries, human consumption of fish grew from 20 - 85 million ton during 1960 – 2002 and 70% of fish stocks are now considered to be fully exploited or overexploited. Fisheries impacts include over harvesting, excessive by-catch, trawling of ocean bottom habitat and direct and indirect impacts to marine mammals, seabird and other endangered wildlife. Other growing ocean industries include aquaculture, seabed mining, bioprospecting and offshore wind energy — all creating additional impacts and user conflicts. Conflicts are on the rise. For example, territorial skirmishes have erupted between fishers and oil exploration firms off the coast of Norway as fishing vessels and seismic exploration vessels work the same areas.
The private sector is best placed to develop and implement the solutions needed to ensure marine ecosystem use is sustainable and impacts are reduced. The problem is that the oceans are a dynamic, interconnected "commons" for which everyone, and no one, is completely responsible, with few incentives to take on shared environmental problems. Currently, ocean problems are primarily addressed by government regulation, intergovernmental agencies or by advocacy groups raising awareness and confronting industry on a sector- or incident-specific basis (e.g. trawling and oil spills). At the same time, climate change is impacting ocean industries in a variety of ways.
Achieving sustainability in the world's transboundary, interconnected oceans requires action at the global scale of marine environmental issues by those responsible for the major uses and impacts; i.e. the private sector. Ocean industries are thus best placed to develop shared approaches to climate change, but up till now they have not been doing so in a way that addresses the global scale of the problems. Some companies try to do business in a more environmentally sustainable way, but industry efforts are usually piecemeal and often reactive - undertaken by one company in a limited area. The efforts of a single company or even a whole industry sector will not be enough to address global, cumulative impacts on the marine environment at the scope and scale needed.
What is needed is leadership and collaboration in ocean stewardship from responsible companies and industry sectors representing the multi-sectoral "ocean business community". World Ocean Council work with the private sector has confirmed that responsible companies want to address marine environmental and climate issues, differentiate themselves from poor performers, collaborate within and across sectors, and engage other ocean stakeholders — but there is no structure and process for companies to work on complex, intertwined, international marine issues.
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How is the World Ocean Council different from existing organizations and efforts?
The WOC creates an unprecedented process for bringing together the diverse global ocean business community and catalyzing inter-industry leadership and collaboration on ocean sustainability and stewardship at a global scale.
The seas know no boundaries and a truly global approach is needed. The business coalitions that are developing cross-sectoral leadership on addressing impacts to the atmospheric "commons" provide a good analogy for the need and opportunity for a similar approach to the global ocean "commons".
The trade associations that bring together ocean industry companies do so along sectoral lines, e.g. shipping, oil and gas, fisheries. Some of these associations deal with sustainability in part, but do so in isolation from other ocean users. There are other organizations that work on corporate social responsibility and business/environment issues, but they do not address the unique needs of the transboundary marine environment and the businesses operating in the global ocean. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is a UN body that brings together governments around the issues of maritime safety and ocean environmental issues, but with a focus on shipping-related activities.
Many national ocean policies or marine area planning efforts seek to address the range of ocean users, but they are limited to their one nation's marine area, and are not able to regulate activities in neighboring waters or on the high seas. There is no international body that addresses the broad range of ocean industries and activities and seeks to bring these diverse industries together around the sustainability of the seas.
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What will the World Ocean Council do and achieve?
