The Ocean Collective Summit (TOCS) 2024 has ended at Sheraton Towers Singapore with a call for action to form partnerships and innovate solutions to save oceans for securing the planet’s future. Ocean and sea-related economic activities were among the topics discussed with much importance at the event held on October 17-18. High level event in Costa Rica highlights damage to oceans Professor Lawrence Loh, Director of the Centre for Governance and Sustainability at the National University of Singapore Business School, highlighted the relative neglect of the blue economy—encompassing ocean and sea-related economic activities—in comparison to the green economy. While megatrends such as environmental, social and governance (ESG) metrics, biodiversity and natural capital are bandied about, at the local level, “we are more realistic... nobody is concerned about the blue (economy).” This is despite the blue economy supporting about three billion people – more than a third of the world population, he added. Bangladesh’s blue economy may double in next 10-15 years: ADB Vice President Tan Kiat How, Senior Minister of State for National Development and Digital Development and Information, delivered the opening address as the chief guest. Organised by The International SeaKeepers Society (SeaKeepers) and The Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Centre, the annual two-day summit brought together conservationists, business leaders, and policymakers to advance the shared objective of protecting the world’s oceans. Tan said, “I am heartened to know that the SeaKeepers have been supporting our local marine conservation efforts, such as reef cleanups, providing research grants for local students, as well as awards for local marine champions.” “We will continue to work with the local scientific and nature community here in Singapore, as well as learn from international leaders at platforms like today’s summit, to protect and conserve our marine biodiversity and ecosystems.” Fabien Cousteau, famed aquanaut, oceanographic explorer, and environmental advocate, delivered the keynote address, focusing on the intersections between science, technology, and marine conservation. He said, “At the core of marine conservation, it’s not just about saving the oceans—it’s about safeguarding our own future. As intelligent beings, we have the knowledge and the tools to envision a sustainable world where business, science, and technology work hand-in-hand to protect our oceans. But the real question is: do we have the wisdom to make those necessary choices?” The session titled ‘Ocean Innovators Challenge’ featured three young entrepreneurs presenting their conservation-focused business ideas to a panel of judges. Nuryanee Anisah, who is the co-founder and CEO of Commenhers - an impact-driven enterprise that provides environmental solutions by upcycling textile waste into high-quality products - won the favour of both the attendees and the judges to win the Ocean Innovators Challenge with her informative and lively presentation. Hani Nusantari, Founder & Educational and Outreach Officer of JARI Foundation, shared how her foundation blends sustainable tourism practices with community engagement to create a balanced and respectful interaction between tourism, culture and the natural environment. Chavalit Frederick Tsao, Chairman of the century-old business TPC (Tsao Pao Chee), also discussed balancing economic growth with environmental protection in maritime trade. Professor Lawerence Loh conducted a quick sustainable business boot camp on how to drive sustainable change within organisations. In short, sustainable practices enhance brand reputation, attract eco-conscious consumers, and ensure long-term viability. Innovation at the forefront of marine conservation Technology provides tools and solutions necessary to mitigate and even reverse environmental degradation. During the Innovative Solutions Showcase, Dan Lundqvist, Director of Overseas Business at M-TechX Asia, showcased how nanofibers can be used to clean up oil spills as well as solve water pollution issues by filtration. Dr Jerome Lombardi, Senior Research Fellow and Urbax Venture Lead at NUS Centre for Advanced 2D materials, shared how his research has managed to create “green cement” that drastically reduces the carbon footprint compared to traditional cement. Jay Wade, President of SeaKeepers International, and Julian Chang, president of SeaKeepers Asia, also spoke at the event. To cap off the summit, the participants engaged in a collaborative action planning session, designed to empower the community to formulate actionable plans to drive meaningful marine conservation efforts within their organisations. The Ocean Collective Summit (TOCS) is a knowledge-sharing conference that serves as a platform for public institutions, private organisations, and non-government agencies to discuss critical marine conservation issues. TOCS aims to bring a focus on the ocean and its intricate connections to life and all the inhabitants of our planet, Earth. Through its annual conference, TOCS gathered thought leaders in the marine conservation space to raise awareness, educate, and inspire action to work collectively towards a more sustainable future.

The International SeaKeepers Society organised the first-ever edition of The Ocean Collective Summit (TOCS) at ONE° 15 Marina Sentosa Cove in Singapore recently. TOCS is part of Blue Water EduFest 2022 and the inaugural event saw Guest of Honour Mr Desmond Lee, Minister for National Development and Minister-in-Charge of Social Services Integration in attendance. He later delivered a speech reiterating the nation's commitment to coastal conservation as part of Singapore's sustainability endeavours. While weather patterns of late give a grim indication of the impact of climate change, the resounding message from the Conference was one of hope, encouragement and more importantly, one of personal responsibility. Speakers ranging from keynote speaker; famed Aquanaut, Oceanographic Explorer and Environmental Advocate, Fabien Cousteau; Dr Karenne Tun, Director of the Coastal and Marine and Terrestrial Branches, National Biodiversity Centre, National Parks Board (NParks); and Dr Steven Fong, Programme Chair DMAC, Republic Polytechnic; stressed the importance of personal action. Enayetullah Khan, conservationist and founder of WildTeam, attended the summit on the first day, November 3. Instead of waiting for work or action to be taken by the authorities or a collective group, individual action is just as important and should not be neglected, the conference conveyed. Speakers also urged attendees to look at making changes in their daily habits, a change of mindset, and even changing the language. For instance, instead of "seafood", the term can be replaced with "sealife" so that in time, sea creatures are seen as cohabitants of the planet and not just food for consumption. Dr Tun further shared the personal actions she's taking with her lifestyle as a demonstration of how everyone has a part to play to help achieve the targets set out in The Singapore Green Plan 2030. Read more: UNCLOS can be a pathway to ocean of opportunity for LDCs: Bangladesh The message of personal responsibility rings true for today's youth who formed a large part of the audience. The youth are identified as the group showing the most concern as well as the group most demanding for action to be taken. The message of personal responsibility and action resonated with the attendees and set the stage for the second day of the conference. The second day of the conference (Nov. 4) also explored how corporate citizens maintain the balance between commercial requirements and responsibility to the environment. Speakers from some of the world's most established brands, such as Citi Private Bank, SDAX, Archwey and VE Capital and Company, shared how their organisations provide solutions towards achieving sustainability. About The Ocean Collective Summit The Ocean Collective Summit (TOCS) is a programme initiated by The SeaKeepers in cooperation with Fabien Cousteau; the Founder of The Fabien Cousteau Ocean Learning Centre and Proteus Ocean Group; and famed for his work as an Aquanaut, Oceanographic Explorer and Environmental Advocate. TOCS aims to bring a focus on the ocean and its intricate connections to life and all the inhabitants of our planet, Earth. Through its annual conference, TOCS will gather thought leaders to educate, raise awareness and inspire action to be taken and work collectively towards a more sustainable future. The International SeaKeepers Society The International SeaKeepers Society was founded in 1998 by a small group of yacht owners who were alarmed by the deterioration of our natural environment. The organisation's initial focus was on the development and use of instrumentation on yachts to monitor marine conditions throughout the world's oceans. Today, The International SeaKeepers Society continues to work with yachts as a vital part of its programming. The International SeaKeepers Society strives to increase current knowledge about the oceans, promote and facilitate scientific discovery and raise awareness about critical ocean issues. The International SeaKeepers Society works directly with the yachting community as an essential component and contributor to ocean research and conservation efforts. The organisation runs several yacht-involved programs to accomplish this mission. Read more: UN Ocean Conf: Bangladesh reaffirms commitment to achieve SDG-14 The International SeaKeepers Society began expansion into Asia in 2016 with the SeaKeepers Asia chapter. Building upon established international programming, the focus in Asia is creating awareness of the current situation of our oceans in Asia in order to build a sense of appreciation and commitment to protect, conserve and restore when possible.