Sustainable blue economy
Over the past 15 years, the concept of the blue economy has become increasingly important in the EU policy landscape (initially called Blue Growth and now the Sustainable Blue Economy) as well as in the international context and in development cooperation. The challenge is to move from sectoral strategies and interventions to an overarching, holistic and sustainable approach to the various activities and uses of the marine and coastal environment. The main is on promoting the maritime economy and creating skilled jobs while protecting the marine environment and helping to mitigate climate change.
Which sectors, uses and services are considered part of the blue economy?
Traditional or established sectors of the blue economy include:
- fisheries and aquaculture
- coastal tourism
- maritime transport and port activities
- offshore wind energy
- extraction of gas, oil and minerals
Emerging sectors include:
- blue biotechnology and blue bioeconomy: culture of microorganisms, algae and marine invertebrates for the production of food, feed, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
- other marine renewable energy sources: wave and tidal energy, floating wind energy, floating solar photovoltaic energy
Other cross-cutting topics and tools related to the blue economy are:
- management of marine protected areas
- integrated coastal zone management and marine spatial planning
- ocean governance
- marine litter
- marine research and innovation
- blue skills
- maritime safety and security
With its in-house staff and a network of external experts, COFAD is able to cover a large number of topics within the blue economy. We also draw on the expertise of our sister companies within the GOPA Consulting Group, including in the areas of ocean governance, renewable energies and alternative fuels. The focus of all our activities in the blue economy lies on ecological, economic and social sustainability.
For more information on the services we provide in blue economy, info [at] cofad.de (please contact us) .