The Concept of Blue Economy
The Blue Economy (BE) can be defined as "a range of economic sectors and related policies that together determine whether the use of resources of ocean is sustainable".1
In the Indian context, the NITI Aayog (central government's state of the Art Resource Center) has defined "blue economy" as "the entire system of ocean resources and manmade economic infrastructure in marine, maritime and onshore coastal zones within India's legal jurisdiction,which aid in the production of goods and services and have clear linkages with economic growth and environmental sustainability and national security".2
An Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report 3 finds that human-caused climate change is evident in the remotest parts of the earth. The report highlights the urgency of timely, ambitious, coordinated, and enduring action.4
The United Nations declared the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development on December 5th, 2017. The target of this declaration was to enact a common framework to ensure that ocean science can fully support countries' actions to sustainably manage the oceans and to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.5
Looking at the development of laws regulating activities in the ocean, we can go back to 1982 when UNCLOS (The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) was adopted and entered into force in 1994. It is recognized as the general legal framework within which all activities in the oceans and seas must be carried out.6
Over the years, many international conventions have been adopted that are binding on the parties.7 The member states of the World Trade Organization (WTO) also have obligations and rights with respect to trade that may have implications for economic activities and institutions within the Blue Economy.
The United Nations took a landmark step to bring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). There are 17 SDGs, and SDG14, 'life below water', is about conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources.8
The Oceans and Coastal Zones Climate Action Pathway 9 (part of UNFCCC) has several milestones it wants to be achieved by 2021, 2025, 2030 and 2040. The Pathways is a tool developed by the Marrakech Partnership10 to enhance climate action and with ambition to support the implementation of the Paris Agreement. These living documents set a sectoral vision for a "resilient world" by 2050.11
The Scenario in India
India has a 7,517 km coastline, making discussions around a blue economy particularly relevant.12 The Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG), during its first meeting in Bengaluru in February 2023, discussed ways to curb marine litter, how to design principles based on a "sustainable and climate-resilient blue economy", and the protection and enhancement of biodiversity.13 Conversations on the blue economy are also key focus of India's G20 presidency.
In addition, the Supreme Audit Institution (SAI) Engagement Group of G20 countries (SAI20)14 has taken up the blue economy as an area of interest, with the objective of assessing the benefits accrued from the blue economy and the conservation of the marine economy.
How does India promote and regulate BE
In 2022, The draft Blue Economy policy framework on India's Blue Economy was prepared.15 The framework envisages the optimal utilization of all sectors of the maritime domain (living, non-living resources, tourism, ocean energy, etc.) for the sustainable development of coastal areas.16
Main initiatives17 that India has taken towards blue economy are:
- Deep Ocean Mission: To explore the deep ocean for resources and develop deep-sea technologies for sustainable use of ocean resources.
- India-Norway Task Force on Blue Economy for Sustainable Development: To improve ocean space management, reduce plastic pollution, and cut emissions from shipping and ports. It has been created to explore how the two countries can enhance collaboration on deep ocean technology, fisheries, aquaculture, and ocean-based renewable energy.
- Sagarmala Project: The Programme aimed to exploit India's vast coastlines and industrial waterways to drive industrial development. It was approved by the cabinet in March 2015. The Programme could add 2% of the country's GDP from coastal states and districts and create societal impact in the form of about 10 million jobs, coastal community skill building and the like. 18
- O-SMART: Research and development of programmes on oceans in India were initiated by the Department of Ocean Development (DOD), which was set up in 1981.
- Integrated Coastal Zone Management": It is a dynamic, multidisciplinary and iterative process to promote sustainable management of coastal zones. In India, for this purpose, The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) has developed the draft Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF).
- National Fisheries Policy: Draft of National Fisheries Policy, 2020'19 has been proposed.
- NavIC:20 ISRO has established a regional navigation satellite system called Navigation with Indian Constellation (NavIC).
Conclusion
Different sectors of the blue economy need to collaborate to be able to enhance the economic development of the area in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals. The critics opine that the concept of a blue economy may increase the exploitation of ocean resources for economic growth, which runs contrary to conservation objectives.21
For achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals, very less amount of long-term funding is provided. According to a white paper by the World Economic Forum. It found that while $175 billion per year is needed to achieve SDG 14 by 2030, just below $10 billion was invested between 2015 and 2019.22
We can take some steps to ensure achieving the goals of BE. For example- Establishing a mechanism to coordinate different sectors, creating a regulatory framework which governs the sectors coming under BE, understanding different approaches towards achieving a blue economy, and establishing a ministry and governing body at a high level with more powers which can be helpful in developing this area.. 23
Footnotes
1. According to Madhushree Chatterjee, Chief of the Natural Resources and Interlinkages Branch of UN DESA's Division for Sustainable Development Goals, "
3. The IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Special Report on the Ocean and the Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC)
4.https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/3/2019/12/SROCC_FullReport_FINAL.pdf
7. Ibid
9. The Climate Action Pathways complement the Yearbook of Global Climate Action and the Global Climate Action Portal (GCAP), which track, report and recognize climate action by presenting forward-looking steps towards a fully climate-resilient world.
10. It is a Global Climate Action that supports the implementation of the Paris Agreement for climate change.
11. It is a Global Climate Action that supports the implementation of the Paris Agreement for climate change.
13. Ibid
14. chaired by the Comptroller Auditor General of India (CAG),
15. This information was given by the Minister of State (I/C) for M/o Earth Sciences and M/o Science & Technology, Dr Jitendra Singh, in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
16. https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1845257#:~:text=The%20draft%20Blue%20Economy%20policy,
sustainable%20development%20of%20coastal%20areas
18. https://www.infenety.com/infrastructure/sagarmala-tapping-the-coastline/
19. https://dof.gov.in/sites/default/files/2020-12/Policy_0.pdf
20. https://www.isro.gov.in/SatelliteNavigationServices.html
22. Ibid
Originally Published by 25 April 2023
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