The WOC is bringing together the diverse ocean business community to develop cross-sectoral programs to improve the health of the oceans and reduce environmental impacts. The WOC will:
| • | Coordinate collaborative efforts to develop science-based solutions to shared marine environmental issues. |
| The WOC will foster collaboration among industry leaders in sustainability to determine priorities and develop the science and solutions to shared environmental issues, e.g. ship "strikes" on whales, impacts of sound on marine life, shipboard waste discharges, vessel recycling. Result: Solutions developed to address priority shared marine environmental problems, as measured by the resources committed, the number of projects conducted, the solutions implemented, and the reduction or elimination of specific industry impacts to the marine environment. |
| • | Develop collective industry support for improved ocean science, especially on climate change. |
| The WOC will coordinate cross-sectoral ocean industry efforts to call for, and participate in, expanded, improved and better coordinated ocean science, especially in relation to climate change. Result: Improved understanding of the oceans and more predictable ocean operating environment through national and international science that is better able to support maintaining healthy marine ecosystems and responsible ocean use and management, as measured by increased science outputs and use of science for conservation, management, and safe, responsible industry operations. |
| • | Coordinate constructive ocean industry engagement with other ocean stakeholders. |
| The WOC will convene industry around priority issues to develop business understanding of, and contribution to, solutions that industry will support, e.g., develop industry input to multi-stakeholder negotiations on high seas marine protected areas (MPAs); organize industry involvement in major international, multi-stakeholder fora, e.g., NGO workshops on MPAs, the annual UN Law of the Sea meetings, to create better interaction and progress in addressing global marine environment issues. Result: Industry leadership on resolving on priority ocean issues, as measured by positive industry input and participation in solutions to major international ocean issues; Improved industry interaction with other ocean stakeholders, as measured by the long term resolution of contentious issues with other groups and the number of companies complying with international requirements. |
| • | Assist ocean industries to improve environmental performance through best practices and standards. |
| The WOC will work with companies to determine their "ocean footprint" and develop Corporate Ocean Responsibility policies and ocean sustainability strategies; Document and disseminate case studies and best practices in Corporate Ocean Responsibility, e.g. case studies on determining the impacts and creating an ocean sustainability strategy, case studies in best practices for partnerships with ocean NGOs. Result: Ocean sustainability becomes a priority for ocean-related companies, as measured by the number of companies documenting and reducing their "ocean footprint", implementing ocean sustainability strategies and actions, reducing their impacts through efforts beyond minimal compliance, and publicly reporting results. |
| • | Facilitate interaction among sectors to reduce ocean use conflicts. |
| The WOC will create a multi-industry context for the exchange of information and developing of relationships among industries. There will be opportunities for dialogue and developing mutual understanding on specific ocean use conflicts among industries and working on protocols and best practices for avoiding and resolving user conflicts. Result: Better understanding among industries of ocean use requirements, reduced conflict in use of the marine environment, improved ocean industry collaboration and contribution to ocean planning. |
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How did the World Ocean Council originate?
It has become increasingly clear that aligning business interests with sustainability goals was an essential part of achieving a lasting and comprehensive approach to ocean ecosystem health. While co-leading the Global Marine Program of IUCN-The World Conservation Union in the mid-1990s, outreach to ocean industries revealed that many wanted to be good corporate ocean citizens were doing what they could. Many were interested in developing inter-industry leadership and collaboration as a way to better address ocean issues, but saw no means to make this happen. The need and opportunity for an industry alliance on ocean sustainability became clear and compelling.
From 2000, the building of a network of ocean-related companies concerned with the health of the marine environment was advanced by organizing private sector panels at the biennial multi-stakeholder Global Oceans Conferences held at UNESCO. The industry panelists were motivated by the opportunity to meet colleagues concerned about ocean stewardship from other sectors, and encouraged expanding the means for marine industry interaction. Building on this, international Business and Industry Leaders Roundtables on Ocean Sustainability were twice convened (Lisbon, 2005; Paris, 2006), at which participants further encouraged creation of an ongoing means for industry interaction on ocean issues.
With this interest and momentum from the emerging ocean business community, in early-2008 efforts began to more formally bring the WOC to reality.
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What is the legal status of the World Ocean Council?
The WOC registered in the US in 2008 as a non-profit project under the "fiscal sponsorship" of the Trust for Conservation Innovation (TCI). This is a common means for new non-profit organizations to start. TCI is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization under the rules of the US Internal Revenue Service, whose mission is to develop and support projects that seek to transform public and private enterprises into sustainable operations that conserve and protect the environment. The WOC will become an independent non-profit non-governmental organization registered in the US and the UK.
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How is the World Ocean Council supported?
WOC efforts and activities are being supported through startup donations and the in-kind support and pro bono efforts of industry representatives. The World Ocean Council will become a member based organization, supported by the contributions of member companies and industry associations.
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Who does the World Ocean Council seek to include as members?
The WOC is seeking to engage those companies and industry associations who are - are wish to become - leaders in addressing ocean sustainability, stewardship and "Corporate Ocean Responsibility". This responsible ocean business community includes a wide range of companies and industry sectors that are directly dependent on ocean space, services and resources - as well as the companies that use, service or support these primary ocean industries.
Primary Ocean Industries: Sectors based on the direct use of ocean space, services or resources for the extraction or production of goods (living, non-living, energy) and the provision of services (transport, tourism, etc.). This includes: oil and gas, fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, cruise ships, marine and coastal tourism, submarine cables and pipelines dredging, ports, offshore renewable energy (wind, wave tidal), etc.
Users, Supporters, and Service Providers for Primary Ocean Industries: Businesses that depend on direct ocean industries for essential operations. This includes industries dependent on sea transport for the bulk shipping of commodities, e.g. minerals, coal, grain fertilizer; as well as the manufacturers and retailers dependent on the transport their products by sea. Businesses that depend on primary ocean industries for their main purpose (e.g. shipbuilders, marine technology providers).
