Bærekraftig bruk av havet
Havet er en vesentlig del av planetens økosystem og er en viktig bidragsyter til økonomisk aktivitet. Forringelse av havet kan redusere selskapers og bransjers mulighet til å tjene penger på lang sikt.
Havet er en vesentlig del av planetens økosystem og er en viktig bidragsyter til økonomisk aktivitet. Forringelse av havet kan redusere selskapers og bransjers mulighet til å tjene penger på lang sikt.
Vi forventer at selskapene håndterer både utfordringer og muligheter knyttet til bærekraftig bruk av havet.
Resten av forventningsdokumentet er på engelsk.
The ocean covers most of the planet’s surface and is a vital part of the biosphere, producing more than half of the world’s oxygen and regulating global temperatures. It is an important part of the global economy, providing natural resources and open spaces for transportation and other economic activity. The importance of the ocean is set to grow, as it has potential to provide protein to feed a growing world population and accommodate offshore renewable energy production.
The fund, with its global exposure across industries and markets, has an inherent interest in sustainable use of the ocean that does not compromise the ability of future generations to continue using it to meet their own needs. Economic activity both on the ocean and on land is depleting common resources, such as fish stocks, and degrading vital ecosystems. The effects of greenhouse gas emissions, such as ocean acidification and warming, are further stressing the health and productivity of the ocean. The interconnected and fluid nature of the ocean ecosystem, exemplified by fish migration and ocean currents, makes it hard to fully understand the long-term impacts of ocean depletion and degradation. The lack of globally enforced standards and regulation – especially in areas beyond national jurisdiction – makes these challenges fundamentally hard to overcome.
Our expectations are aimed both at companies with activities directly in or on the ocean, and at those with land-based activities or value chains that are materially dependent on, or affect, the ocean. Examples of relevant sectors include ocean-based industries such as shipping, offshore oil and gas, offshore wind, wild-catch fisheries, aquaculture and marine tourism, and land-based industries such as waste management, mining, apparel, pharmaceuticals, agriculture, chemicals and consumer goods.
We believe that the continued degradation of the ocean could reduce companies’ ability to generate value for investors in the long term. Companies should therefore understand the impact of their operations on the long-term sustainability of the ocean. Companies may, depending on their operational practices and geographical and sectoral exposure, face physical risks from degraded or over-exploited resources, limited access to markets, legal and regulatory risks following increased attention to ocean issues, and reputational risks. Companies may at the same time find business opportunities, either through new and sustainable uses of the ocean space and resources, or by providing solutions to ocean-related challenges.
We wish to support companies as they develop their strategy towards more sustainable business operations, and these expectations provide high-level guidance. We recognise that current market practices are fragmented and evolving. However, companies should respect international agreements such as the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and be guided by UN Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water). We support the further development of business standards and principles, such as the UN Global Compact Sustainable Ocean Principles, which contribute to improved market practices and a level playing field for companies as they approach ocean sustainability.
As an investor, we expect companies to be transparent about the topics raised in this document. For selected companies, we use such information to assess their ocean-related exposure, management and performance.