Blue Economy

The term Blue Economy gained prominence at the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), where Small Island Developing States (SIDS) pushed back against a purely "green" framing that overlooked oceans. It refers to economic activity derived from marine and coastal environments — fisheries, aquaculture, shipping, port logistics, offshore energy (including wind and, more controversially, oil and gas), marine biotechnology, and coastal tourism — pursued in a way that is environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive.

There is no single agreed definition. The World Bank describes it as "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, while preserving the health of ocean ecosystems." The European Commission publishes an annual EU Blue Economy Report tracking established sectors (shipping, fisheries, coastal tourism) and emerging ones (ocean energy, blue biotechnology, desalination). The African Union's Agenda 2063 treats the blue economy as a "new frontier of African renaissance," and the AU's 2050 Africa's Integrated Maritime Strategy operationalises this.

The concept is closely tied to Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and to instruments such as UNCLOS (1982), the 2023 Agreement under UNCLOS on Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (the BBNJ or "High Seas Treaty"), and regional fisheries management organisations.

Critics — including some NGOs and academics — argue the term can function as "blue-washing," legitimising extractive activities like deep-sea mining or expanded offshore hydrocarbons under a sustainability label. Pacific states, notably Palau and Fiji, have been vocal advocates of a more conservation-oriented reading, while major shipping and fishing nations tend to emphasise growth and competitiveness. For MUN delegates, the term frequently appears in committees such as UNEP, FAO, UNCTAD, and the UN General Assembly's Oceans and Law of the Sea agenda item.