There is no set definition for “blue growth” or “blue economy”.
However, there are core aspects that are common to the understanding of the concept by the international community. It looks at combining the concern for the marine environment and coastal ecosystems with the idea that some ocean-related industries or “blue” business sectors have the potential to be expanded.
The wrong premises
There are four broad assumptions made by the “blue growth” proponents:
Decoupling growth from ecological degradation: the world can accelerate growth while reducing greenhouse emissions and natural resource depletion
Financialization: public funds are inadequate to fund such a costly transition and therefore, there is a need to attract private capital
Payment for ecosystem services: oceans are natural capital and provide services for the economy
Inclusive growth: there is a triple win. Blue growth is beneficial for the environment, for the development of the poorest and for investors
what are we doing?
We believe Blue Growth’s “win-win-win” narrative is fallacious and is not compatible with securing sustainable small-scale fisheries.
We concur with the worries of African artisanal fisheries about the potential threats by the sectors of Blue Growth to coastal communities;
We support their demand for the creation of national action plans for the implementation of the FAO Voluntary Guidelines for Securing small-scale fisheries; and
We also support the work of African journalists who document conflict of interest cases, especially where the local communities have been excluded from the decision-making processes.
In a joint contribution to an open call for civil society organisations, CFFA and CAOPA raise the alarm about the challenges for small-scale fishers to take part in decision-making processes of international ocean governance and ask for a human-rights-based approach.