SOS SUSTAINABLE OCEAN SUMMIT SINGAPORE NOVEMBER 11 2015

FISH - Each year stocks decline, while the world population increases. It's not rocket science, it's basic economics - we need to boost the health of our oceans, starve, or face another world war - as warring factions fight for the fishing rights of third world and other states less able to defend themselves.

The World Ocean Council (WOC) is proud to announce that the 3rd Sustainable Ocean Summit (SOS) will be held on 9-11 November, 2015 in Singapore.

The SOS is the only international, multi-sectoral, business event dedicated to “Corporate Ocean Responsibility”. This first SOS to be held in Asia, the 2015 event is being developed in collaboration with stakeholders in Singapore, Hong Kong and responsible business leadership companies from around the world.

SOS 2015 is uniquely designed to bring together leadership companies from the diverse Ocean Business Community: shipping, oil and gas, seabed mining, fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, offshore renewable energy, ports, dredging, mining, submarine cables, marine science, engineering and technology, the maritime legal, financial and insurance communities, and others - as well as ocean stakeholders from the government, inter-governmental, academic and environment communities.

The SOS will address critical issues for cross-sectoral ocean industry leadership and collaboration, including: ocean policy and governance; the Arctic; marine biodiversity; ocean planning; ocean industry data collection; biofouling and invasive species; marine sound; marine debris and port reception facilities; marine mammal interactions; the role of finance, insurance and legal sectors in responsible ocean use.

Other cross-cutting topics critical to industry leadership on ocean sustainability, stewardship and science are being developed with input from the business community. Opportunities for speakers to address the themes above will become available when the draft program is announced.

Sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2015 Sustainable Ocean Summit. Sponsorship commitments made prior to 28 February 2015, will benefit from a 20% discount as an early supporter.

JOSE MARIA FIGUERES - Is a co-chair of the Global Ocean Commission. José reached world stage recognition as President of Costa Rica from 1994 to 1998. As such, he was the youngest President of a Central American country in modern times. During his presidency he showed his unique leadership skills through implementing invaluable changes that opened opportunities for further development revolutionizing his country’s economy and transforming Costa Rica into the environmentally conscientious country it is today.

After leaving government, he helped create and lead the United Nations ICT Task Force. In 2000 he then joined the World Economic Forum and became its first CEO in 2003. One of his main achievements in this role was strengthening global corporate ties to social and governmental sectors by identifying their common long-term interests. Today his work revolves around core strategic issues such as innovation, competitiveness and sustainability as key drivers of a new global economy. José is likely to attend the SOS in Singapore.

SOS THEME: "SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT and GROWING the BLUE ECONOMY - THE NEXT 50 YEARS"

SOS 2015 SESSION THEMES, CHAIRS AND SPEAKERS/PANELISTS

I. Proposed PLENARY SESSIONS

SOS Site Spotlight: Singapore and the Blue Economy

(Plenary)

· How has Singapore harnessed the role of science, technology, engineering and management to advance its maritime economy?

· What have the challenges, successes and lessons learned?

· What are the future plans and opportunities for Singapore to develop as an ocean economy?

Ocean Futures: New Ocean Ventures in The Next 50 Years

(Plenary)

· Will there be human habitation on the ocean areas soon, and, if so, where will it be, what will it look like and how will food, energy and water be provided?

· What other ocean futures may come to reality within 50 years, e.g. new energy production or sources?

· What business opportunities (and risks) do these proposals create for other ocean sectors, e.g. transport, energy, seafood, mining, communications, etc., and how will they be addressed?

Ocean Sustainability: Innovation and Investment Opportunities

(Closing Plenary)

· What can be done to accelerate the interaction of major ocean users, innovators/solution providers and investors in identifying ocean sustainability issues and solutions and attracting investment?

· How can investors, innovation initiatives and challenge competitions better collaborate to achieve synergies and economies of scale to more effectively address ocean sustainability?

