Blue Manifesto

The Blue Manifesto argues that EU seas are at a tipping point due to over-exploitation and climate change, proposing an 'Ocean Deal' framework, a dedicated 'Ocean Fund', and the appointment of an Ocean Commissioner to ensure policy coherence. The document outlines a detailed timeline of sectoral policy asks through 2029, including bans on bottom trawling in Marine Protected Areas, the phase-out of offshore oil and gas exploration, and the elimination of environmentally harmful subsidies by 2027.

• European seas are facing critical pressures, with over 90% of the marine area being over-exploited by activities such as intensive fishing, shipping, oil and gas drilling, and tourism.
• Current EU marine protection is insufficient, as destructive practices like bottom trawling persist in 90% of EU offshore marine protected areas.
• The authors propose a three-point rescue plan: the adoption of an overarching 'EU Ocean Deal' for policy harmony, the creation of an 'EU Ocean Fund' for restoration and just transition, and the integration of the ocean into the heart of EU decision-making via a crosscutting Ocean Commissioner.
• The roadmap calls for the elimination of all subsidies harmful to the marine environment by 2027 at both the EU and Member State levels.
• Specific legislative goals for 2027 include binding targets to effectively manage at least 30% of EU seas (with 10% under strict protection), a ban on destructive activities in all EU Marine Protected Areas, and a ban on all new offshore oil and gas exploration and extraction.
• The document advocates for a transition to a 'well-being blue economy' that prioritizes ecological limits and sufficiency over pure economic growth.

APA

ClientEarth (2024). Blue Manifesto. https://www.clientearth.org/media/xifb0e0t/bluemanifesto_digital_rgb_en-1.pdf

Chicago

ClientEarth. Blue Manifesto. 2024. https://www.clientearth.org/media/xifb0e0t/bluemanifesto_digital_rgb_en-1.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=ClientEarth |title=Blue Manifesto |date=September 2024 |url=https://www.clientearth.org/media/xifb0e0t/bluemanifesto_digital_rgb_en-1.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{clientearth2024blue, author = {{ClientEarth}}, title = {{Blue Manifesto}}, institution = {ClientEarth}, year = {2024}, month = sep, url = {https://www.clientearth.org/media/xifb0e0t/bluemanifesto_digital_rgb_en-1.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }