They feed us, heal us and make us breathe. The oceans cover 71% of the planet, generate more than half its oxygen, regulate the climate, transport 90% of world trade… and carry 98% of Internet traffic via undersea cables. In short, nothing runs without them. And yet, this vital capital is collapsing before our very eyes.
Behind their blue immensity, the oceans are a colossus with feet of clay. Their economic exploitation – fishing, transport, tourism, energy – is already worth 2,500 billion dollars a year. At this rate, this figure will rise to 3,000 billion by 2030. But at what price? Overfishing, plastic pollution, habitat destruction, global warming and acidification pose a serious threat to their equilibrium. If nothing changes, the impact of ocean decline could cost the global economy $430 billion a year by 2050.
The blue economy: lever or mirage?
Faced with this urgent need, a concept is emerging: the blue economy, a sustainable vision of maritime activities that focuses on growth… without sacrificing ecosystems. This is the philosophy and sense of action shared by Seawards, with its cryo-separation desalination technology that respects the environment and the planet.
And because preserving the oceans also means protecting our economic, climatic and food security future. Here are five levers for building a resilient blue economy, according to the experts.
1. Govern the oceans, really
Today, just 8.5% of marine areas are protected. And only 2.8% are actually protected. That’s not enough. The goal? Strengthen regulations, extend marine protected areas, and above all enforce the rules. The “30% by 2030” target of the UN biodiversity framework is not an option: it’s a line we have to walk!
2. Rewilding the seabed
Restoring seagrass beds, mangroves and marshes: a proposal for “underwater gardening” that makes sense. Japan has shown the way: its seagrass rehabilitation projects capture 350,000 tonnes of CO₂. These natural carbon sinks also protect coastlines and promote biodiversity. Less visible than offshore wind, but just as strategic.
3. Declare war on plastic
Every year, 20 million tonnes of plastic end up in the water. The result: microplastics everywhere, right down to the bottom of our plates An international treaty is being negotiated, but the private sector needs to step up the pace. Initiatives such as the fintech Plastic Bank, which transforms waste into money for the most disadvantaged, show that another model is possible.underwater” that makes sense. Japan has shown the way: its seagrass rehabilitation projects capture 350,000 tonnes of CO₂. These natural carbon sinks also protect coastlines and promote biodiversity. Less visible than offshore wind, but just as strategic.
3. Declare war on plastic
Every year, 20 million tonnes of plastic end up in the water. The result: microplastics everywhere, right down to the bottom of our plates. An international treaty is being negotiated, but the private sector must step up the pace. Initiatives such as the fintech Plastic Bank, which transforms waste into money for the most disadvantaged, show that another model is possible.
4. Eat less fish, more plants
More than a third of fish stocks are overexploited. Change will also come from our plates. Plant-based alternatives, sustainable aquaculture, partial substitution: rethinking our diets can take the pressure off the oceans and create a new global food market. The sector is already worth $45 billion, and that’s just the beginning.
5. Save the blue carbon sinks
Mangroves, kelp forests and seagrass beds are our heroes, capturing 10.6 billion tonnes of CO₂ per year, or 26% of anthropogenic emissions. Protecting them means protecting the climate, coasts and biodiversity. But beware: the more CO₂ there is, the more the ocean acidifies. And corals won’t survive.
The time to act is now
Protecting the oceans is not a choice. It’s a matter of urgency. Governments, investors, citizens: everyone has a role to play in the emergence of a regenerative, forward-looking blue economy. Seawards is part of this commitment to action. An economy where growth rhymes with resilience, and prosperity with biodiversity. For without living oceans, there can be no livable future.
