Unveiling major opportunity for private sector to boost ocean biodiversity knowledge
Our new report, Tides of Transparency, reveals that only 3% of global ocean biodiversity data comes from the private sector, and urges industries to contribute crucial information to accelerate sustainable ocean management.
The ocean is the cornerstone of life on Earth, but its health is deteriorating under pressure from human activities. The ocean is also a huge part of the solution to the challenges we face, from ocean-derived food and materials to energy. However, ensuring that we protect the ocean as we scale up these solutions requires closing crucial knowledge gaps, and that begins with better data—because we cannot manage what we cannot measure.
Tides of Transparency: A First Mapping of Industrial Ocean Data Sharing assesses private sector contributions to ocean biodiversity data, revealing an enormous opportunity for industries to play a more active role.
The report shows that only 3% of the data assembled in the main public biodiversity repositories come from the private sector. This signals an urgent need for stronger engagement from the private sector to improve our knowledge of marine ecosystems and improve ocean health.
Huge potential for impact
The assessment, conducted on two of the largest global biodiversity repositories—OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility)—sheds light on the fragmented nature of private sector contributions.
Private sector contributions in some regions are as high as 30-50%, indicating a significant potential for surpassing the 3% mark. Despite this, key industries such as offshore oil and gas, renewables, and maritime activities remain underrepresented in ocean biodiversity data sharing.
Key findings from the report include:
Minimal Private Sector Contribution: Only 3% of global ocean biodiversity data originates from private companies, despite their involvement in marine environments.
Regional Leaders: Countries like Namibia, Portugal, Japan, and Colombia show higher-than-average private sector contributions, while Norway leads globally due to its mandatory data-sharing policies for offshore industries.
Sector Disparities: While the oil and gas sector shares relevant biodiversity data, other industries like offshore wind remain largely absent from data-sharing efforts.
Future Growth Potential: With the rapid expansion of offshore industries, particularly wind energy, there is a significant opportunity to increase data sharing, which could enhance marine conservation and sustainable management.
Kjell Inge Røkke, UN Ocean Decade Special Emissary for Industrial Ocean Data
Industry plays major role to fill knowledge gap, says the UN
Tides of Transparency: A First Mapping of Industrial Ocean Data Sharing is a call to action for corporate leaders to unlock and share their ocean data publicly.
“In June 2022, I was formally endorsed as the UN Ocean Decade Special Emissary for Industrial Ocean Data. Since then, my team and I have been working diligently to break down siloes and advance the sharing of industrial ocean data.We are making meaningful progress. We have chosen to focus on ocean biodiversity in this report, as we have heard - loud and clear - that there is a critical gap in data felt by science, governments, and industry alike. I encourage companies to get engaged”,
Kimberly Mathisen, CEO of HUB Ocean
"With the growing footprint of industries in the ocean, there is a critical need for these sectors to step up and contribute more data to help preserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable ocean management," said Kimberly Mathisen, CEO of HUB Ocean. "The private sector can and must play a pivotal role in filling the current gaps in our understanding of marine ecosystems."
This is also the viewpoint from the Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, Vidar Helgesen: “Huge gaps in ocean data remain which limits our capacity to fully understand ocean processes and inform ocean management. Given the urgency of the climate crisis we face, we must exploit the vast amounts of existing datasets that are locked away in unconnected databases,” said Vidar Helgesen. “Both industry and national governments have a major role to play here, working together to establish pathways that facilitate data sharing and benefit both stakeholders equally.”
Value created in return for companies sharing data openly
Executive Secretary of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO and Assistant Director-General of UNESCO, Vidar Helgesen
The report features leading examples of companies that illustrate the varied benefits of sharing industrial ocean data, aiming to inspire more business leaders to participate. These include, for example, Ecowende, Equinor, Aker BP, TGS, TotalEnergies, Aker BioMarine and Fugro. Many have gained competitive advantages and improved operations through open data sharing, showing how both business and society benefit.
The report also provides recommendations for companies to begin their data-sharing journey.
Mandatory part of permitting processes
The report makes it clear that, while industrial ocean data sharing is still in its early days, embracing an “Open by Design” approach can be a transformative approach to making data sharing the new standards as new projects are built in the next decade.
It recognizes the vital role of the public sector, highlighting undertakings in the UK and Norway as examples of how regulations can significantly enhance data sharing from industry.
Enhancing the availability and accessibility of ocean data from both private and public sources is essential, and should adhere to FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) for fostering a sustainable ocean economy.
You can access more information on the findings and the full Tides of Transparency report here.
About the Report
Under the leadership of HUB Ocean and with input from the UN Ocean Decade's Corporate Data Group, the Ocean Data Action Coalition (ODAC) has produced the report 'Tides of Transparency: A First Mapping of Industrial Ocean Data Sharing', which will be published on Ocean Data Action Day on October 10th.
This report is not only an assessment but also a practical guide for companies looking to share ocean biodiversity data. It outlines both the benefits and the methods of making ocean data publicly accessible, with real-world examples that show the tangible value of open data for business and society.
The Ocean Data Action Day is an initiative led by HUB Ocean, Microsoft, and Accenture through the Ocean Data Action Coalition (ODAC). Under the auspices of the High-Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy, HUB Ocean, Microsoft, and Accenture spearhead this coalition, contributing to the Ocean Panel's goal of achieving a 100% sustainably managed ocean.
Unlocking industrial ocean data is a specific goal for ODAC, as it is for the UN Ocean Decade's Corporate Data Group, of which HUB Ocean is also a key member.
Through these initiatives, HUB Ocean is actively supporting the work of the UN Ocean Decade Special Emissary for Industrial Ocean Data Sharing, Kjell Inge Røkke. Røkke is a Norwegian industry builder and the principal owner of the Norwegian industrial group Aker.