Science, Research and Innovation for Harnessing the Blue Economy

The document provides a comprehensive synthesis of the 2018 Global Sustainable Blue Economy Conference's Science and Research Symposium. It argues that a sustainable blue economy—defined as the productive and sustainable use of oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers—must be grounded in multidisciplinary science and public-private partnerships. Key focus areas include the sustainable extraction of deep-sea minerals, the mitigation of climate change through blue carbon ecosystems (mangroves, seagrasses, and seaweed), and the modernization of maritime transport through AI and robotics. The report emphasizes the need for capacity building in the Global South, particularly in Africa, and proposes the establishment of a Global Blue Economy Investment Facility to mobilize finance and technology transfer.

• The Nairobi Conference adopted a definition of the blue economy that encompasses the 'productive pillar of the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers', including sectors such as fisheries, aquaculture, tourism, transport, shipbuilding, energy, bioprospecting, and underwater mining.
• Ocean science is severely underfunded globally, with expenditures accounting for only between 0.04% and 4% of total worldwide research and development spending.
• Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs), such as mangroves, seagrasses, and saltmarshes, are critical for climate mitigation as they store and sequester carbon at higher rates per unit area than terrestrial forests.
• The Mikoko Pamoja project in Kenya demonstrates a successful community-based carbon scheme where mangrove restoration generates approximately US$12,000 annually through the sale of carbon credits to voluntary markets.
• Maritime transport is a primary driver of global trade, accounting for over 90% of volume and 70% of value, yet it faces significant challenges from GHG emissions and a lack of connectivity in least developed countries (LDCs).
• Technological innovations transforming the maritime sector include autonomous shipping to reduce human error and fuel costs, augmented reality (AR) for remote ship inspections, and blockchain for supply chain logistics.
• The 'tragedy of the commons' persists in the high seas because activities beyond exclusive economic zones (EEZs) are not properly regulated, necessitating stronger international legal frameworks like UNCLOS.
• Africa's blue economy potential is vast, with 38 coastal and island states and approximately 6.5 million square kilometres of continental shelf, but it is hindered by gaps in finance and skilled human resources.
• The African Union (AU) developed the Africa Blue Economy Strategy, focusing on five thematic areas: fisheries/aquaculture, shipping/transport, tourism/climate resilience, energy/mineral resources, and governance/financing.
• Kenya has implemented several national initiatives to harness the blue economy, including the establishment of a State Department of Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Blue Economy and the launch of a multi-agency Coast Guard Service.
• The report proposes the creation of a Global Blue Economy Investment Facility (GBEF) to mobilize financial resources, facilitate technology transfer, and provide a clearing house for monitoring blue economy initiatives.

APA

G.O., O., P.M., O., M., M., J., N., P., K., N.O., A., B., M.-M., S., O., J., O., J., O., S., N., & A.A., A. (2021). Science, Research and Innovation for Harnessing the Blue Economy. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/science-research-and-innovation-ecopy-compressed.pdf

Chicago

G.O., Outa,, Osano, P.M., Muchiri, M., Njiru, J., Kagwanja, P., Akech, N.O., Matiri-Maisori, B., et al. Science, Research and Innovation for Harnessing the Blue Economy. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2021. https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/science-research-and-innovation-ecopy-compressed.pdf.

Wikipedia

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BibTeX

@techreport{go2021science, author = {G.O., Outa, and P.M., Osano, and M., Muchiri, and J., Njiru, and P., Kagwanja, and N.O., Akech, and B., Matiri-Maisori, and S., Otieno, and J., Omosa, and J., Onkoba, and S., Nabukwesi, and A.A., Allela,}, title = {{Science, Research and Innovation for Harnessing the Blue Economy}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2021}, url = {https://www.sei.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/science-research-and-innovation-ecopy-compressed.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }