Global Compact report emphasizes seafood’s role in ocean stewardship

The Ocean Action Platform of the Global Compact has pinpointed five critical areas for ocean conservation: sustainable seafood, decarbonizing shipping, utilizing ocean electricity, ocean mapping, and halting waste influx into the ocean. In response, the Global Compact has assembled a coalition of private sector entities, academic institutions, governments, and NGOs to address these critical areas. The seafood industry's critical area is defined as fully traceable sustainable seafood. Wenche Grønbrekk, Head of Sustainable Development at Cermaq, who co-facilitated the workshop with Robert Blasiak from the Stockholm Resilience Centre, stated, "The importance of seafood is widely acknowledged, and we are making strides in transparency and sustainable seafood production. What we need moving forward is a strong commitment from both corporations and governments to mitigate climate impacts and promote sustainable growth in seafood production." To address this, the Global Compact is creating a guide for seafood companies to establish science-based targets (SBTi), with a planned release in January 2022. "Cermaq is dedicated to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2030, using 2019 as the baseline year. We also have growth goals, so the reduction target, which is in absolute terms, is even more significant. Aquaculture is part of the solution to producing more low-carbon food and achieving the Paris agreement," Grønbrekk added. Cermaq is heavily invested in collaborating with international organizations like the UN Global Compact and FAO, and global partnerships like the Global Salmon Initiative and SeaBOS, to promote a food transition in seafood to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate objectives. Grønbrekk further stated, "As a leading company, we have a duty to participate in the broader picture, not just improving and developing our own company. We are highly motivated by the changes we are part of and the power of collaboration across sectors, geographies, and private/government/NGO/academic entities." Additional Information The Sustainable Ocean Business Action Platform of the UN Global Compact brings together key players from business, academia, the UN system, and governments to explore how ocean industries can contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Cermaq, a founding member, actively contributes to the platform's numerous outputs.