Blue Economy

1. UNDERSTANDING THE BLUE
ECONOMY APPROACH.
PRESENTED BY: MENYOLI EMMANUEL MOLUA.
SENIOR LEGAL,ECONOMIC AND SCIENTIFIC CONSULTANT.
STAKEHOLDERS FORUM. 2018-2019.

2. OBJECTIVE OF THIS LECTURE.
• To increase stakeholders understanding about the blue economy approach.
• To provide an overview of the keys sectors of the blue economy approach.
• To identify possible challenges in the adoption of the blue economy approach.
• Suggest ideas to ensure its implementation.

3. SERVICES GENERATED
BY THE OCEAN.
• Food and mineral supply.
• Tourism and recreation.
• Oxygen supply.
• Absorbs greenhouse gases.
• Mitigate the impact of climate
change.
• Determine weather patterns and
temperature.
• Facilities seaborne international
trade.
Courtesy; NOAA.

4. DEFINITION(S) OF BLUE ECONOMY.
• Several definitions:-
• WORLD BANK; ”Sustainable use of oceans resources for economic growth, improved
livelihood and jobs while preserving the health of the ecosystem”.
• ECONOMIC COMMISSION; “All economic activities related to oceans, seas and
coast. It covers a wide range of interlinked established and emerging sectors.
• Center for the Blue Economy; “The overall contribution of the oceans to the
economies, the need to address the environmental and ecological sustainability of the
ocean and the ocean economy as a growth opportunity for both developed and
developing countries”.

5. MEANING OF BLUE ECONOMY CONTINUES.
• Blue economy focuses on the sustainability of the ocean for economic growth and
includes the ecological as well as the economic aspects.
• Blue Economy is therefore the transformation of all resources generated from the
oceans and seas into services which satisfies human needs now and in the future. In
other words, it is the optimal use of ocean resources with the environment.
• The blue economy approach ensures due regard to the environment because, the
environment is perceived as natural capital needed for the transformation of services
generated by the ocean and seas.

6. THE SUBJECTIVE
FORMULA OF THE BLUE
ECONOMY APPROACH.
• The type of problems faced by the state.
• The biological, social and political
characteristics and vision of the state
(Including the willingness to adhere
international treaties).
• The degree to which economic activities can
expand (flexibility market and political
forces).
• The potential for innovative activities.
• Means to sponsor research and new and
innovative ideas.
• The blue economy approach is not a one
size fit all approach. Its still not clear what
what a sustainable blue economy should
look like and the conditions under which it is
most likely to develop.
• For an activity to contribute to the blue
economy, it would need to include at least
two or four elements of resource efficiency,
such as; reducing waste, energy efficiency,
etc.
• The conditions under which a sustainable
blue economy can develop depends in the
following;

7. DISTINCTION WITH RELATED TERMS.
• OCEAN ECONOMY: Focuses solely on the economic system of the ocean. Blue
economy goes beyond ocean economy and focuses on the sustainability of the
ocean for economic growth.
• GREEN ECONOMY: Closely similar to blue economy as it focuses on
sustainable development without degrading the environment.
• BLUE GROWTH: Related to blue economy as it supports sustainable
development of the maritime sector.

8. BLUE ECONOMY SECTORS.
• Fisheries and Aquaculture.
• Maritime biotechnology.
• Bioprospecting.
• Maritime transportation.
• Maritime and coastal tourism.
• Mineral resource.
• Offshore oil and gas.
• Offshore wind power.
• Ship building and repair.
• Desalination.
• Coastal protection.
• Waste disposal etc.
Courtesy; World Bank.

9. HISTORY OF BLUE ECONOMY.
• The conclusion of the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea Convention (UNCLOS) provided the legal and
institutional framework to develop services provided by the ocean and the seas to profitable levels.
• After the conclusion of UNCLOS several approaches have been developed to help achieve the objectives of
the 1982 Convention.
• The blue economy is one of such approaches and it originated from the 2012 United Nations Conference on
Sustainable Development held in Rio De Janeiro.
• Organizers of the UN Conference saw the need to intergrade conservation and sustainability of marine
resources such that mankind will continue to benefit from marine resources now and in the future.
• In December 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 70/226 in which they decided to implement
UNSDG 14 which acknowledges the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean, seas and marine resources
for sustainable development.

10. NEED FOR BLUE
ECONOMY.
• Scientific findings show that ocean resources
are limited (See World Ocean Assessment
report).
• Also, the health of the ocean has drastically
declined due to anthropogenic activities.
• Serious changes are envisaged in the future.
• Need for an integrated new approach.
• Without a new approach, environmental, social
and economic cost will increase.
Courtesy;Indiantimes.com.

