The Making Oceans Count II (MOC II) project seeks to ensure that material marine ecosystem-related risks and opportunities are better integrated into the decision-making processes of key actors within the Nordic financial sector and the blue economy.
Investors play a pivotal role in advancing the sustainability of marine environments, as well as protecting and restoring their biodiversity.
What the Report Is About – In a Nutshell
This report captures the outcomes of the Making Oceans Count II workshop held in Brussels in November 2024. It brought together policymakers, investors, NGOs, and data providers to discuss how we can improve the way ocean-related environmental risks and opportunities are measured and integrated into financial decision-making.
The main focus was on developing better, science-based “blue metrics” — tools and standards that help financial institutions understand their impact on marine ecosystems and make more sustainable investment choices. Right now, ocean data is scattered, inconsistent, and often not usable for investment decisions. The workshop tackled this head-on.
The report is split into two parts:
- Part I summarizes where things currently stand — especially the regulatory landscape (like CSRD and TNFD), the challenges with data availability, and why there’s an urgent need to align standards and make marine data more actionable.
- Part II looks forward — laying out key recommendations, including the need for interoperable core metrics, better definitions of ocean-sensitive areas, and stronger links between financial actors and the scientific community.
At the core, it’s a call to action: if we want a sustainable blue economy, we need better data, clearer standards, and stronger collaboration.
For more information, please reach out to Kristjan Jespersen (kj.msc@cbs.dk).