Providers of Operational "Infrastructure" for Primary Ocean Industries: This includes the financial, insurance, legal and other services that enable ocean industries to operate.
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Who are the current members of the World Ocean Council?
Initial corporate and association Founding Members of the World Ocean Council include (as of April 2010): ExxonMobil, Rio Tinto, the International Chamber of Shipping, RightShip, the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), Twin Dolphins, Transocean, the Ocean Education, Technology and Science Partnership, Golder Associates, TORM AS, Nautilus Minerals, Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Holman Fenwick Willan, Beveridge & Diamond, P.C., Blank Rome.
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What is the World Ocean Council governance structure and situation?
The founding members of the WOC will constitute a Steering Committee that will work with the Executive Director to guide the WOC through its establishment as a separate organization, including developing the governance structure, policies and procedures.
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How can non-business entities engage in the World Ocean Council?
The WOC will be developing a stakeholder advisory council, or similar structure. This will create a mechanism enabling ocean stakeholders committed to a constructive dialogue and collaboration on ocean sustainable development to engage with the business and industry representatives participating in the WOC.
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What are the business benefits of the World Ocean Council?
| • | Economic benefits of collaboration in developing solutions to shared, pre-competitive issues. Collective efforts to undertake research and development on issues affecting a range of industries will create economies of scale, reduce transaction costs and leverage other funds to address the issues that threaten continued industry activities. |
| • | Reduced risks due to improved understanding of ocean issues and stakeholders. Better knowledge of the marine environmental issues and processes important to other stakeholders and the public, and improved relations with those stakeholders, will reduce the possibility of unforeseen campaigns and negative publicity affecting business operations. |
| • | Increased participation in international ocean policy developments. Ocean industry involvement in key national and international ocean policy and management fora will be facilitated by a regular flow of information on these from the WOC to its constituents and the coordinating of industry participation, as appropriate. |
| • | Increased recognition of industry actions on ocean sustainability and stewardship. The WOC will generate credibility, visibility and global presence for the marine environment sustainability programs and activities of responsible companies and industry groups. |
| • | Sharing of pre-competitive best practices in marine environmental responsibility. Responsible companies will be able to learn from the experience and practices of other ocean industries in addressing environmental and social issues, stakeholder relations, partnerships, etc. |
| • | Reduced user conflicts with other industries. Participating companies and industries will benefit from the opportunity to meet and interact with colleagues from other ocean industries. Increased and improved relationships among ocean business sectors will enhance the potential for inter-industry conflicts to be avoided or minimized before they create economic or other impacts. |
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What are people saying about the World Ocean Council?
- Tony Mason, Secretary General, International Chamber of Shipping:
The International Chamber Shipping (ICS) is very conscious that the global shipping industry shares access to the sea with other business stakeholders, as well as society at large, and therefore greatly welcomes the efforts of the World Ocean Council to improve dialogue and understanding between those industrial sectors whose livelihood depends on the responsible and sustainable use of the world's oceans.
-- Carleen Lyden-Kluss, Executive Director, North American Marine Environment Protection Association:
"The World Ocean Council has the opportunity to develop a committed, collective and objective effort from all ocean industry sectors dependent on the global ocean. Through this important new alliance, we will be better positioned to promote balanced sustainable development of the seas that serves the both the marine environment and ocean industries."
- Michael Grey, Lloyd's List:
"[I]f we are thinking globally, oceanically and collectively, rather than considering our own narrow industry requirements, the World Ocean Council could be a very good idea". "[It] could provide just the sort of co-operative inter-industry vehicle we need."
- Mike Boots, Director, Seafood Choices Alliance
"With the world's fisheries in trouble and more and more companies engaged in ocean-based commerce, collective efforts to address all aspects of marine ecosystem health and share responsibility for the sustainable management of the seas are essential. The World Ocean Council is bringing together multiple sectors of ocean users to develop solutions that can lead to lasting improvements in ocean health."
- Vaclav Mikulka, Director, United Nations Division of Ocean Affairs and Law of the Sea:
"Managing the global oceans requires the involvement of all stakeholders, especially the private sector, and all ocean industries have a responsibility to help maintain the health and productivity of the marine environment. The World Ocean Council efforts to bring together the global 'ocean business community' to develop leadership and collaboration for ocean sustainability and stewardship are critical to the future of the oceans."
- United Nations Secretary-General's 2008 Report on Oceans and Law of the Sea:
" [I]ndustry, as a major user of the oceans, also has an important role international efforts to address marine environmental issues and sustainable development of the oceans and seas. In that respect, the World Ocean Council (WOC), an international business and industry alliance for "Corporate Ocean Responsibility" working in the context of the United Nations Global Compact, is engaging in a growing portfolio of projects on private sector stewardship of the seas."
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