11. IS ALL OF THESE LEGAL?
THE 1982 LAW OF THE
SEA CONVENTION AND
THE BLUE ECONOMY.
Relevant provisions supporting the
blue economy approach.
ØConservation of marine resources
(Art.61,119).
ØEnvironmental protection (Part XII).
ØScientific Research (Part XIII).
ØDispute settlement (Part XV).
ØConservation of non-living marine
resources (Part VI and XI).
ØFreedom of Navigation (Part VII).
ØCommon heritage of mankind
principle (Part XI).
Preamble
“Conscious that the problems of ocean space are closely
interrelated and need to be considered as a whole”.
”Bearing in mind that the achievement of these goals will
contribute to the realization of a just and equitable
international economic order which takes into account the
interest and needs of mankind as a whole and, in particular,
the special interest and needs of developing countries
whether coastal or land-locked”.
”…resources are the common heritage of mankind, the
exploration and exploitation of which shall be carried out
for the benefit of mankind as a whole, irrespective of the
geographic allocation of States”.

12. PRINCIPLES OF A
SUSTAINABLE BLUE
ECONOMY APPROACH.
Social and
economic
• Food security
• Equity and political
stability.
Biodiversity
protection.
Renewable
energy.
• Economic and
social stability.
Governance.
• Inclusive
• Precautionary
and adaptive.
• Public and private sectors must work hand in
hand to build a blue economy.
• There are no universal principles.
Stakeholders must work together to develop
a sustainable economy principles which
works for them, taking into consideration
their needs, means and political
arrangements.
• Managers must intergrade an ecosystem
approach into management plans.
• Discussions about the approach must be
discussed in a transparent way.
• Preservation
of natural
capitalPrinciples
Of
Sustainable
Economy.
Own construction.

13. PRINCIPLES OF BLUE ECONOMY CONTINUES.
• To qualify as components of blue economy, activities;
• Must provide environmental, social, and economic benefits to the current and
future generations.
• Protect and restore the intrinsic value of the marine ecosystem.
• Must be designed to reduce waste and promote renewable energy.

14. End of part 1.

15. DETAIL LOOK AT THE
CORE SECTORS OF THE
BLUE ECONOMY
APPROACH- A) THE
FISHERIES SECTOR.
FISHERIES.
Wild fishing.
In areas within and
beyond national
jurisdiction.
Aquaculture and Marine
bioprospecting.
Pharmaceuticals, genes,
enzymes, cosmetic.
Trade of seafood
products.
National, regional and
international.
• Fisheries are a traditional source of employment and
food supply. 3 billion people rely on fish for animal
protein.
• Marine fisheries contribute over US$270 billion global
GDP annually.
• Main activities include; processing and marketing.
• Three main industries make up the seafood industry.
• Marine bioprospecting and biotechnological
companies are emerging sectors in the seafood
industry and play a significant role in maintaining the
health of marine resources.
• Over fishing, inadequate regulations, pollution, are
some of the main challenges facing the industry.
Own construction.

16. B) AQUACULTURE.
Aquaculture. Wild
fishing.
Increaseinproduction.
Declineincatch.
• The increase in human population have resulted
to an increase in the demand for fish products..
• Aquaculture supplies more than 58% of fish to
global market.
• For aquaculture to contribute to growth, it must
be economically and environmentally sound.
• Sustainable aquaculture takes the form of
integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, seaweed
aquaculture, shellfish aquaculture and well
planned fish rearing based on the ecosystem-
approach.
• Problems confronted in the aquaculture sector
include; lack of access to land, inadequate
policies, too much use of chemicals, funding,
lack of human resources, etc.
Own construction.

17. C) NON-RENEWABLE
ENERGY.
Extraction
of minerals.
• Sea bed
mining.
Extraction
of energy
sources.
• Oil and
gas.
Freshwater
generations. • Desalination.
• Huge demand for mineral,
alternative sources of energy and
freshwater stand as the drivers of
growth in the energy industry.
• Some challenges facing renewable
resources include; over extraction,
temperature pollution,
acidification, economic crisis etc.
Non-
renewable
resources.
Own construction.

18. D) RENEWABLE
ENERGY. wind
• Wind
turbines.
• Makes use of
air flow.
waves
• Wind waves.
• Captures
energy from
currents.
Tidal
energy.
• Hydropower
• High cost of
production.
• Demand for alternative sources
of energy has contributed to the
growth of offshore renewable
energy sources.
Renewable
Energy.
Own construction.

19. E) MARITIME
TRANSPORT.
• 80% of the volume of international
transport in goods is transported by sea.
• Some challenges to the sector includes;
sea-level rise, pollution, lack of
infrastructure, increase temperature, and
intense storms due to climate change etc.
Shipping.
Shipbuilding.
Port
installations.
Maritime
Transport.
Own construction.

