Accra produces an estimated 270,000 tons of plastic waste annually, 50 percent of which is not formally collected into waste management streams. As part of REV Ocean’s commitment to finding solutions to the global challenge of plastic pollution in the ocean, the Plastic REVolution Foundation has been established to find the best opportunities to support Ghana and pilot solutions that can be scaled-up globally.

The new Foundation is led by Erik Solheim, who is supported by a top-notch team of experts in this field.

– We start in Ghana because the country is struggling with plastic litter, and because President Nana Akufo-Addo has ambitions for the capital Accra to become the cleanest city in Africa, says REV Ocean CEO Nina Jensen.

It is estimated that the cost of inefficient waste and sanitation management in Ghana equals 1.6 percent of GDP, or $290m USD annually. Plastic REVolution is currently investigating the feasibility of running a plastic-to-fuel plant in central Ghana based on pyrolysis technology which enables the conversion of plastic into smaller molecules which can be used either as fuel or to create new plastic.

– We will try to create a win-win situation where we set up systems that allow us to remove the plastic and also provide opportunities for people who pick garbage to deliver it to us. Using a circular-economy approach we hope to create many jobs, says Erik Solheim.

Mr Solheim will use his extensive network of researchers, business partners and political contacts to help champion this innovative foundation and create real impact on the ground. The initial estimate for the first pyrolysis plant is in the range of $20-40m USD. If successful in Ghana, the goal is to expand to other cities in the developing world where municipalities are struggling with plastic pollution.

To date, an initial feasibility study mapping current waste production, waste management, and the plastic economy in Ghana have been undertaken. The study is helping answer key questions related to which system for collecting plastic waste may enable a stable supply of appropriate feedstock, and which technology provider offers the technical solution most likely to succeed in the given context. Answering these questions is essential for determining whether it will make sense to move forward with the investment.

It is through the generous financial support of Norwegian businessman and visionary Kjell Inge Røkke that both REV Ocean and Plastic REVolution have been established; each with a mandate to pioneer effective sustainable development and enable partners, businesses and other stakeholders to implement cutting edge environmental solutions. Mr Røkke is also behind Aker Energy in Ghana, where approximately $4.5 billion USD will be invested in the first oilfield project.

Spokespersons for the Plastic REVolution Foundation:

Erik Solheim
CEO, Plastic REVolution Foundation
erikgudbrand@gmail.com
+47 94 87 11 59

Nina Jensen
CEO, REV Ocean
Nina.Jensen@REVocean.org
+47 99 16 96 94

With support from Kjell Inge Røkke, this innovative project has a circular economy approach that aims to eliminate plastic pollution while simultaneously creating new jobs. A true win-win situation.

Accra, the capital of Ghana is the first area of focus for the Plastic REVolution Foundation.

– Half of the plastic in Ghana ends up in landfills along with other garbage. The other half ends up on the streets, on the beaches and in nature, says REV Ocean CEO Nina Jensen.

The project has already started and we have completed several activities, including a feasibility study that will continue at least until the end of this year, but there is still a long way to go.

Former SV leader (The Socialist Left Party in Norway) and UN Environment Executive Director Erik Solheim has been tapped to lead this innovative foundation and build a project team with top internal competency.

– One of the main problems is that plastic clogs up rivers and leads to sewage buildup and flooding, which then results in people becoming ill and dying. We intend to set up systems that allow us to collect this plastic and also hire locals who will help pick garbage and deliver it to us. We hope to create many jobs, says Solheim.

– We start in Ghana because the country is struggling with plastic litter – and because President Nana Akufo-Addo has ambitions for the capital Accra to become the cleanest city in Africa, Jensen says.

Ultimately Plastic REVolution plans to create such facilities in countries all over the world, wherever the need and opportunities are greatest. This is a global problem, and the initiative expects to bring in more partners and scale up over the coming years.

Bjørn Tore Markussen, director of DNV GL’s data management platform Veracity, will take on the role as the new CEO for the Ocean Data Platform Foundation, which has been established by REV Ocean.

Veracity saw service subscriptions rise to about 1m in little more than a year after its launch in 2017 as customers explored advanced data sharing opportunities, and this led to Markussen being voted as one of the Top 10 Technology Leaders in 2018 by Lloyd’s list. Bjørn Tore formerly begins his new role on August 1, 2019.

The Ocean Data Platform is an innovative facility that will seamlessly combine ocean data collected through a global network of partners, and make it readily available for the public, policymakers and businesses worldwide. The platform aims to provide simple access to the information needed to make sustainable decisions about how we use our ocean. The goal is to improve availability, access and analysis of global ocean data, to foster solutions, and ultimately enable more successful conservation and utilisation of ocean resources. Kjell Inge Røkke is the mastermind behind the initiative and has made significant financial contributions to the foundation.

– Currently, we see that the data produced about the ocean is often stored in proprietary silos or is difficult to access for various reasons. By giving businesses, academia, industry, and the public unique access to this abundance of information, we will be in a much better position to both preserve and maximise the natural wealth of the oceans, says Bjørn Tore Markussen.

