Africa's Blue Economy: A Policy Handbook

Part I - Sustainable development and well-being in Africa

Figure 5: Tools, concepts, and pillars of the Blue Economy

TOOLS AND OPPORTUNITIES

Green ports

Marine Protected Areas

CONCEPTS

Sustainable business

Land and

Debt swaps

Accounting for nature´s value

marine

opportunities

spatial planning Ecosystem- based management

y

i t

E

Circular economy

i l

c

o

b

n

a

o

n

i

m i

PILLARS

a

t

s

c

u

S

S

u

Resource efficiency

a l

s

Blue carbon

Eco- tourism

t

E n v i r o n m e n t

a i

n

BLUE ECONOMY

a

b i l i t y

Conservation for develop- ment

Quadruple bottom line

Eco- labeling

Green fees

Decoupling

S

o

y

i t

c

i l

i

a

b

l

a

S

Gender equality

u

n

i

s

a

t

Life-cycle approach

Sustainable consumption

Benefit sharing

Improved

Inclusive job creation

well-being

Fair multilateral and bilateral agreements

Fair trade

Source: Authors

Innovating how we measure progress It is important to measure real economic progress as part of a Blue Economy strategy. Africa is uniquely placed to evolve and innovate economic metrics in order to provide decision-makers with a more complete picture of the health of the whole economy, rather than the narrow picture provided by GDP alone. A commonly desired outcome expressed by countries working toward establishing a sustainable Blue Economy involves a desire for increased human well-being and the maintenance or enhancement of environmental

20 Africa's Blue Economy: A policy handbook