The future of an equitable and sustainable global ocean, or "Blue Economy," depends on more than the resources available for technological advancement and industry expansion.
A recent study led by the University of British Columbia (UBC) found that socioeconomic and governance conditions such as national stability, corruption, and human rights greatly affect the ability to achieve a Blue Economy.
The study, published in Nature, scored criteria across five global regions—Africa, Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania—to identify the areas of investment and research necessary to develop ocean resources in a manner that is consistent with a Blue Economy ethos (socially equitable, environmentally sustainable, and economically viable). These included infrastructure, investment, economic and group equity, gender equality, human rights, biodiversity, habitat, water quality, corruption, and national stability.
"We found that there are considerable differences between regions, where some are focused primarily on resources, whereas others are really trying to make sure that development is meeting local social and cultural objectives," said lead author Andrés Cisneros-Montemayor, research associate for the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries at UBC and deputy director of the Nippon Foundation Ocean Nexus Center.
"For all countries, including Canada, the most important question we need to be asking is, how are we going to make sure that we develop those resources in ways that actually benefit local communities? Otherwise, we're back to business-as-usual, where only a few benefit from ocean resources. This is what the Blue Economy is trying to change."