Every day, the equivalent of 500 containers of plastic waste are dumped into the Mediterranean, where this summer the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Ocean will be held. The development of a sustainable blue economy and the preservation of marine biodiversity will be at the heart of this summit, organized in Nice and Monaco. These collective challenges have been taken up by asset management, which selects and supports companies developing innovative solutions, especially for the protection of marine biodiversity.
Threats to the Ocean
The Mediterranean is not alone. Globally, plastics account for 85% of all marine waste. The quantity of plastic waste dispersed in the waters is estimated to be nearly 200 million tons, forming a 7th continent. The degradation of this pollution into microplastics makes it omnipresent. Its consequences also impact our health. According to a WWF study, we ingest nearly 5 grams of plastic per week, which is the equivalent of a credit card.
Solutions at the Source
The response to this challenge will necessarily involve an agreement coordinating actions on a global scale. Companies and financial institutions, including LFDE and LBP AM, are joining coalitions such as the Business Call for a UN Treaty on Plastic Pollution to encourage governments to adopt a global treaty against plastic pollution. The 6th international negotiation session will open in August in Geneva.
As impact investors, we are convinced of the key role that companies play in developing solutions that preserve our ecosystems. We specifically support companies positioned at the source, providing solutions to prevent poor waste management. One such solution involves acting on packaging composition to make it biodegradable, as well as promoting recycling. The Swiss group SIG, which designs sustainable food packaging solutions (producing nearly 57 billion packages in 2024), is currently the only company in the world able to replace the aluminum foil in its packaging, making it more recyclable. This process reduces the waste burden on biodiversity, particularly marine life. Another pioneer, Tomra Systems, designs and operates systems for recovering and recycling packaging. Circular economy is at the core of this Norwegian company’s business model, which provides solutions for waste collection, sorting, and recycling, as well as for the mineral and food industries. These are just a few of the actions contributing to the preservation of biodiversity by reducing marine pollution.
The 5th Largest Economy in the World
While solutions exist, funding needs to be increased. Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14, Life Below Water, dedicated to protecting marine ecosystems, is currently the least funded of the 17 UN SDGs. Some of its targets, particularly Target 14.1, which aims to prevent and reduce marine pollution, are being addressed by asset managers and companies that develop water treatment solutions, including wastewater and ballast water management systems to limit invasive species. The economic value of the oceans is estimated by the OECD at $3 trillion by 2030, making it the 5th largest economy in the world. Their preservation and the development of a sustainable blue economy is a future challenge with many facets.
Source:patrimoine24
