Sustainable Blue Economy

A healthy sea is vital to a healthy economy

The Baltic Sea region is positioned to become the world’s first truly sustainable Blue Economy. Many of the policies already in place hold great promise if implemented. We have the necessary know-how, technology and capital. Our population appears willing to invest in a healthy sea. But, to succeed, we need to move from rhetoric to action and use the tools at our disposal—something which the WWF Baltic Ecoregion Programme is actively promoting among all actors in the region.

Imagine a Blue Economy that helps bring the Baltic Sea back to health by fitting within the boundaries of the sea’s ecosystems, accelerating the adoption of clean technologies and renewable energy, and creating circular material flows. Imagine that this process creates new jobs and economic opportunities. Imagine that every possible stakeholder gets involved, including government, business, academia, civil society groups, and individual citizens.

We believe this vision is achievable – and worth the effort. In purely economic terms, we know that creating a sustainable Blue Economy can provide thousands of new jobs and billions in additional income and that citizens around the Baltic Sea are willing to make the necessary investment to restore the health of the Baltic Sea.

What does a sustainable Blue Economy look like?

• It provides social and economic benefits for current and future generations, by contributing to food security, poverty eradication, livelihoods, income, employment, health, safety, equity, and political stability.
• It restores, protects and maintains the diversity, productivity, resilience, core functions, and intrinsic value of marine ecosystems – the natural capital upon which its prosperity depends.
• It is based on clean technologies, renewable energy, and circular material flows to secure economic and social stability over time while keeping within the limits of one planet. 

Principles for a Sustainable Blue Economy

WWF has developed a set of guiding principles for a sustainable Blue Economy to ensure that the economic development of the ocean contributes to true prosperity and resilience, today and long into the future. We invite all Blue Economy actors—around the Baltic Sea and beyond—to use these Principles for a Sustainable Blue Economy and to embed these definitions, descriptions, and actions into marine policy and activities.

All Hands on Deck

All Hands on Deck is a WWF report that helps us set the course towards a sustainable blue economy in the Baltic Sea region. Not only does it make it clear that we all need the Baltic Sea – but it also outlines how all actors—in government, civil society, and the private sector —need to collectively raise the bar on the goals, targets, and actions that will get us there.