Blue Economy: Sharing Success Stories to Inspire Change

CONCLUSIONS

Blue Economy

Sharing Success Stories to Inspire Change

The case studies featured here show how the ‘Blue Economy’ is a concept which is rapidly innovating and diversifying; evolving from a concept to a practical and proven reality. Each of these cases feature actions which have supported and increased social wellbeing through environmentally sustainable and inclusive, equitable economic development. As these examples show, a growing body of experience and knowledge at levels from the hyper local, to the national and regional (and therefore, global), is becoming available for application and implementation in other marine and coastal communities. Blue Economy developments are often both highly opportunistic, and highly strategic in initiation, approach and execution. The cases presented here were each initiated for different reasons, and were supported by a different cross-section of stakeholders, underscoring the fact that motivations for pursuing Blue Economy policies, projects and implementation are multi-faceted. Many of the featured projects were established in response to a challenge (such as socioeconomic inequality, poverty or high levels of unemployment). At the same time the realisation of an opportunity and other associated benefits (such as greater economic and social stability, wellbeing, higher income, or higher biodiversity and ecosystem services)

have propelled these projects to enjoy broader support and integration with other sectors, policies and objectives. Many of the initial projects were opportunistic in that they were a response to an externally driven opportunity. This was the case for the debt swap agreements in the Seychelles, for example, which leveraged local benefits from national and regional initiatives which identified and provided important coordinative elements. Blue Economy initiatives can substantiate broad-based cooperative efforts, as well as provide a context within which to address a persistent gap in sustainably managed marine ecosystems and economies. At the heart of a Blue Economy approach is an integrated methodology addressing one of the most persistent obstacles to effective management of the marine and coastal environment: the sectoral division of regulatory mandates, and the resulting challenges to cooperative, common goal-oriented management. Blue Economy processes bring together ministries, private organizations and NGOs from all sectors involved (for example, transportation, fisheries, oil & gas, as in the Norwegian case study). Horizontal integration across sectors is as important as vertical integration across the various scales of policy and decision making (from local stakeholders

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