· How can ocean industries best identify priorities for investment in marine technology, information and communications, sensors and other innovations to address sustainability?

II. Proposed PARALLEL/BREAKOUT SESSIONS

1. Sector Spotlight 1: Marine Mining - Opportunities and Challenges for a New Ocean Industry (Parallel Session)

· What is the status of marine mining and what does the advent of this new industry mean for other ocean industries?

· How should marine mining sector collaborate with other ocean industries on shared technical, technology and operational needs and opportunities?

· How can ocean industries best collaborate with the marine mining sector on common challenges regarding environmental management, ocean policy and governance?

2. Sector Spotlight 2: Offshore Oil and Gas - Improving Interaction Across the Entire Value Chain on Environmental Challenges (Parallel Session)

· What are the environment and sustainability issues that are creating risks for the overall offshore oil and gas industry?

· Is there a need to increase the dialogue between oil and gas service/supply contractors and the oil and gas producers and better address these issues and, if so, how?

· What other parts of the overall offshore oil and gas industry value chain should be engaged in addressing environmental issues?

3. Regional Spotlight: SE Asia and Coral Reefs - Responsible Ocean Industry Operations in the ”Coral Triangle” (Parallel Session)

· The waters of SE Asia, in the “Coral Triangle” and nearby areas, are home to the highest levels of marine biodiversity on Earth.

· What are the challenges to ocean industry operations in coral reef areas, such as the Great Barrier Reef, Indonesia, etc.?

· Is there value in creating an ocean business leadership group for SE Asia?

4. Ocean Policy and Governance: Creating and Informed and Engaged Ocean Business Community

(Parallel Session)

· How will business be affected by current and upcoming developments in maritime regulation and policies, e.g. UN Law of the Sea, Convention on Biological Diversity, and regional bodies and conventions?

· How can ocean industries ensure proposed governance changes support continued responsible use in the high seas/deep seabed, i.e. the Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ)?

· What should be the WOC and ocean business community input to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

5. Marine Spatial Planning/Ocean Zoning: Ensuring that Ocean Planning Engages Ocean Industries

(Parallel Session)

· What does the ocean business community need and want to know about marine spatial planning (MSP) and ocean zoning developments as they emerge at different locations and scales?

· How can we ensure that MSP and ocean zoning include the needs and concerns of industry?

· What is the most effective way for the ocean business community to engage in MSP?

6. Sound and the Marine Environment: Creating a Global, Multi-Industry Approach

(Parallel Session)

· What are the needs and opportunities for cross-sectoral ocean industry leadership, innovation and synergies in addressing anthropogenic sound in the marine environment?

· How can such a program best complement existing efforts on ocean sound and marine life and engage industries that generate sound but have been less involved to-date?

· What are the scenarios for the future levels and patterns of marine sound and what does this mean for industry?

7. Marine Debris: Reducing the Industry Input of Plastics and Other Wastes by Ensuring Adequate Port Reception Facilities

(Parallel Session)

· How can port users collaborate internationally to ensure that adequate, economically viable port reception facilities are available worldwide?

· What do diverse port users need to do to implement industry responsibilities (e.g. re marine debris) and contribute to reducing plastics and other marine debris?

· How can ocean industries collaborate to ensure that cargo is classified and managed appropriately, ports facilities are developed to address industry needs and obligations (e.g. adequate waste reception facilities) and managed to address safety and sustainability?

8. BioFouling and Invasive Species: Understanding the Addressing a Global, Multi-Industry Issue

(Parallel Session)

· How can diverse ocean industries collaborate to understand and address the shared problem of biofouling and the introduction of invasive species?

· What opportunities exist with science, government and industry to create a common research and development platform on the causes, prevention and removal of biofouling?

· What are the proposed and new regulations regarding the potential importation and spread of non-indigenous marine species and can a pan-industry platform be developed to minimize business risks of biosecurity problems?

