What is a Sustainable BLUE ECONOMY?

“The whole idea with having a sustainable blue economy is to keep the ocean healthy, and by doing that, you also get a more productive ocean,” says Jan-Gunnar Winther, researcher and pro-rector of the Arctic University of Norway (UiT). Many companies and actors of the blue economy are moving in this direction.

How can the Blue Economy fulfill its promise of sustainable use?

npj Ocean Sustainability 4, Article number: 40 (2025) Cite this article To fulfill the Blue Economy’s promise of sustainable and just ocean use, its scientific foundation must more fully integrate the social sciences.

Can the Social Sciences redefine the Blue Economy?

To fulfill the Blue Economy’s promise of sustainable and just ocean use, its scientific foundation must more fully integrate the social sciences. Drawing on insights from real-world scientific networking initiatives, we identify three key contributions of the social sciences and propose a strategy to redefine the Blue Economy.

What energy solutions are open to the Blue Economy?

The spectrum of energy solutions open to the Blue Economy is diverse and expanding further, ranging from well-established offshore wind turbines to more nascent approaches like wave energy and subsea battery storage.

Is Ocean Energy a promising sector?

Ocean energy is a promising sector, in which the EU has taken a leading role. Offshore wind energy is currently the only commercially deployed marine renewable energy with wide-scale adoption.

Can a more sustainable use of ocean resources increase sustainability?

A more sustainable use of ocean resources would also help increase sustainability in other parts of the global economy, notably in the transition to renewable energies through solutions like tidal energy and offshore wind farms. But these initiatives often face structural obstacles that prevent them from upscaling.