Scene Setter for Blue Foods

Blue Foods. Edible aquatic animals, plants, and algae captured or cultivated in freshwater and marine ecosystems – play a central role in food and nutrition security for billions of people; they are a cornerstone of the livelihoods, economies, and cultures of many coastal and inland communities within Asia and the Pacific1. Consumption of blue foods has doubled in the last 50 years driving market demand, with ecosystem changes and unsustainable fishing and aquaculture practices depleting the ocean and inland waters of fish and other aquatic food species.

Jim Leape

Jim Leape is the William and Eva Price Senior Fellow in the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment, and co-director of the Stanford Center for Ocean Solutions. Through research, writing and direct engagement with private and public sector leaders, Jim looks at how to drive large-scale systemic shifts to sustainability. Jim has worked in conservation for more than four decades. From 2005 to 2014, he served as Director General of WWF International and leader of the global WWF Network, one of the world’s largest conservation organizations.

Scene Setter for Ocean Finance

Ocean Finance. The global community has set ambitious commitments and targets for achieving healthy marine ecosystems. While science and policy are important tools to protect the oceans, the biggest challenge for ocean protection in finance. The cost to save the oceans and scale up investments is massive. However, funding for oceans is small, piecemeal, and generally focused on mitigating the impacts of industry. The funding gap widens as domestic and donor resources are being redirected to immediate relief and stimulus packages for COVID-19.