9. Smart Ocean-Smart Industries: Industry Data Collection to Improve Understanding of Ocean, Weather and Climate

(Parallel Session)

· What is the most effectively way to coordinate between ocean scientists and ocean industry operators in order to engage industry in data collection and sharing?

· What are the barriers to industry involvement in data collection and how can these be addressed?

· What are the priority locations and/or topics to engage more ships and platforms of opportunity in collecting data?

10. Sea Level Rise/Extreme Events: Port and Coastal Infrastructure Adaptation and Resiliency

(Parallel Session)

· How can the ocean business community best ensure that ports and coastal infrastructure around the world will adapt to sea level rise (SLR) and extreme events?

· How can ocean industries collaborate among themselves to advance this process to ensure ports are able to adapt and be resilient to coming changes?

· What other stakeholders can best collaborate with the ocean business community in addressing this important economic issue?

11. Enhancing the Ocean’s Roles as a Carbon Sink: The Business Case

(Parallel Session)

· What are the best options for enhancing the role of the ocean to remove and sequester carbon, e.g. through enhanced biological processes or ocean “fertilization”?

· What are the science, economic and policy issues associated with these options?

· What is the business case for ocean-based carbon removal and sequestration?

12. Arctic: Business Leadership and Collaboration for Responsible Artic Development

(Parallel Session)

· How can the responsible, sustainable development of the Arctic area and resources be ensured and enhanced through cross-sectoral industry leadership and coordination?

· What are the priorities for industry leadership and coordination on Arctic use, sustainability and development and what structure and process will best assist leadership companies in the Arctic to collaborate and engage other stakeholders and the Arctic Council?

· What are the special interests and opportunities for companies in Asia regarding responsible Arctic development?

13. Fisheries and Extractive Industries: Understanding the Interactions and Resolving the Conflicts (Parallel Session)

· What are the real and perceived conflicts between fisheries and marine extractive industries (oil and gas, marine mining)?

· What science, experience, best practices and other information can help clarify the situation and improve the potential for cooperation and co-existence?

· What process for dialogue can help resolve the problems associated with these cross-sectoral interactions?

14. Rig Decommissioning and Vessel Recycling: Exploring the Synergies

(Parallel Session)

· What are the similarities and differences between the decommissioning of oil/gas rigs and the recycling of vessels?

· Does the increasing environmental regulation of both create needs and opportunities for increased interaction?

· Are there synergies and business benefits to be achieved between rig decommissioning and vessel recycling?

The WOC is accepting abstracts for proposed presentations to address the SOS 2015 Program Topics at a cost of $600 USD per speaker.

The WOC is seeking presentations by and for industry, and will give preference to presentations from company or other private sector representatives, or government agencies, intergovernmental bodies, academic institutions, or NGOs or others who are working closely with the ocean business community.

Abstracts for speaking opportunities will be selected through a competitive process of evaluating abstract submissions in relation to the topic area, the SOS 2015 Theme and the overall WOC mission. Full papers are not required.

Abstracts for each Program Topic will be accepted until 31 July 2015 (23:59pm EST) and are limited to 150 words. A response to each abstract submission will be corresponded by 31 August 2015.

The Marina Mandarin Singapore is a five-star luxury hotel located on Raffles Boulevard in the Marina Centre complex, in the Downtown Core of Singapore. It is located in the heart of the city and has views of the Marina Bay and the financial district. The Marina Square Shopping Mall, and is adjacent, and the Sands Expo & Convention Center and the Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre are nearby. The hotel is opposite Singapore's performing arts center, The Esplanade. It is also within walking distance to attractions such as Gardens by the Bay and the Singapore Flyer, and is situated on the 'trackside' of the annual Singapore Grand Prix Formula One race.

Designed by John Portman, the 26-year-old hotel has one of the largest open atriums in Southeast Asia, which rises through 21 levels and is permeated by natural light. Each of the 575 rooms is accessed from the balconies overlooking the atrium, and has views of the Singapore harbour and the city skyline.