In the long term, the Ocean Data Platform will meet the needs of various stakeholders, ranging from marine research to fisheries. The transformative part of the platform will allow the development of specific applications, visualizations and analytics services tailored for user needs. Development of the platform is occurring in close collaboration with REV Ocean and Cognite and will be supervised by an international advisory board. Markussen’s unique experience within the maritime industries will be extremely valuable during the development phase.

– We are thrilled to have Bjørn Tore Markussen aboard to work on developing the Ocean Data Platform, which together with Cognite represent world-class, cutting-edge expertise. The Ocean Data Platform will provide valuable knowledge of the ocean’s challenges, opportunities and mysteries, and be central to saving marine life, says Nina Jensen, CEO of REV Ocean.

– There is a great need for a common and accessible hub for information about the oceans. While Cognite is contributing with software technology and competence, it is great to know that Markussen is spearheading the project and contributing all his network and experience within the maritime sector, says Dr. John Markus Lervik, CEO of Cognite.

During the Ocean Week conference in Trondheim, SINTEF and REV Ocean signed a partnership agreement that will strengthen our cooperation on solving the major challenges facing the ocean.

– Through this partnership, we are even better equipped to find solutions to the great challenges that lie ahead. Kjell Inge Røkkes private investment in REV and ocean research is an invaluable contribution and we look forward to the opportunities that such a partnership will give us, says Vegar Johansen in SINTEF Ocean.

SINTEF Ocean is the sixth research partner to link with REV Ocean and together they will collaborate on several research topics including climate change impact on the sea, zero-emission technology and digitization and data harvesting.

– This partnership with SINTEF will help REV Ocean achieve our goals on many fronts, says CEO Nina Jensen. Together we will bridge our knowledge and technical capacities to greatly open opportunities for ocean solutions, innovative technology development, and harnessing ocean data. This will showcase how REV Ocean enables partners to leverage our research vessel and test equipment, especially as it relates to finding solutions for critical issues such as climate change and plastic pollution. This is also an exciting opportunity for REV Ocean to directly contribute to European-wide research initiatives.

REV Ocean is an initiative created and financed by Kjell Inge Røkke, headquartered at Fornebu. REV Ocean is working on three specific projects where the goal is to solve the environmental problems in the sea; build the world’s largest and most advanced research ship, the World Ocean Headquarters and the Ocean Data Platform.

SINTEF will also strengthen its cooperation with REV Ocean through the appointment of Alexandra Bech Gjørv as a board member of REV Ocean. The current board consists of Kjell Inge Røkke, Øyvind Eriksen and Olav Revhaug, and will be extended to 7 members this June with 5 external board members.

Lawyer, ocean lover, and UN Environment’s Champion of the Earth, Afroz Shah paid a visit to our office for an in-depth discussion on plastic pollution in the ocean and sustainable solutions.

Afroz Shah´s persistent mission to clean the ocean of all plastic waste has brought him to Norway repeatedly to meet with like-minded environmental enthusiasts and discuss working as a mass movement.

He along with volunteers had been cleaning Versova Beach in Mumbai for 109 weeks and cleared 9 Million Kgs of garbage.

Hatchlings from Olive Ridley sea turtles have been spotted for the first time in decades on Versova beach.

The team spent a jam-packed couple of days strategizing and setting priorities at the picturesque Hurdalsjøen Hotel.

Team Retreat

We covered science, logistics, communications, finance and partnerships amongst a million other details. The strategic documents are lining up very well and with a couple of more rounds of editing, should be in great shape for the REV leadership and advisory boards to review.

REV Ocean Manager for strategy and partnership Gry Ulverud and Chief Financial Officer Martin Moen spent an exciting week in Washington, D.C., New York, Boston, and New Hampshire meeting with prospective partners and collaborators. The meetings focused on opportunities to link with the REV vessel, piloting activities related to the World Ocean Headquarters and linking current initiatives into the Ocean Data Platform. There was considerable support for REV Ocean across our three main initiatives and eagerness to explore synergies on marine biodiversity research, plastic pollution, climate change and enabling solutions related to these issues. We hope to continue dialogue with these important organisations and build bridges to help improve ocean health. More to come 😊.

Partners met during this trip included:

• SeaAhead at the Cambridge Innovation Center (CIC)
• Rhode Island Inner Space Center (ISC)
• MIT SeaGrant college program
• New England BioLabs – LabCentral
  
• Ocean-team at Norwegian Embassy in Washington
• Smithsonian Ocean
• World Resources Institute
• Pew Foundation
• The Stimson Center – The Ocean Security & Global Impact
• PROBLUE-programme, World Bank
• Ocean Foundation
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Wilson Center
• UNDP Ocean
• UN Global Compact Sustainable Ocean Business Team
• Bloomberg Philanthropy

The amount of plastic waste is increasing rapidly in the once untouched nature of the Arctic. REV Ocean’s ambition is to work with partners and jointly increase knowledge and find solutions to this critical problem. We are happy to cooperate with the Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic, and to work together on our common goals: clean and rich seas in the Arctic and the rest of the world, says Nina Jensen, CEO of REV Ocean.

