GEF Technical BBL Series:
Highlights from the WBG Global Seaweed New and Emerging Markets Report 2023
Time: Tuesday, September 12, 8:30-10:00am EDT (virtual event, in English)
Program:
• Opening remarks: Valerie Hickey, Global Director for Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy, World Bank
• Introduction: Christopher Brett, Lead Agribusiness Specialist, World Bank
• Presentation: Karlotta Rieve, Project Manager, Innovation Services business, Hatch Blue
• Q&A, moderated by Andrew Hume, Senior Environmental Specialist & International Waters Focal Area Coordinator, GEF Secretariat
• Closing remarks: Claude Gascon, Manager & Interim Director, Programs Unit, GEF Secretariat
Join the BBL on Zoom:
https://worldbankgroup.zoom.us/j/91695583348?pwd=NWFrRlJ2N3hLUkw1ekxrYUorODBHQT09
Meeting ID: 916 9558 3348 Passcode: G=4cwdJE#P
The recording of the BBL will be made available on https://www.thegef.org/events.
Background:
Seaweed aquaculture accounts for 51.3% of global mariculture production and has been growing fast at a rate of 6.2% yr−1 since 2000. In 2018, 31.8 million tons (Mt) of seaweed were produced, with a market value of more than US$11.3 billion. Seaweed plays a crucial role in a healthy food systems approach—that is, healthy people, healthy planet, and healthy economy. Seaweed has been used as a sustainable, nutritious food source for humans, animals, and even fertilizer for plants and can play a more significant role in combating hunger. By providing natural habitat and food for marine life, seaweed can help restore ocean biodiversity. Seaweed also has excellent potential to mitigate climate change by sequestering and sinking carbon, thereby decarbonizing the economy. It can also reduce ocean pollution by removing excess nutrients and has multiple applications in medicine, packaging, and textiles. Seaweed farming can also be an alternative livelihood for fishers, especially women. In parts of Africa and Asia, it sustains women’s economic empowerment and builds the resilience of coastal communities by providing new sources of employment and revenue.
The WBG Aquabusiness Investment Advisory Platform (AquaInvest), funded by PROBLUE Multidonor Trust Fund, is a collaboration between IBRD, IFC, GEF, FAO, WWF, USAID among others. The AquaInvest Platform has released a comprehensive study on new and emerging seaweed markets in anticipation of increased production from offshore cultivation of seaweed which promises higher production that will require more markets and capacity to process. The Global Seaweed New and Emerging Markets Report 2023 identifies gaps, innovations, opportunities, and new markets for the seaweed industry to scale up, alleviate poverty, and improve global environmental resilience. The report identifies ten global seaweed subsector markets which are projected to grow the seaweed market value by a further $11.8 billion by the year 2030. To learn more about highlights of this report, GEF and the WBG invites you to a virtual webinar on Tuesday, September 12, from 8:30-10:00am EDT. This is an opportunity to engage in discussions that will shape the development of the global Seaweed sub-sector.
Speaker bios:
Valerie Hickey is the Global Director of Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy (ENB) at the World Bank. Valerie takes this role having worked as the manager for Advisory and Operations in the Climate Change Group, where she oversaw the implementation of the World Bank’s commitments on climate change, climate mainstreaming and climate finance. Before that she was the Practice Manager for ENB in Latin America and the Caribbean where she managed a cross-sectoral team that supported countries and communities on issues related to climate change, sustainable forest management, integrated conservation and development, integrated coastal zone management, fisheries, pollution management and environmental health, environmental economics and environmental risk management.
Claude Gascon is the Manager and Interim Director of Programs at the GEF, where he has been leading the programming of environmental and conservation projects since 2015. Before that, he served as the Chief Science Officer and Executive Vice-President at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation between 2010-2015. He was with Conservation International from 1999 to 2010, most recently as Executive Vice-President for Field Programs. A Canadian, Claude started his professional career in the Brazilian Amazon as project director and scientific coordinator for the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project. His research has resulted in more than 70 publications and three books.
Karlotta Rieve works as a Project Manager for the Innovation Services Business of Hatch, a global accelerator, investment and consultancy company for sustainable aquaculture. With the main focus of her work around seaweed, she has most recently led a study to assess the current state of seaweed farming in Asia. For this project she travelled to the main seaweed producing regions in Asia, to visit and collect data from 100+ farmers, processors, traders, researchers and innovative companies across 5 countries. With a Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Denmark, she has been working in the food tech ecosystem before strategically making her way into aquaculture. Prior to joining Hatch, Karlotta gained hands on experience with different aquaculture species, including seaweed cultivation on the Faroe Islands with Ocean Rainforest.
Christopher Brett is currently the Lead Agribusiness Specialist in the Global Agricultural Practice of the World Bank, Christopher Brett has over 30 years of experience working within the public and private sectors in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He serves as the World Bank representative on the AgResults Steering Committee, providing technical inputs and guidance to the design, monitoring, and evaluation of the Challenge Projects. Mr. Brett has a Master’s degree in agricultural development from Cranfield University in the United Kingdom.
Andrew Hume, Ph.D, is the International Waters Focal Area Coordinator at the Global Environment Facility (GEF), focusing on addressing transboundary freshwater and marine environmental issues. Andrew is a published researcher with over 15 years of experience working on marine science and international development. Andrew has previously worked at the GEF and the World Wildlife Fund where he helped establish the WWF GEF Project Agency. Andrew holds a Ph.D. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University and a MSc in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia.
