Ocean industries to tackle ambitious program at Sustainable Ocean Summit

Representatives from shipping, oil and gas, fisheries, aquaculture, ports, mining, insurance, law, finance, renewable energy, tourism, dredging, marine technology and other industries will gather to develop leadership and collaboration in addressing shared marine environmental challenges.This unprecedented gathering will open with the Roundtable of Ocean Industry Association Leaders and close with a plenary on Improving Media, Public and NGO Understanding of Ocean Industries.

At the SOS sessions outlined below, the ocean business representatives will develop priorities for leadership and collaboration on critical cross-cutting marine environmental challenges:

• Risk and Ocean Environmental Challenges for Business: Understanding and managing uncertainty as a responsible ocean industry operator.
• Offshore Renewable Energy Interactions: Creating synergies and economies of scale in developing wind, wave and tidal energy and addressing interactions with other ocean users.
• The Arctic Ocean: Coordinating cross-sectoral industry leadership on responsible, sustainable development of the Arctic.
• Biosecurity and Invasive Species: Advancing international ocean industry collaboration in implementing solutions to stem the tide of marine invasive species.
• Food From Crowded Seas: Addressing fisheries and aquaculture interactions with other ocean industries.
• The Role of Ocean Industries in Advancing Ocean Science: Promoting cross-sectoral ocean industry leadership and collaboration in improving ocean science.
• Environmental Education and Training for Marine Professionals: Developing education and training of seafarers to address maritime industry environmental concerns.
• Sound and Marine Life: Expanding cross-sectoral research and development of solutions to the impacts of noise on marine life.
• Ship Strikes and Marine Mammals: Catalyzing international, cross-sectoral collaboration in developing solutions to vessel interactions with marine mammals.
• Climate Change: Fostering cross-sectoral ocean business community leadership, innovation and synergies in reducing sea-based emissions.
• Carbon Capture and Storage: Developing and testing CCS as an important new use of the ocean.
• International Ocean Policy and the Future of Industry: Understanding developments in the Law of the Sea and Convention on Biological Diversity and how they will affect business.
• High Seas Marine Protected Areas and Ocean Users: Engaging industry understanding and involvement in deep sea conservation planning.
• Marine Mining and Dredging: Addressing the sustainability of seabed extraction and interactions with other ocean industries.
• Marine Debris: Establishing comprehensive international ocean industry efforts to prevent and control sea-based solid waste.
• Sustainable Ports: Advancing green ports through multi-sectoral industry efforts.
• Decommissioning Ships and Structures: Developing cost-effective international, responsible recycling and disposal of vessels and structures from a wide range of ocean industries.
• Marine and Coastal Tourism: Addressing marine and coastal tourism interactions with other ocean industries.
• A special half-day seminar on Marine Spatial Planning - What Ocean Industries Need to Know will focus on this rapidly emerging approach to marine governance and the role of industry.
• Session chairs and speakers are being identified from among the leaders and experts in industry and other stakeholder groups.

Limited chair and speaker opportunities are available. Interested potential chairs or speakers are encouraged to contact the WOC as soon as possible.

Early registration deadline for the event is 28 February 2010.

www.oceancouncil.org