As part of the agreement, the Centre for the Ocean and the Arctic will also develop a concept where the new research vessel REV is used as a platform for network building, dissemination and study trips.

Press Release

The Center for the Ocean and the Arctic signs a new collaboration with REV Ocean

– The cooperation is very positive for the center, both because we deliver on our mission to trigger public-private partnership, and at the same time strengthen the resource base in a start-up phase.

This is what director Jan-Gunnar Winther said on 27 February when he signed a cooperation agreement with REV Ocean in Tromsø. Through the agreement, the parties will develop solutions related to plastic litter in the Arctic ocean. The agreement also entails an annual transfer from REV Ocean to the center for NOK 1.5 million over four years.

– The Center for the Ocean and the Arctic will use this contribution to hire a separate expert on plastic litter in the ocean. The new position will be established in Tromsø, and will promote a knowledge-based and solution-oriented debate on the theme, says Winther.

Nina Jensen, CEO of REV Ocean, is also very pleased with this development.

– The amount of plastic waste is increasing rapidly in the once untouched nature of the Arctic. REV Ocean’s ambition is to work with partners and jointly increase knowledge and find solutions to this critical problem. We are happy to cooperate with the Center for the Ocean and the Arctic, and to work together on our common goals: clean and rich seas in the Arctic and the rest of the world, says Jensen.

As part of the agreement, the Center for the Ocean and the Arctic will also develop a concept where the new research vessel REV is used as a platform for network building, dissemination and study trips.

– To communicate opportunities and challenges to decision makers while seeing things first hand is a very effective tool. This will be an important communication arena in line with our mandate, and we look forward to communicating new knowledge about the sea, at sea, says Winther.

Pressemelding

Senter for hav og Arktis i nytt samarbeid med REV Ocean

–Samarbeidet er svært positivt for senteret, både fordi vi leverer på vårt oppdrag om å utløse offentlig-privat partnerskap, og samtidig styrker ressursgrunnlaget i en oppstartsfase.

Det sier direktør Jan-Gunnar Winther, som 27. februar signerte samarbeidsavtale med REV Ocean i Tromsø. Gjennom avtalen skal partene utvikle løsninger knyttet til plastforsøpling i arktiske havområder. Avtalen innebærer også en årlig overføring fra REV Ocean til senteret på 1,5 millioner kroner over fire år.

–Senter for hav og Arktis vil bruke dette bidraget til å ansette en egen ekspert på plastforsøpling av havet. Den nye stillingen opprettes i Tromsø, og skal fremme en kunnskapsbasert og løsningsorientert debatt om tematikken, sier Winther.

Det er administrerende direktør i REV Ocean, Nina Jensen, fornøyd med.

–Mengden plastavfall øker raskt i den engang så uberørte naturen i Arktis. REV Oceans ambisjon er å jobbe sammen med partnere og i felleskap øke kunnskap og finne løsninger på denne store utfordringen. Vi er derfor veldig glade for å etablere samarbeid med Senter for hav og Arktis for å forbedre forholdene i Arktis, sier Jensen.

Som del av avtalen skal Senter for hav og Arktis i tillegg utvikle et konsept, hvor det nye forskningsskipet REV benyttes som plattform for nettverksbygging, formidling og studiereiser.

­–Å kommunisere muligheter og utfordringer til beslutningstakere mens de er i det rette element ser vi på som et svært effektivt virkemiddel. Dette vil bli en viktig formidlingsarena i tråd med vårt mandat, og vi gleder oss til å formidle ny kunnskap om havet, på havet, sier Winther.

Om Senter for hav og Arktis

• Senter for hav og Arktisk ble åpnet i 2018, og er oppnevnt av regjeringen for å sammenstille, analysere og formidle kunnskap om den blå økonomien i nord.
• Senteret skal tilrettelegge for tettere samarbeid mellom ulike kompetansemiljø, og fungerer som kontaktpunkt for norske fagmiljø inn mot Solbergs høynivåpanel for bærekraftig havøkonomi.
• Senteret er en virksomhet under Nærings- og fiskeridepartementet og er administrativt lagt til Nofima.

Om REV Ocean

• REV Ocean er et initiativ opprettet og finansiert av Kjell Inge Røkke, med hovedkontor på Fornebu.
• REV Ocean jobber med tre konkrete prosjekter der målet med alle tre er å løse miljøproblemene i havet; Verdens største og mest avanserte forskningsskip, Verdenshavets hovedkontor og Havdataplattformen.
• REV Ocean har sterkt fokus på utvikling av konkrete løsninger, og støtter blant annet WWF Verdens naturfond, FN Miljø, FNs tiår for havforskning, og Friends of Ocean Action.