The pillar-free Marina Mandarin Ballroom can accommodate up to 700 people and the Vanda Ballroom can accommodate up to 300.

For the nights of 8-November to 11-November (Sunday-Wednesday nights), registrants to SOS 2015 are offered a Deluxe Room rate of S$300 (or approximately $225 USD) that includes breakfast for one and complementary internet access.

If your country where you hold a passport that requires a formal letter of invitation, you will be able to request this letter when you Register for the SOS 2015.

The Republic of Singapore, is a modern city-state and island country in Southeast Asia. It lies off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula and is 137 kilometres (85 mi) north of the equator. The country's territory consists of the diamond-shaped main island, commonly referred to as Singapore Island in English and Pulau Ujong in Malay, and more than 60 significantly smaller islets. Singapore is separated from Peninsular Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to the north, and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to the south. The country is highly urbanised, and little of the original vegetation remains. The country's territory has consistently expanded through land reclamation.

SINGAPORE - has a tropical rainforest climate with no distinctive seasons, uniform temperature and pressure, high humidity, and abundant rainfall. Temperatures usually range from 22 to 35 °C (72 to 95 °F).

The islands were settled in the second century AD and subsequently belonged to a series of local empires. Modern Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles as a trading post of the East India Company with permission from the Johor Sultanate. The British obtained sovereignty over the island in 1824, and Singapore became one of the British Straits Settlements in 1826. Occupied by the Japanese during World War II, Singapore became independent from the United Kingdom in 1963 and united with other former British territories to form Malaysia, from which it was expelled two years later through a unanimous act of parliament. Singapore has since developed rapidly, earning recognition as one of the Four Asian Tigers.

Singapore is one of nine countries with the top AAA rating from all credit rating agencies and the only Asian country on the list. It is one of the world's major commercial hubs, the fourth-largest financial centre and one of the five busiest ports. Its globalised and diversified economy depends heavily on trade, especially manufacturing, which accounted for around 30 percent of Singapore's GDP in 2013. In terms of purchasing power parity, Singapore has the third-highest per capita income in the world but the most severe income inequality among developed countries. It places highly in international rankings with regard to education, healthcare, and economic competitiveness. Nearly 5.5 million people live in Singapore (as of end-June 2014), of which well over 2 million are foreign born.

WORLD OCEAN COUNCIL
3035 Hibiscus Drive, Suite 1
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA 96815

Phone: +1 808 277-9008

TREVOR MANUEL - Is a co-chair of the Global Ocean Commission. Trevor was born in South Africa on January 31, 1956. His home is Cape Town and he was educated in the same city graduating from Cape Peninsula University of Technology. He has served many great African leaders including Nelson Mandela, Kgalema Motlanthe and Thabo Mbeki as the nation’s Finance minister. This positions him as the longest serving finance minister in South Africa from 1996 to 2009. Trevor was commissioned by President Jacob Zuma to head the National Planning Commission and help develop thecountry after spending sometime managing the nation’s finance portfolio. Trevor became a public figure as the General Secretary of Cape Areas Housing Action committee; he was also a National Executive member in the United Democratic Front party where he was detained and banned between 1985 and 1990. Trevor graduated with a Civil and Structural Engineering degree but read law while in detention. Trevor was responsible for the nation’s first budget surplus announced in 2007 with an obvious prosperity in the country. He is regarded as one of South Africa’s most competent ministers with an acclaimed recognition on his contributions to the nation. Trevor was also appointed the chairperson of the International Monetary Fund Governance Reform council in 2008.

