As an international city of peace and justice, The Hague is the city for entrepreneurs who want to build a better world. As ImpactCity, The Hague offers a wide range of opportunities and services to entrepreneurs and other impact makers with innovative solutions. We believe that economic success goes hand in hand with solutions for a better world. We call this “doing good & doing business.”
The Hague has a unique position in The Netherlands due to its direct location by the North Sea and the availability of a compact port, where different types of companies work together. Not surprisingly, there are many impact entrepreneurs from The Hague engaged in innovations that contribute to the development of a sustainable blue economy in the North Sea.
In a sustainable blue economy, the sea is used responsibly for economic growth, better livelihoods, and jobs, while maintaining the ocean’s health. It involves activities such as sustainable fishing, renewable energy from the sea, and ecotourism.
In The Hague, impact entrepreneurs are inventing and testing innovations on the North Sea. This involves smart use of the available space at sea for different functions. Think, for example, of floating solar panels or seaweed cultivation in offshore wind farms. Beautiful examples that show how we can use the North Sea to make the energy and climate transition. In a sustainable blue economy, environmental protection and economic activities go hand in hand: doing good and doing business!
There are many different innovations that can help support a sustainable blue economy. Some examples include:
Development of new technologies for sustainable fisheries, such as selective fishing gear that reduces bycatch (the unintended capture of non-target species) and habitat-friendly fishing methods that minimize damage to ocean ecosystems.
Invest in offshore renewable energy sources such as offshore wind, solar, wave, and tidal power to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
Support sustainable tourism in coastal and marine areas, through ecotourism and community-based tourism that benefit local economies and protect the environment.
Innovations to prevent illegal fishing and other activities that harm the ocean and its ecosystems.
