Blue Economy to Protect Mediterranean Sea and Oceans

Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), said in his address to the gathered delegates the time has come to rethink how we manage our oceans. "They are a key pillar for many countries' economic and social development, and are vital in the fight against poverty," he added.

The participating countries have called for the creation of a "blue economy" initiative which would be a marine version of the green economy, and hope to see a strategic policy framework adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Conference (Rio+20) to be held in Brazil in June.

UNEP defines a green economy as one that improves human well-being and social equity while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.

The world's marine ecosystems provide essential food and livelihoods to millions of people. According to UNEP, a switch to a blue economy would unlock the potential of the marine-based economy while reducing ocean degradation and alleviating poverty.

The creator of the term “Blue Economy”, Prof. Gunter Pauli, is delighted that UNEP and the Mediterranean countries have adopted his term Blue Economy for an undoubtedly positive initiative to protect a clean, healthy and productive Mediterranean environment. However, we should not forget that the Report to the Club of Rome “The Blue Economy” which features a hundred examples and envisions the possibility of creating 100 million jobs, is setting an even more challenging objective. The key is a holistic view of things, it is about intelligent synergies and connections of different levels (cascades) within (eco)systems which might not be visible at first sight. We hope to promote a holistic understanding of an interrelated world of production, integrating the basic resource of water as a pillar for plants, animals, algae and bacteria. In the sense of a partnership between ecologically oriented initiatives worldwide before the Rio+20 Summit, we offer the attractive term Blue Economy as a basis for a commonly and mutually consistent communication. Get in touch via institute@blueeconomy.de Further details, please see here: http://www.blueeconomy.eu/m/imagenews/view/Blue-Economy-calls-for-joint-strategy-with-UNEP Blue Economy Institute - 18/04/2012 - 12:05