Innovation and SDG 14: Life below water

The livelihoods of over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity. And the oceans play a crucial role in regulating our climate. Protecting the marine environment and the life that lives within it is therefore crucial for our own survival

Oceans are the cradle of life and make up 95 per cent of the space available to living things here on Earth. Yet research shows that marine biodiversity is declining dangerously, with humans the biggest cause. And each year, 0.5 per cent of the world’s total plastic waste (around 1.7 million tonnes) ends up escaping into the sea. 

The ocean matters to humanity in more than one way. Not only does it support the livelihoods of billions of people – it also has an enormous influence on the climate. An estimated 83 per cent of the global carbon cycle is circulated through marine waters, and oceans have absorbed around a third of all the CO2 ever produced by humans. Moreover, marine waters contain resources that are extremely useful in the fight against climate change. Seagrass meadows sequester carbon up to 35 times faster than tropical rainforests, and seaweed is used in a wide range of sustainable innovations.

Given the importance of oceans to our shared future, many innovators are looking to the ocean for inspiration. Although international cooperation and government action are essential for enacting change, innovation will also play a crucial role in protecting life below water.

Ocean pollution

Over the next 15 years, the amount of plastic polluting our oceans is set to double unless serious action is taken. This could mean that the volume of plastic in our seas outweighs fish by 2050. Not only does plastic litter itself harm marine life, smothering plants and choking seabirds, but if it’s not removed, it continues to break down into ever-more pervasive microplastics. Though tiny, these particles can have a detrimental impact on the survival and metabolic activity of creatures like plankton.

To combat one of the leading causes of ocean microplastics – our clothes – GUPPYFRIEND developed a mesh laundry bag that’s designed to go into the washing machine, capturing synthetic fibres before they’re released into waterways and the sea. Spanish startup Universal Plastic® , meanwhile, uses blockchain to turn ocean cleanups into traceable data, enabling companies to strengthen their corporate reputation while helping to combat ocean plastic.

But plastic is by no means the only form of harmful human-generated ocean pollution. Over in Cyprus, a research project combines AI, deep learning, and drones to efficiently monitor and contain oil spills, enabling action to be taken before the oil spreads. And to combat dangerous agricultural runoff, scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are pioneering ‘sticky’ pesticides that cling to plant leaves instead of being easily washed off.

Marine and coastal ecosystems

Marine ecosystems are not only crucial for the vast array of species that live in them – they are also integral to the global economy. For example, hundreds of millions of people around the world rely on coral ecosystems for food and economic security. Yet, in the last 30 years, the world has lost half of its coral reefs, with 90 per cent set to disappear by 2050 because of climate change and bleaching events.

In response, researchers in California developed an infused gel coating that encourages coral larvae to attach and settle on degraded reefs, helping to revive these damaged ecosystems. Elsewhere, startup Kind Designs is 3D printing custom-designed seawalls, tiles, and other shoreline structures to rehabilitate marine habitats and protect coastal communities.

While coral reefs receive a lot of well-deserved attention, they are not the only form of marine ecosystem. Seagrass meadows are home to myriad animals and plants, and act as extremely effective carbon sinks. Irish-founded startup Ulysses Ecosystem Engineering Inc. has developed a system of autonomous drones that help to supercharge seagrass restoration. The drones collect seeds from healthy meadows, plant them in degraded areas, and monitor their growth, overcoming the limitations of traditional, manual processes.

Overfishing 

Seafood makes up around a sixth of the world’s total animal protein consumption, with billions relying on marine animals for daily nutrition. Our reliance on fish for food, however, has resulted in damaging and highly unsustainable levels of overfishing. In fact, last year it’s estimated that almost 40 per cent of global fish stocks were overexploited.

Fishmeal – wild-caught animals used to feed fish in aquaculture farms – is a key driver of overfishing. Seaqure labs wants to replace fishmeal in aquaculture feed with a fungi-based protein ingredient, using fermentation to convert food and agricultural side streams into a protein-rich mycelium product.

With around 70 per cent of processed aquatic foods discarded from the food value chain and ending up as waste or animal feed, Swedish startup AquaFood AB wants us to make better use of existing fish supply. To do that, the company incorporates aquatic side stream waste into new circular products, meaning that more food and value can be gleaned from fewer fish and seafood stocks.

SDG 14 also mentions illegal fishing as a particular challenge. In New Zealand, Starboard has developed an intelligence platform that collects data from various sources to spot suspicious activity – including illegal fishing – at sea in real time.

Scientific knowledge

To effectively protect and preserve our oceans, it is important for us to understand them. But more than 70 per cent of the ocean floor is unmapped, unobserved, and unexplored, and it is estimated that two thirds of ocean species are yet to be classified by science.

One way we can bolster our scientific knowledge of the oceans is through autonomous vehicles. France’s cosma has created an AI-powered drone system that collects marine data up to 200 metres deep from just above the ocean floor. And over in Ireland, XOCEAN uses fleets of Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) that can be remotely controlled via satellite to more efficiently measure the impact of offshore renewable energy sites.