The Blue Compendium

Home to over 80 percent of all life on Earth, the ocean is the world’s largest carbon sink and a key source of food and economic security for billions of people. The relevance of the ocean for humanity's future is undisputed. However, the ocean’s great potential to drive economic growth and equitable job creation, sustain healthy ecosystems, and mitigate climate change is not yet fully recognised. Lack of awareness of this potential as well as management and governance challenges pose impediments. Until these impediments are removed, ocean ecosystems will continue to be degraded and opportunities for people lost. A transition and a clear path to a thriving and vibrant relationship between humans and the ocean are urgently needed.

This open access collection of papers and reports identifies a path that is inspired by science, energised by engaged people, and emboldened by visionary leaders. These assessments of knowledge are commissioned by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel), which was established in September 2018 as a unique initiative led by heads of state and government from around the world, to showcase the latest leading-edge science, knowledge and state-of-the-art thinking on key ocean issues.

Altogether, The Blue Compendium offers innovative ocean solutions in technology, policy, governance, and finance realms, that could help accelerate a transition to a more sustainable and prosperous relationship with the ocean. The comprehensive assessments have already informed policy making at the highest levels of government and motivated an impressive array of responsive and ambitious action across a growing network of leaders in business, finance and civil society. 

Jane Lubchenco, University Distinguished Professor at Oregon State University, is a marine ecologist with expertise in the ocean, climate change, and interactions between the environment and human well-being, received a B.A. in biology from Colorado College, a M.S. in zoology from the University of Washington, and a Ph.D. in ecology from Harvard University.

Her academic career as a professor began at Harvard University (1975-1977) and continued at Oregon State University (1977-2009) until her appointment as NOAA Administrator (2009-2013). Thereafter, she was the 2013 Haas Distinguished Visitor in Public Service at Stanford University, then Oregon State University’s University Distinguished Professor.

​In recognition of her scientific contributions, Jane Lubchenco is an elected member of the National Academy of Sciences and many other distinguished academies. She has received numerous awards including 24 honorary doctorates, most recently from the University of Oxford.

She co-founded three organizations that train scientists to be better communicators and engage more effectively with the public, policy makers, media and industry.  She also co-founded PISCO (an integrated research/monitoring/outreach program), the National Ocean Protection Coalition, and the MPA Project that seeks to advance smart use of effective Marine Protected Areas.  

She has also served in multiple governmental capacities.  She was the U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and an inaugural member of President Barack Obama’s Science Team from 2009-2013. From 2014-2016, she was the first U.S. State Department Science Envoy for the Ocean, serving as a science diplomat to China, Indonesia, South Africa, Mauritius and the Seychelles.  And beginning in 2021, she leads the Climate and Environment team at the White House Office ofScience and Technology Policy.

She has served as the President of numerous professional scientific societies including the Ecological Society of America, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the International Council for Science (ICSU).  She has served on multiple national commissions including the Pew Oceans Commission, the Joint Ocean Commission Initiative, and the Aspen Institute Arctic Commission. She has led or contributed to multiple regional, national, and international scientific assessments on climate change, biodiversity, Marine Protected Areas, the ocean, and the intersection of science and society.  Most recently, she co-chaired the Expert Group for the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, a pioneering partnership across over a dozen serving heads of state or government to harness science and action to protect the ocean effectively, produce from it sustainably, and prosper equitably. 

Peter M. Haugan is Programme Director at Institute of Marine Research, Norway and professor of oceanography at the Geophysical Institute, University of Bergen. He started his career as a Research Engineer in the oil and gas industry in 1982 doing reservoir model development with a degree in applied mathematics. He turned to oceanography and climate research in 1987 joining the Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center where he became its Deputy Director in 1994. He joined the Geophysical Institute in 1996 but also spent two years at the University Centre in Svalbard and was Deputy Director of the Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research from its establishment in 2000. From 2003 to 2011 he was Director of the Geophysical Institute widening its scope to lead university wide efforts in renewable energy, notably offshore wind. From 2019, he is in charge of international work with global development at the Institute of Marine Research and from 2021 he is part time on loan from IMR to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

His research interests include various aspects of coastal and global physical oceanography with primary focus on the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean as well as ocean carbon cycling, ocean climate processes and ocean-based climate solutions. He has expertise in polar oceanography and sea ice from working in the high Arctic. Throughout his career he has put increasing focus on the science-policy interface emphasising the complementary roles of science and policy and the imperative for individuals as well as institutions to act towards a sustainable future.

He has served as advisor as well as board member for numerous national and international organisations and has more than 30 years of experience in international ocean science coordination. The preparation and proclamation of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) and the launch of the first ever Global Ocean Science Report (2017) are highlights from his period 2015-2019 as elected President of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO/IOC).

He co-chairs the Expert Group for the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy.