Bermuda is in a unique position in the ocean-climate-biodiversity nexus. These three come into sharp focus on islands. By design and by intent, these topics are combined. If we identify where biodiversity is threatened and restore it, we can improve ocean health and increase the carbon-sink potential.

Look where to add mangroves and sea grass and coral, as well as where it is safe to introduce deepwater sequestration. The ocean has absorbed much of the global warming so far and saved us from cooking ourselves. However, the ocean is reaching a saturation point.

Hub Culture founder Stan Stalnaker explained that a first step is to further map the coastal and seabeds to identify areas under threat. Hub Culture is a Bermudian-based company founded in 2002 with the book Hub Culture: The Next Wave of Urban Consumers. It is a global network for collaboration on emerging issues and topics, such as climate change.

There was a Bermuda Hub Culture held on June 28 in conjunction with the Bermuda Climate Summit, which focused on the Atlantic Ocean.

Bermuda is an ocean country with a speck of an island in it. There is an agreement in principle to protect 20 per cent of Bermuda’s ocean Exclusive Economic Zone. This is less than the 30 per cent elsewhere owing to interests of broader community use. “It is a great starting point,” noted Noel Young, of the Bermuda Ocean Prosperity Programme.

“Participation and policy will drive change,” said Blain Ross, of Shorelock, who suggested ways to engage the fisherman for immediate action, a round-table with all the interested groups and identification of a pilot zone to test the projects. Also have locals teach others in the community how to get involved.

William Curry, of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, has a vision to have ongoing monitoring of ocean with regular data points. There are many collection sites that help to track hurricanes, but many more types are needed. Best Shipping has been working on behalf of the World Ocean Council to collect data. Young mentioned the SeaSketch open-source software to map coastline conditions and special plans. Bermuda is only island that is fully mapped. Other islands can tap into the system to do special mapping and for coastal areas. Scaling up the spatial plans with other stakeholders can identify ocean hotspots.

The broader ocean economy can be enlisted to track important atmospheric and oceanographic data, which can then be shared open-source. The World Ocean Council has 3,000 members around the world. It believes there are business opportunities and investment potential in ocean carbon sequestration. Whereas 75 per cent of the Earth is water, 75 per cent of the atmosphere is above the water. Hub Culture embraces the “half-Earth” concept to protect the biome and living creatures. Stalnaker encourages local advocacy.

Our World Too, a public-benefit corporation dedicated to enrolling humanity in the fight for sustainability, launched its first country pilot in Bermuda in 2022. Cofounder Michelle St Jane explained their platform of open-source software is freely available and to report the plethora of positive action taking place. “It’s community engaging versus just scaremongering.”

Blue economy job prospects can be discussed among the countries to determine what works best.

• Patrice Horner, MBA is a European Financial Adviser who is interested in encouraging change to save the planet and our futures