Running Head: BLUE ECONOMY 1

Blue Economy

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation
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Blue Economy

The science-policy interface is defined as a social process that links scientists and other

stakeholders of the policy process allowing for interchange, development of common literacy,

and close relationships for better decision-making. The science-policy interface has integrated

some actors playing roles of knowledge generation and synthesis, scientists serving to aggregate

and comprehend the knowledge, and finally knowledge brokers (Gluckman, 2016). Blue

economy.is a concept that encourages sustainability in the use of blue resources for purposes of

ensuring economic growth, creation of job opportunities, and a maintained healthy biodiversity.

The 2012 United Nations conference drafted a report on sustainable development goals leading

to the blue ocean concept to achieved through activities of waste management, climate change,

renewable energy management, fisheries, maritime transport, and tourism management (Smith-

Godfrey, 2016). There is a focus on addressing challenges facing marine ecosystems and the blue

economy.

Marine environment management is a priority since marine ecosystems cover three-

quarters of the planet making it the largest part of the earth's composition. There is dependence

on populations living around marine environments on these ecosystems for their prosperity and

livelihood (Wenhai et al, 2019). Protection of marine environments is important as they provide

essential components, for instance, half of the total oxygen composition is derived from marine

environments, supporting marine resources, and climate regulation. Effective management and

resourcing of marine environments portray the essential mechanism of protecting marine

environments (Wenhai et al, 2019). Protected marine areas by 2017 were 13.2% of total

protected areas under State jurisdiction, 0.25% of the marine environment beyond national
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jurisdiction, and 5.3% under global ocean protection. Marine protected areas have expanded with

the introduction of policies by joint organizations for global and domestic marine protection.

There has been the creation of new sites and expanding existing sites that have

contributed to marine management, for instance, off coasts of Australia, United States, New

Zealand, and Chile, etc. Achieving long term benefits of protecting nature depends on

safeguarding important biodiversity sites for sustainability that has shown positive progress since

this recommendation was initiated (Wenhai et al, 2019). Policies to protect Key Biodiversity

Areas (KBA) have served to protect marine areas and other sites, like key tourism sites.

Coverage of marine KBAs by protected areas has shown significance in some states of

Australasia (69%) as well as Europe and North America showing 57% protected area coverage.

There is low progress in developing nations of North Africa (22%) and 23% in Western Asia.

The United Nations has progressed to declare the period between 2021 to 2030 a ‘Decade

of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development’ during a United Nations Intergovernmental

conference in support of strategies to revive the degrading health of ocean life and gather efforts

of stakeholders globally behind a common framework (Julian, 2019). This is aimed at ensuring

nations receive the support of ocean science to improve marine conditions for sustainable

development. The United Nations has come up with a key component of Blue Economy aimed at

“balancing the triple bottom lines of sustainable development.” (Lee et al, 2020). The United

Nations is working to align Blue Economy with sustainable development goals to reduce effects

on marine environments. While there is a search for sources for growth, nations have come

together to protect marine environments exploiting its potential while preserving and investing

value of ocean ecosystems to improve living standards and eradicating poverty (Bari, 2017)

Regions such as China have invested in scientific innovations supporting marine environments
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establishing national marine economic innovations and developments to employ science and

technology for rejuvenation of marine industries (Bari, 2017). Some projects in this region, such

as Shandong Peninsula Blue Economic Zone and the Blue Silicon Valley have yielded positive

significant results indicating progress in this section.

Nations around the world are committed to ensuring the prosperity of the Blue Ocean

globally due to their positive significance in ensuring poverty is eradicated while improving

living standards. The United Nations is setting goals to be achieved within the coming decade

while ensuring innovation is key to the success of these goals (Bari, 2017) Integrating scientific

research into marine environments as well as education is aimed at speeding up marine

technology improving abilities of independent innovation to establish world-class marine

environments benefitting all stakeholders (Smith-Godfrey, 2016). The 20-year goal seems likely

due to the advancement and integration of scientific research into marine research as well as

education improving chances of achieving these goals. Investment in these goals by various

stakeholders increases the likeliness of achieving these goals as diversity is key to integrating

research from different backgrounds (Smith-Godfrey, 2016). Key action plans devised by

stakeholders aimed at reducing land-based pollution, marine pollution, protecting and restoring

biodiversity, and actions to prevent environmental risks are key to ensuring marine environments

are protected.

Marine pollution control involves activities including implementation of marine pollution

control policies, ship and port control policies, marine aquaculture control policies, policies

against marine garbage pollution, and division of responsibilities among stakeholders while

coordinating efforts to attain the 20-year goals (Wenhai et al, 2019). Other plans include

protecting the ecology of coastal zones, regulating and restoring subsidiaries, conservation of
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marine life, and implementing oil spill risk prevention policies. Implementation of these policies

and action plans is important for the future of the planet as protection of marine ecology leads to

sustainability (Wenhai et al, 2019). Humans depend on marine life for their survival, for

instance, water, marine resources for food and economic support as well as marine environments

being a major source of oxygen showing how protecting these environments is important for the

future of the planet.

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References

Bari, A. (2017). Our oceans and the blue economy: Opportunities and challenges. Procedia

Engineering, 194, 5-11.

Smith-Godfrey, S. (2016). Defining the blue economy. Maritime affairs: Journal of the national

maritime foundation of India, 12(1), 58-64.

Wenhai, L., Cusack, C., Baker, M., Tao, W., Mingbao, C., Paige, K., ... & Yue, Y. (2019).

Successful blue economy examples with an emphasis on international perspectives.

Frontiers in Marine Science, 6, 261.

Julian, B. (2019, March). The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-

2030). In BOOK OF ABSTRACTS (p. 3).

Lee, K. H., Noh, J., & Khim, J. S. (2020). The Blue Economy and the United Nations’

sustainable development goals: Challenges and opportunities. Environment International,

137, 105528.

Gluckman, P. (2016). The science–policy interface.