The Blue Economy: What it is, what is not, and how to get there
Sardá, R.; Pogutz, S.; Theodorou, N.A.; Ramakrishna, K. (2025). The Blue Economy: What it is, what is not, and how to get there, in: Filho, W.L. et al. Handbook of sustainable blue economy. pp. 1-38. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32671-4_48-1
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| Author keywords |
Ocean; Ocean-based economy; Blue economy; Business In Nature |
| Authors | | Top |
- Sardá, R., more
- Pogutz, S.
- Theodorou, N.A.
- Ramakrishna, K.
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| Abstract |
In 2017, the global ocean economy generated estimated annual revenues of $5.2 trillion and provided employment for 168 million people. While the economic contributions are substantial, scientific evidence highlights the alarming decline in ocean health and ecosystems, which are under extreme stress from pollution and overexploitation. To sustain the global economy and restore ocean health, the concept of the Blue Economy was introduced, aimed at transforming traditional marine activities to promote equity and social well-being without compromising the ocean’s ecological integrity and its provision of ecosystem goods and services. We argue that to initiate a transformative shift toward a Blue Economy, a new corporate sustainability framework, “Business in Nature,” along with its core principles, must guide strategic business and financial decision-making. These foundational principles can serve as drivers of change, steering the ocean toward a more sustainable and equitable future. Finally, this chapter argues that the term “Sustainable Ocean-Based Economy” should be considered synonymous with the “Blue Economy,” and that the use of “Sustainable Blue Economy” should be avoided due to its redundancy. We contend that a clear and aspirational definition of the Blue Economy is essential to prevent the current misuse of the term and to provide businesses with a framework for understanding how they can contribute to protect marine ecosystem while creating prosperity. |
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