20. F) SUSTAINABLE
TOURISM.
Coastaltourism.
Ecotourism. Flora, Fauna etc.
Cruises. Travelling by ship to
coastal cities.
Surfing. Wave, kite and wind
surfing.
Marine archeology. Underwater archeology,
cultural heritage.
Recreational fishing.
Fishing for aquatic
animals not necessarily
for subsistence.
Dive tourism. Scuba diving, snorkeling,
scuba etc.
• According to UNWTO, sustainable tourism is
designed to maintain essential ecological
processes and help conserve natural heritage
and biodiversity.
• Travels and tourism contribute over USD$7.2
trillion world GDP annually.
• The sector is faced with numerous challenges
such as GHG emission, waste management, loss
of biodiversity etc. However, if properly
managed, the sector can empower local
communities with employment opportunities and
will help protect biodiversity in the long run.
• Sustainable tourism takes many forms. Watch
BBC video on ecotourism here.
Own construction.

21. G) COMMERCE AND
TRADE IN AND AROUND
THE OCEAN.
Related
industries. Shipping and
shipbuilding.
Government national
planning ministries and
departments.
National tourism
authorities, private and
other sectors.
• Marine commerce takes the form
of transport and trade, coastal
development, and tourism.
• The push factors which saw an
increase in the commercial sector
include; the growth in the seaborne
trade, transport demand,
international regulations, maritime
transport industries such as the ship
building industries etc.
Own construction.

22. H) INDIRECT
CONTRIBUTION TO
ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES
AND THE
ENVIRONMENT.
• Carbon sequestration, Coastal protection,
waste disposal for land based industries,
and existence of biodiversity are all sub
categories of economic activities which
generates income from the environment.
• Related sectors of economic activities and
their drivers are illustrated below.
Blue carbon
• Climate mitigation.
Habitat
protection.
• Resilient growth.
Assimilation of
nutrients, solid
waste.
• Wastewater
Management.
Protection of
species.
• Conservation.
Own construction.

23. I) WASTE DISPOSAL.
Waste
water
• From humans, livestock,
aquaculture etc.
• Pollution, Disruption of life
supporting systems.
Hazardous
chemicals.
• Ships, agriculture and
manufacturing, cruise ships.
• Seabed pollution,
human health, ecotourism
etc.
Marine
littering.
• 80% from land base sources.
• Plastics constitute the most
important of marine littering.
• Entanglement, and
ingestion, destroys
ecosystems etc.
• Increase in population in coastal communities
has led to a need for an extensive waste
management system.
• In most developing nations, 90% of waste
generated is sent to landfills.
• Low amount of waste is recycled.
• Waste management is important for a
transition into the blue economy.
• There are several forms of waste and they
numerous effects in the ecosystem.
• Repurposing of plastics into products and arts
is one way of dealing with waste.
Wastes
Own construction.

24. HOW DO WE
TRANSITION INTO A
SUSTAINABLE BLUE
ECONOMY APPROACH?
FISHERIES SECTOR.
• 1) Eliminate all harmful fishing practices and
over-fishing.
• 2) Promote cooperation with other states.
• 3) Promote inclusive policies which
encourages innovation, food security and the
sustainable management of aquatic
resources.
• Blue economy involves how
established ocean industries
are transitioning to more
environmentally responsible
practices.
• The Blue Growth Initiative
of the FAO suggest three
possibilities;

25. POSSIBLE
CHALLENGES TO THE
BLUE ECONOMY.
• Overexertion of marine resources; 30% of fish stocks
have been over-exploited (FAO, 2016).
• Destruction of coastal habitants and landscape;
Especially in the narrow coastal interface and
nearshore areas.
• Marine pollution; Especially from land based sources.
• Impact of climate change; Mostly witnessed in the
form of change in sea temperature and acidification.
• Unfair trade agreements; Knowledge of local
fisheries is not transferred to foreign companies, thus,
limiting the long term exploitation of fish products.
• For much of human history, aquatic
ecosystems have been viewed and
treated as limitless resource and largely
cost-free repositories of waste due to
lack research, coupled with the absence
of a comprehensive regulation to
regulate all of human actions in the
marine ecosystem.
• Some of human activities have a clear
impact in the adoption of a blue economy
approach. These include;

26. ELEMENTS NEEDED FOR
A TRANSITION TO BLUE
ECONOMY IN ALL
SECTORS.
• An assessment of all the services generated from the ocean and seas
• Pollution from all sources should be reduced as much as possible.
• Integrate ecosystem based management approach into the management of
marine resources.
• Prohibit all forms of subsidies which contribute to overexploitation of marine
resources.
• Decentralize management to the peripheries.
• Make management decisions based on scientific findings and LEKS.
• Complete implementation of UNCLOS.
• Management must be pro-active and adaptive at all times.
• Presence of liable data about the exact state of marine resource
• Presence of indicators to manage and track progress.
• Political will.
• Funding.
• A transition into a blue economy involves
sufficient stakeholders interaction which
will facilitate the co-creation of a
national vision.
• However, key elements needed for a
transition into blue economy includes the
following;