I am big on sustainability, but I’m also a realist. I know there have to be trade-offs for certain things to be done to help the environment. In today’s world, all over the globe, people come first. It’s an undisputable fact. This means people need a way to live, and not just survive. Living takes money – another indisputable fact. People don’t do things for free unless they want to. Most of the time, they don’t want to because doing things for free doesn’t help them in any way they value. Personally, doing things for free garners you goodwill, and that’s more important.
What is The Blue Economy?
This is the name given to anything related to water – seas, oceans, rivers, lakes etc. There are quite a few countries surrounded by water on all sides, and their economies are based on what they can get from the sea. This is mostly fishing, but there are other things that can be harvested from the sea for profit as well. This is by no means a perfect definition, but it’s how I understand it to mean.
There are also a lot of countries with rivers, and there a quire a few communities almost entirely dependent on these rivers for their livelihoods. All of these dependencies have caused a great deal of concern worldwide especially as the effects of all this usage is being seen on a global scale.
The Response
The response has included at least 40 different entities, countries, communities, businesses and scientists. The Ocean Finance Handbook was created in 2020, and it outlines plans and resources to help turn back the ill effects of using the world’s natural water sources for economic purposes as well as to support and promote sustainable practices amongst all the communities reliant on waterways for their very existence.
Prior to this collaborative effort on behalf of all nations and communities, in 2018 specifically, several regional handbooks such as the The Blue Economy Handbook of the Indian Ocean Region were published. They were focused only on assisting the regions the handbook was written about, and they are still used to assist with efforts in their regions along with the more global Ocean Finance Handbook.
The Results
These handbooks have led to many people turning their attentions, and their wallets in many cases, towards solutions to the issues arising from overfishing, dying coral reefs and communities traditionally using only the ocean when they may have other resources they can use to help their communities. This has been going on for years, it’s not something that’s new. In fact, if you live in one of these countries or communities, you already know what’s being done in your area to improve things related to your own waterway.
If you’re interested, you can view the Ocean Finance Handbook for free in its downloadable PDF form here:
Even if you don’t live in a region dependent almost solely on a waterway for your livelihood, looking into the Blue Economy wouldn’t hurt. It’s just one of three economies being developed all over the world in an effort to move forward with ways to save the environment and make money at the same time. Research and actually implementation of many policies and procedures have already proven both are possible at the same time.
The other two economies being developed are: Forest Based BioEconomy and Agriculture Based BioEconomy. In the United States, Michigan is already building its Forest Based BioEconomy working with local businesses, local citizen groups, its local governments and its local universities. You can learn more from this video below:
Michigan Forest Based BioEconomy
Just thought I’d give you something to think about. Sustainability and saving the environment aren’t just catch phrases any longer, they are goals governments are working towards on a global scale. It’s just taking time as everyone’s needs have to be met in some fashion, mostly people, but the environment and animals as well. I see great things for the future of the world if people would only get out of their own way and really think about everything. Research is being done in so many fields to find the best solutions and so far, the benefits are greater than the trade offs so we’ll see…
See you on the flipside and don’t forget your towel and sonic screwdriver!!
Griffin's Nest 
One thought on “The Blue Economy”