On May 21st, the fourth edition of the Blue Economy Summit took place at the Allianz Tower Auditorium in Milan. The international conference, organized by One Ocean Foundation, brought together institutions, the scientific community, businesses, and the financial sector to promote concrete solutions for the protection of the ocean and Blue Natural Capital.
The 2026 edition of the Summit reaffirmed the central role of the ocean in addressing major global challenges, placing the dialogue between science and economics at the core of efforts to accelerate the transition towards a transformative and regenerative blue economy. Throughout the day, keynote speeches and panel discussions focused on the role of marine nature-based solutions in climate action, the connection between ocean protection, biodiversity and blue finance, as well as the contribution of the private sector to the development of sustainable economic models.
The event opened with institutional remarks by Elena Eva Maria Grandi, Councillor for Environment and Green Areas of the Municipality of Milan, and Riccardo Bonadeo, President of One Ocean Foundation, who emphasized the importance of strengthening collaboration between the public and private sectors to transform ocean protection into a driver of growth and innovation for future generations.
This was followed by Giacomo Campora, CEO of Allianz Italy, who reaffirmed the company’s support for the Foundation, a partner since 2020, renewing their shared commitment to promoting initiatives capable of generating a positive and lasting impact.
Among the speakers and participants were also Minna Epps (IUCN), Ralph Chami (Blue Green Future), Sylvie Goulard (International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits), Paul Rose, explorer and international science communicator, together with representatives from SDA Bocconi, Intesa Sanpaolo, Pirelli, ROCKWOOL Group, Smeralda Holding, Future Food Institute and Bolton Food.
A key takeaway from the Summit was the urgent need to accelerate investments, innovative financial instruments and strategic partnerships to protect and restore marine ecosystems, recognizing the ocean’s value as an essential resource for the future of the planet.