- Seaweed
- Agribusiness
- Aquaculture
- Blue Economy
- Food Security
- Environment
Calendar » Highlights from the WBG Global Seaweed New and Emerging Markets Report 2023
Highlights from the WBG Global Seaweed New and Emerging Markets Report 2023
GEF Technical BBL Series:
Highlights from the WBG Global Seaweed New and Emerging Markets Report 2023
Time: Tuesday, September 12, 8:30-10:00am EDT (virtual event, in English)
Program:
• Opening remarks: Valerie Hickey, Global Director for Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy, World Bank
• Introduction: Christopher Brett, Lead Agribusiness Specialist, World Bank
• Presentation: Karlotta Rieve, Project Manager, Innovation Services business, Hatch Blue
• Q&A, moderated by Andrew Hume, Senior Environmental Specialist & International Waters Focal Area Coordinator, GEF Secretariat
• Closing remarks: Claude Gascon, Manager & Interim Director, Programs Unit, GEF Secretariat
Join the BBL on Zoom:
https://worldbankgroup.zoom.us/j/91695583348?pwd=NWFrRlJ2N3hLUkw1ekxrYUorODBHQT09
Meeting ID: 916 9558 3348 Passcode: G=4cwdJE#P
The recording of the BBL will be made available on https://www.thegef.org/events.
Background:
Seaweed aquaculture accounts for 51.3% of global mariculture production and has been growing fast at a rate of 6.2% yr−1 since 2000. In 2018, 31.8 million tons (Mt) of seaweed were produced, with a market value of more than US$11.3 billion. Seaweed plays a crucial role in a healthy food systems approach—that is, healthy people, healthy planet, and healthy economy. Seaweed has been used as a sustainable, nutritious food source for humans, animals, and even fertilizer for plants and can play a more significant role in combating hunger. By providing natural habitat and food for marine life, seaweed can help restore ocean biodiversity. Seaweed also has excellent potential to mitigate climate change by sequestering and sinking carbon, thereby decarbonizing the economy. It can also reduce ocean pollution by removing excess nutrients and has multiple applications in medicine, packaging, and textiles. Seaweed farming can also be an alternative livelihood for fishers, especially women. In parts of Africa and Asia, it sustains women’s economic empowerment and builds the resilience of coastal communities by providing new sources of employment and revenue.
The WBG Aquabusiness Investment Advisory Platform (AquaInvest), funded by PROBLUE Multidonor Trust Fund, is a collaboration between IBRD, IFC, GEF, FAO, WWF, USAID among others. The AquaInvest Platform has released a comprehensive study on new and emerging seaweed markets in anticipation of increased production from offshore cultivation of seaweed which promises higher production that will require more markets and capacity to process. The Global Seaweed New and Emerging Markets Report 2023 identifies gaps, innovations, opportunities, and new markets for the seaweed industry to scale up, alleviate poverty, and improve global environmental resilience. The report identifies ten global seaweed subsector markets which are projected to grow the seaweed market value by a further $11.8 billion by the year 2030. To learn more about highlights of this report, GEF and the WBG invites you to a virtual webinar on Tuesday, September 12, from 8:30-10:00am EDT. This is an opportunity to engage in discussions that will shape the development of the global Seaweed sub-sector.
Speaker bios:
Valerie Hickey is the Global Director of Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy (ENB) at the World Bank. Valerie takes this role having worked as the manager for Advisory and Operations in the Climate Change Group, where she oversaw the implementation of the World Bank’s commitments on climate change, climate mainstreaming and climate finance. Before that she was the Practice Manager for ENB in Latin America and the Caribbean where she managed a cross-sectoral team that supported countries and communities on issues related to climate change, sustainable forest management, integrated conservation and development, integrated coastal zone management, fisheries, pollution management and environmental health, environmental economics and environmental risk management.
Claude Gascon is the Manager and Interim Director of Programs at the GEF, where he has been leading the programming of environmental and conservation projects since 2015. Before that, he served as the Chief Science Officer and Executive Vice-President at the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation between 2010-2015. He was with Conservation International from 1999 to 2010, most recently as Executive Vice-President for Field Programs. A Canadian, Claude started his professional career in the Brazilian Amazon as project director and scientific coordinator for the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project. His research has resulted in more than 70 publications and three books.
Karlotta Rieve works as a Project Manager for the Innovation Services Business of Hatch, a global accelerator, investment and consultancy company for sustainable aquaculture. With the main focus of her work around seaweed, she has most recently led a study to assess the current state of seaweed farming in Asia. For this project she travelled to the main seaweed producing regions in Asia, to visit and collect data from 100+ farmers, processors, traders, researchers and innovative companies across 5 countries. With a Master in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from Denmark, she has been working in the food tech ecosystem before strategically making her way into aquaculture. Prior to joining Hatch, Karlotta gained hands on experience with different aquaculture species, including seaweed cultivation on the Faroe Islands with Ocean Rainforest.
Christopher Brett is currently the Lead Agribusiness Specialist in the Global Agricultural Practice of the World Bank, Christopher Brett has over 30 years of experience working within the public and private sectors in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. He serves as the World Bank representative on the AgResults Steering Committee, providing technical inputs and guidance to the design, monitoring, and evaluation of the Challenge Projects. Mr. Brett has a Master’s degree in agricultural development from Cranfield University in the United Kingdom.
Andrew Hume, Ph.D, is the International Waters Focal Area Coordinator at the Global Environment Facility (GEF), focusing on addressing transboundary freshwater and marine environmental issues. Andrew is a published researcher with over 15 years of experience working on marine science and international development. Andrew has previously worked at the GEF and the World Wildlife Fund where he helped establish the WWF GEF Project Agency. Andrew holds a Ph.D. in Environment and Resources from Stanford University and a MSc in Environmental Science from the University of Virginia.