NEWS & RESOURCES
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Investments in the blue economy are increasing
The BlueInvest Investor Report 2024 highlights a significant increase in investments in the blue economy, with the volume of disclosed investments tripling over the past ten years, reaching over €13 billion. This growth reflects an emerging investment ecosystem supporting innovation in the sector. The EU leads with 75% of deals occurring within its member states, attracting global investors. Key sectors include blue renewable energy, blue tech, and aquaculture, while areas like sustainable coastal tourism and environmental protection are less active. The BlueInvest initiative, supported by the EU, fosters these investments, enhancing innovation and sustainable technology development in the blue economy.
For more detailed information, you can visit the European Commission's page.
Portugal on the Road to Profitable Sustainable Blue Economy
Investing in the sustainable blue economy is gaining traction, with venture-capital funding surpassing $1 billion annually since 2019, reaching $4.6 billion in 2022 and $3.1 billion in 2023. The Hub Azul Dealroom, managed by Portugal's blue-economy cluster Fórum Oceano, reveals significant investment in sectors like ports, shipping, shipbuilding, and blue renewable energy. While the blue economy is still developing compared to sectors like fintech, there's a surge in early-stage startups, especially in digital innovations for operational efficiency and decarbonization. Countries like the US, UK, Indonesia, and Norway lead in investments, with Portugal identified as a high-potential market, focusing on areas like clean energy, blue low-carbon food, and decarbonized transport for sustainable and profitable ventures.
For more detailed information, you can visit the Economist Impact's page on the sustainable blue economy in Portugal.
Deep-Sea Life in the Clarion Clipperton Zone
A 45-day expedition to the Clarion-Clipperton Zone in the Pacific, led by the UK research ship James Cook, revealed a rich array of deep-sea life, 5,000 meters beneath the surface, in a potential deep-sea mining area for critical and rare metals. New species, like the Barbie-pink sea pig and transparent unicumber, were discovered, highlighting the zone's biodiversity. The research, part of the SMARTEX project, emphasizes the ecological significance of the area, sparking debates over the environmental impact of deep-sea mining. There's a call for protections to preserve these unique ecosystems, amid concerns about their ability to recover from mining activities.
For more details, please visit the CNN article.