Tides of Transparency!
A First Mapping of Industrial Ocean Data Sharing
A report by the Ocean Data Action Coalition, under the leadership of HUB Ocean and with input from the UN Ocean Decade Corporate Data Group.
Background
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. This report assesses the private sector contributions to ocean biodiversity data.
The assessment was conducted on two of the largest global biodiversity repositories—OBIS (Ocean Biodiversity Information System) and GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) and sheds light on the fragmented nature of private sector contributions.
Key Findings
*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.