Science-Based Targets for Ocean Industries: Establishing the science to engage corporate action on ocean conservation

Taking place during the 7th International Marine Conservation Congress (IMCC7) in Cape Town, South Africa, this symposium will introduce the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) and its work to develop measurable, actionable, time-bound, and science-based guidance that allow companies and cities to align with Earth’s limits and societal sustainability goals.

In 2025, the SBTN Ocean Hub will release its Version 1 guidance, addressing the seafood industry, with plans to expand guidance to other key ocean industries. This symposium will cover ocean-based pressures placed on nature and biodiversity by sectors such as coastal development, tourism, offshore renewable energy, and shipping, and how science-based targets fit into global frameworks to address these pressures to conserve nature and biodiversity.

The event will be co-hosted by the co-leading organizations of the Ocean Hub, Conservation International (CI) and WWF.

Presentations will be split into two halves:

>> Part 1: How frameworks and corporate commitments in the ocean work

Private sector as a driver for science-led marine sustainable development and conservation – Elizabeth McLeod, TNC

Science Based Targets Network: theory of change and current method – Alice Thomas-Smyth, WWF

Expanding Science-Based Targets Across the Blue Economy – Taylor Witkin, CI

Ocean finance: Frameworks, metrics, and targets for sustainability – Klaas De Vos, Ocean Fox Advisory

>> Part 2: On the ground examples of measuring and addressing pressures in the ocean

Measuring progress for net-positive offshore renewable energy – Cat Hemmingsen, Orsted

De facto marine protected areas: Offshore infrastructure creates globally significant MPAs by preventing industrial fishing – Sean Van Elden, University of Western Australia

Focus Group

After the symposium, the following day there will also be a focus group entitled: Science-Based Targets for Ocean Industries: Developing recommendations for the Science Based Targets Network Ocean Hub

Date and time: October 16, 2024, 10 AM-12PM and 3:30-5:30 PM local (2 parts)

This focus group is intended to be paired with the similarly titled symposium and brings together experts on biodiversity, corporate responsibility in the ocean, marine conservation, and industry leaders to develop recommendations on the key pressures the SBTN Ocean Hub will address in future guidance, beyond the first version for the seafood industry.

During the focus group session we will solicit feedback on topics including, but not limited to: the availability of company data, potential metrics and indicators to assess pressures and the state of nature in the ocean relevant to those pressures, and the types of corporate actions that are available to companies in key sectors such as offshore renewable energy, coastal development, tourism, and shipping.

We aim to inform future guidance that will address corporate impacts on nature and enable companies to positively impact conservation outcomes in the areas in which they operate and from which they source.