Introduction
The story of Norway is a tale of the ocean. The ocean contributes to value creation and employment along our entire coast, and lays the foundation for some of our most innovative companies and knowledge communities. Norway is rich in natural resources, and we have a long tradition of managing these resources with a long-term perspective to the benefit of society. This has provided the basis for value creation in the ocean industries.
The ocean provides opportunities for growth and employment in areas such as energy production, seafood, medicines and transport. However, the world’s oceans are also facing significant challenges, such as the loss of biodiversity, pollution, rising temperatures and acidification. Building a strong and sustainable ocean economy based on preserving clean and healthy oceans with well-functioning ecosystems, and enabling value creation through sustainable use, is therefore one of the Government’s most important tasks, both nationally and internationally. This will be essential for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and important for overcoming current crises and preventing future crises.
Through this document, the Government wishes to highlight the importance of the oceans for the Norwegian economy and society, and to provide an overview of the status of our commitment to the oceans and ocean industries in recent years. The document is not an exhaustive representation of the Government’s ocean policy, however it identifies the Government’s most important initiatives and results on the national and international stage.
