Blue Climate Initiative
Designed and facilitated the Blue Climate Summit and Innovation Challenge to accelerate ocean-related solutions to climate change
Challenge
As an endorsed action of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, the Blue Climate Summit was held onboard a luxury cruise ship with greater than 100% carbon offset in French Polynesia on May 14-20, 2022. The Summit’s functional goal was to accelerate ocean-related solutions to climate change, match investors with ocean and climate needs and opportunities, galvanize task forces and spur major announcements.
The Summit provided a unique opportunity for scientists, engineers, community, business, youth, policymakers, conservationists and influencers to come together to accelerate solutions to humankind’s greatest challenge, our climate crisis.
Solution
theDifference managed an open innovation challenge Pre-Summit and designed, facilitated and produced the Summit. We partnered with an expert team of project evaluators for the open innovation challenge and an event production company that handled registration, catering, accommodations and all movement of people by sea and land.
Impact
The Summit’s primary impact was embodied in the substantive outcomes that served to accelerate the work of 19 ocean-related projects that competed for participation in the Summit. The secondary outcome from the Summit was an experience in French Polynesian culture that gave participants a deep understanding and appreciation for the criticality of the ocean to the people who lived in the center of the climate crisis and advanced the participants’ advocacy for the state of the sea. The Summit Outcomes Report (linked below) outlines the impact in full detail.
7
days of action-based conversations
200+
global ocean leaders and champions
19
ocean-related projects accelerated
7
days of action-based conversations
200+
global ocean leaders and champions
19
ocean-related projects accelerated
“If we can all learn to respect our Moana nui o Hiva (great ocean), to pay aroha (empathy and love) as our Polynesian ancestors did, we will guarantee the future of our blue planet for generations to come.”
Hinano Teavai-Murphy, President, Te Pu Atitia
