Sustainable Blue Economy

Besides being a source of natural beauty, our oceans sustain the livelihoods and wellbeing of more than 3 billion people globally and serve as a crucial asset in mitigating raising effects of climate change. 80% of global trade is carried by sea and more than 350 million jobs worldwide are linked to fisheries, with ocean ecosystems also contributing significantly to activities such as carbon sequestration, coastal protection and waste disposal.

A Sustainable blue economy seeks to drive economic growth and social inclusion while at the same time preserving marine and coastal areas from exploitation and environmental degradation.

Promoting active youth participation is key to creating the change required to ignite social, economic and environmental innovation required to drive sustainable development at local, national and global levels. And also rethink the way we interact with the sea to harness its potential while maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

Realizing the full potential of the blue economy and reshaping the ocean economy to achieve prosperity for all will require including youth in coastal decision making, and the support their skills development through trainings and mentorships to create suitable employment opportunities for the present and future generations.