"If we are the blue planet, it makes no sense to think only in green"

Barcelona has been chosen to be the world headquarters of the World Ocean Council, which from now on will organize its annual congress in the city every year. From October 17 to 18, the Catalan capital will host the Sustainable Ocean Summit (Sustainable Ocean Summit) and on October 19, the first global blue finance summit (Blue Finance Summit-BlueFin 22).

With 30 years of experience in environmental conservation activities, and having worked as an advisor for companies, institutions, agencies, and NGOs around the world, American Paul Holthus, president of the association, explains why Barcelona has been chosen, what blue means, and, above all, what role the economy plays.

--What are you doing here?

--We are bringing the World Ocean Council to Barcelona, in partnership with the Port and the City Council, to create a large global blue economy hub. Barcelona is an excellent place to develop this activity and these businesses.

--Excellent why?

--Barcelona seems to us right now the most dynamic city, along with its port, in terms of leadership in the blue economy. It has the key elements to be the world capital and main partner of the World Ocean Council.

--Okay, but what does blue economy mean?

--This term refers to both the economy of the sea and the sustainability of the oceans, and aims to involve not only the sectors that operate in the oceans (with mainly economic activity), but also all the corporate social responsibility of those companies that want to demonstrate that their activity is sustainable. That is, that all activities carried out in the ocean (fishing, navigation, tourism, ports, etc.) are considered together in this concept of responsibility so that their activity is sustainable.

--And, right now, does the Port of Barcelona play a prominent role?

--Things work here. Your port is a clear example of showing by doing, through several improvements in the sustainability of its operations. They have vision, they are proactive and, above all, they have the ambition to lead it, replicate it and spread it throughout the world. Evidently, more can always be done, nobody is perfect, but there is a firm will accredited with facts throughout these years.

"Your port is a clear example of showing by doing, through several improvements in the sustainability of its operations"

--We create a large number of business opportunities and jobs wherever the economy is linked to sustainability. Being sustainable is more than good business: it is immense business that is growing exponentially. And it is precisely about verifying that sustainability makes it grow even more.

--You have mentioned tourism. Exponential growth can also have disadvantages or inconveniences.

--It is no longer just about researching new fuels for cruises, which is already being done, but about knowing how to manage success. The blue economy can bring to Barcelona elements that have been little explored until now, such as underwater activities, diving, ecological tourism... We can help space out visitors and not have them visiting the Sagrada Família, we create alternatives that will help manage the flow of people better. But the blue economy also develops technologies such as, for example, calcium carbonate in breakwaters, where marine plankton adheres much better than to granite or concrete. We aim to re-naturalize the coast, promote regenerative tourism. We work in terms of paradigm shift, not patches.

"We can help space out visitors and not have them visiting the Sagrada Família, we create alternatives that will help manage the flow of people better"

--Few. There's Rotterdam, Oslo, Lisbon… It's up to us to coordinate them all, to form a grand coalition. And, evidently, there is value and opportunities everywhere.

--Do you do more technology, more social responsibility, or more management?

--Each company that approaches us has different needs and impacts and, therefore, their sustainability challenges can vary. Think about one thing: the entire ocean is connected and, therefore, what we need are companies from all sectors. The problems are similar and, for example, we encounter universal phenomena like the sound of the sea.

--The sound?

--Yes, noise pollution, which affects marine ecosystems and especially animals. Right now, you and I are in a restaurant with background music and people are talking a lot around us. This conditions our conversation, and we have to ask ourselves what technology can do to lower the volume, but also social and cultural changes, and the management of the restaurant itself. The collaboration of all agents is needed. Therefore, we try to have a common analysis, to evaluate the problem similarly and solve it together. Especially because investors in a city want to know that there is coordination in the solutions, before investing in them. In Barcelona, we will do this.

--But also on a global scale.

--Of course. In Barcelona, for example, we have projects like Seastainable Ventures, among others, but precisely the Mediterranean is a great laboratory for us. As it is a very concentrated sea, it contains such a rich microcosm and such a high density of human activity that it is like a small replica of the ocean. By studying the Mediterranean, we can scale results globally; you are the "canary in the mine" of the blue economy.

"Investors in a city want to know that there is coordination in the solutions, before investing. In Barcelona, we will do this"

--Because we are terrestrial beings, but we call our planet "the blue planet" for a reason! The Pacific Ocean, where I have worked for more years (especially on islands like Tahiti or New Caledonia), shows us that all the waters of the world are connected: there it is very evident that what happens in one place also happens in another and, therefore, the cultural, social, and territorial differences of the Mediterranean would have to be solved through the sea.

--A blue sea bridge.

--The sea connects us, it doesn't separate us. Indeed.

"The sea connects us, it doesn't separate us"

--If we protect forests with clear regulations, the forest ranger knows when to intervene and is very clear about what we can and cannot do. On the blue issue, companies must take responsibility because it is a very barren sector. Companies and technology, which is already installing sensors, cameras, probes… Each country controls its territorial sea, but 41% of the waters are international. The ocean is one whole, it is not separated. Therefore, we must try to be proactive in creating universal regulations and codes of good practice. I fear that companies are the ones who must take the reins of social responsibility in this area. I insist: investors look very closely at all this before investing anywhere. And the law, in effect, always changes slowly. Especially in the most underdeveloped countries.

--So, do companies push?

--Do you know the Tragedy of the Commons?

--No.

--In Boston, many years ago, there was a natural area in the center, currently a park, which was then used as a grazing ground for farmers. It was for everyone, anyone could bring their cows to graze, without any limit or regulation. Nor were there incentives to manage or rationalize it. It ended up being resolved by economic interest, by the selfish interest of companies, and this interest in making good use of resources favorably reverted to the environment.

"Having a sea makes you capital. Not everyone can say that"

--Exactly, we can all be losers if we don't get organized. If governments and regulators are too slow, companies have to take the reins, even if this initially entails a cost for them. Obviously, governments can do a lot and have to do a lot, but we individuals have to keep moving forward in the meantime. In fact, the villain of the movie is not the regulators, but the bad actors within the sector itself. Those who do the minimum that the law dictates, and then one day there is an oil spill and it turns out to be much more dramatic than if something more had been done than just complying with the current law.

--Can selfishness save the world?

--Saving the planet is a selfish task, yes. But it is an activity done by people who care about things.

--Was it important for Barcelona to have a sea to host your congress?

--Having a sea makes you a capital. Not everyone can say that.