Have you ever heard of the Blue Economy?

Goparity
Goparity
Published in
4 min readJun 4, 2020

It refers to the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and ocean ecosystem health. It seeks to protect and restore ocean resources while also finding opportunities for sustainable economic activity derived from the ocean. (The World Bank)

Photo by Matt Hardy on Unsplash

More than two-thirds of our planet is covered by oceans. Yet, the first thing we do when we arrive on a new planet is search for water. Don’t you think this is curious? Water is fundamental for all living beings but there’s still a lot that we can do to preserve our ecosystems, both aquatic and earth.

Our mission at GoParity is to democratize finance and access to sustainable investment opportunities. We do this by allowing investments from as little as 20€ and by raising awareness on the issues tackled by our projects, which go from sustainable energy, the green use of land and the social economy to a business transitioning that integrates the principles of a circular economy and the topic of this email — Water and Blue Economy.

Ocean food is important for food security and for fighting malnutrition in developed and developing countries. The ocean could sustainably provide more food than it does today and theoretically, provide over two-thirds of the animal protein needed to feed the global population by 2050. UN Global Compact — Ocean stewardship 2030

The very first edition of Parity Talks 💬

Going Parity through Talking

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Bearing in mind our goal to raise awareness about the issues that matter to us all, we’re excited to announce that on the 8th of June we’ll begin a series of talks. The first edition will be on Water and the Blue Economy. Below, our two amazing guest speakers:

João Macedo. Father, Environmentalist, Pro Surfer. A big wave rider, having surfed the giant waves of Nazaré and Jaws (just to mention a few). His passion for the sea is combined with the need to raise ecological awareness. Co-founder of the World Reserves Movement project, he is an ecologist and an activist for environmental preservation.

Linzi Hawkin. Ocean Advocate, Surf Teacher, Brand Strategist. Co-Founder of Protect Blue and Plastic Free Jersey and Founder of Sup Kids. Her work lies at the intersection of sustainability and creativity with an ocean focus. Passionate about finding innovative ways to create impact, Linzi believes how we treat our planet is reflected in how we treat each other, our communities, and ourselves.

Our projects in Blue Economy 🌊

We envision an efficient use of water that is compatible with the water life cycle, generating minimal or no pollution and allowing for the use of marine resources that avoids any negative impact on aquatic ecosystems. So far we have funded two projects falling under this category.

Oceano Fresco. The first open sea off-shore clam farm in the world will be in the south of Portugal. The cultivation of clams is one of the most sustainable alternative sources of protein used nowadays with less environmental impact, as no chemicals or artificial feeds are used; the clams have a filtering function fighting aquatic pollution, and they capture CO2 in their shell formation. Once installed, the off-shore farm will have the capacity to capture 99,4 tons of CO2 per year, based on annual production estimated at 600 tons of clams.

Oysterworld. Innovative production material and methods for sustainable oyster farming. Oyster farming has a positive impact on the marine environment, as it improves water quality by acting as a filter (a single oyster filters on average 55 litres of water a day), it reduces the need for extractive fishing and it does not interfere with the natural stocks. The Oyster extraction sector is mainly settled in traditional techniques and intensive labour and that is why Oysterworld, which positions itself as one of the most innovative in the sector in Portugal, is looking to use new technological methods which, not only will assure its competitiveness in a growing market, but also ensure better working conditions and a better product.

Meet The Team 👩👨

After the first edition of the Impact Bulletin, some of you mentioned it was good to see the faces behind the platform. You ask, we deliver.

Nuno. Co-founder & CEO. Lives for his children, the sea, and the sun. Before the lockdown, he used to go to work by scooter. His favourite project so far was Escola Sueca. His carbon footprint is bigger than he’s proud of (did you know we helped E P’ra Amanhã offset theirs?) The green habit he’s most proud of is choosing to walk. Check his message here.

Next on #MeetTeamGoParity: Luís. Co-founder & CFO.

The news we want to share

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World Economic Forum Three innovations that are leading the fight to save our ocean

The Economist. The world’s energy system must be transformed completely

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Goparity
Goparity

Impact finance and investment app empowering people to actively contribute to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.