DAVID MILIBAND - Is a co-chair of the Global Ocean Commission, David is also on the International Rescue Committee, a group that shares many of the aims of the World Ocean Council and is likely to attend the SOS 2015 in Singapore. In February 2014 David was urging the creation of a seagoing police force to bring order to the "wild west" free-for-all on the high seas that is damaging the health of the world's oceans. Mr Miliband and the former Costa Rican president, José María Figueres, who together serve as co-chairs of the Global Oceans Commission, are to formally unveil their ideas for ocean reform in a report in June of 2015. But the two leaders have begun to sound out international reaction to a set of proposals for protecting oceans, from a crackdown on illegal fishing to a clean-up of the vast churn of plastic particles in the Pacific and expanding marine protection zones.

Miliband revealed that his vision of an ocean protection force would lean heavily on the deployment of new surveillance technologies to identify and track fishing vessels operating on the high seas, as well as their catch. "If you are to have an enforcement regime, it needs to be policed," Miliband said. But he cautioned: "It is not about having people in boats necessarily." Estimates of the unreported and illegal catch on the high seas range between $10bn-$24bn a year, overwhelming government efforts to track or apprehend the illegal fishing boats. The illegal fishing makes it impossible for countries to manage sustainable fisheries and hurts responsible fishing crews. "You could do everything that is necessary within the high seas but if you don't tackle climate change then you are still taking huge risk with the future of the oceans," Miliband is quoted as saying.

BLUE ECONOMY; BLUE GROWTH

The ‘blue economy’ is nascent and not yet clearly defined, but it offers a vision of the ocean and coasts as a new source of economic growth, job creation and investment. Viewed narrowly, this could simply mean the beginning of a new and intensified phase of conventional economic activity. Yet a more expansive interpretation sees a blue economy in which economic opportunity is balanced by responsible investment in a sustainable ocean economy - a ‘win-win’ scenario where the private sector, acting through enlightened self-interest, is a catalyst for both economic development and environmental protection. In this, slightly rose tinted vision, the blue economy is in itself a source of opportunity, investment and growth - or so world leaders hope, where they are obviously not prepared to lead themselves.

World Ocean Summit will convene more than 250 global leaders from various sectors with direct interests in the oceans, hoping to ignite a constructive dialogue on solution.

http://www.pml.ac.uk/Media_and_events/Events/World_Ocean_Council_%28WOC%29_3rd_Sustainable_Ocean_Su

http://www.economistinsights.com/sustainability-resources/event/world-ocean-summit-2015

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/29/earth-lost-50-wildlife-in-40-years-wwf

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/04/wwf-report-warns-danger-oceans-150423142317932.html

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/wwf-ocean-important-business-asset-24tn-economic-value-quickly-deteriorating-1497832

http://theterramarproject.org/thedailycatch/worlds-seventh-largest-economy-headed-toward-collapse-the-ocean/

https://www.worldwildlife.org/publications/reviving-the-oceans-economy-the-case-for-action-2015

A SEAVAX DRONE - This is a raw proposal for a robot ship that is designed to vacuum up plastic waste from the ocean based on the Bluefish ZCC concept. The vessel is solar and wind powered - and shares component with other ZCC variants. The front end (right) is modified so that there is a wide scoop area, into which plastic waste is funneled as the ship moves forward. The waste is pumped into a large holding bay after treatment, then stored until it can be off-loaded. The front of the ship sports two large wind turbines that generate electricity in combination with deck mounted solar panels to power the onboard processing machinery. The system can be semi-autonomous, such that in robot mode the vessel alerts and operational HQ to any potential problems and shares information as to progress for stake holders. The entire cleanup mission can be controlled from land, with visuals and data streams. A SeaVax ship would operate using a search program called SeaNet.

FISHY - An aerial picture taken in January of 2012 is of 400 students gathering on the beach of Yoff Diamalaye in Dakar to form a giant fish to draw Senegalese presidential candidate's attention to the problems of the fisheries sector in Senegal during a rally called by global environmental group Greenpeace and local fishermen organizations for a "responsible and sustainable fishery policy." This was at the end of a campaign to collect signatures throughout the country.