Oceans are the lifeblood of our planet. They produce more than half of the world’s oxygen, absorb excess heat and carbon dioxide emissions, regulate the global climate system, and serve as the primary source of protein for billions of people. Oceans contribute trillions of dollars to the global economy and support hundreds of millions of jobs through tourism, fishing, shipping, energy, and other emerging industries. 

However, oceans and coastlines are in crisis. As marine plastic pollution, overfishing, and unsustainable practices destroy ocean floors and habitats, the capacity of oceans to provide life-sustaining services and resources and buffer us from natural disasters is diminishing.  

The blue economy offers a transformative pathway to rethink our relationship with oceans. Blue economy principles prioritize sustainable practices that balance economic growth with the conservation of marine ecosystems, ensuring that the benefits of the oceans are safeguarded for future generations.  

An earlier blog post outlines the findings of the Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) evaluation, Making Waves: World Bank Support for the Blue Economy, 2012–23. The evaluation acknowledges the World Bank’s role in bringing the concept of the blue economy to the global stage and provides recommendations to inform the World Bank’s ongoing implementation of its principles.  

This blog explores two key elements highlighted in the IEG evaluation and discussed at the 12th Annual World Ocean Summit & Expo, held in Tokyo, March 12–13, 2025: The development of a common blue economy platform and the transition from conceptualization to implementation. These themes are especially relevant to the upcoming United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) that aims to focus on practical solutions to bring the blue economy into action.

Building a Common Platform for Blue Economy Principles 

A unified platform, based on a shared understanding of the blue economy, aligns implementation efforts and enables stakeholders to work together effectively to achieve shared goals. 

Conversely, a lack of consensus on what the blue economy entails can lead to ambiguity, allowing the concept to be co-opted or diluted by unsustainable practices. Establishing clear standards and definitions helps guard against “blue washing,” when initiatives superficially appear sustainable but fail to address the core principles of the blue economy.  

The 2025 World Ocean Summit & Expo and the upcoming UNOC underscore the importance of bringing together diverse stakeholders to build a common platform supporting a holistic articulation of the blue economy. An IEG-led workshop at the World Ocean Summit & Expo convened global policy makers, business leaders, and investors around the evaluation’s findings that emphasized consolidation of the blue economy as a concept. Crucially, the workshop also focused on practical steps to translate the blue economy principles into action.  

By aligning international efforts, the outcomes at UNOC can contribute to the consolidation of a common platform, foster a shared understanding of the blue economy, guide its implementation, mobilize resources, and drive commitment.  

From Articulation to Implementation of the Blue Economy 

The evidence shows that transitioning from the theoretical framework of the blue economy to actionable strategies is a complex process, often hampered by fragmentation at multiple levels.  

At the governance level, different ministries or agencies often manage ocean resources independently, leading to conflicting goals and inefficiencies. Policies and regulations governing different sectors are frequently not integrated, making it difficult to account for how they affect each other. For example, expanding tourism infrastructure can have an impact on a country’s waste management capacity, which can quickly result in misuse of resources without a common regulatory framework that oversees both sectors.  

Moreover, when sectors and industries operate in silos, they can inadvertently undermine each other’s efforts toward sustainable practices. Breaking silos enables win-win opportunities and synergies that can drive both growth and sustainability—for example, by supporting comprehensive policy reforms that align interests from multiple sectors and industries to better attract private investments.  

Advancing the blue economy requires the World Bank and its partners to go beyond individual sector approaches and support national and regional policies that include harmonized strategies and practices connecting different industries and sectors. These strategies must be developed through participatory processes, which build ownership among the communities and individuals who live and breathe the blue economy. Engaging local stakeholders ensures that the plans are grounded in real-world experiences and needs, enhancing their acceptance and effectiveness. In addition, these strategies should be informed by strategic analytics and comprehensive data on the various uses of the ocean to address the full spectrum of ocean-related activities and challenges. 

By centralizing the blue economy principles, governments can ensure cohesive and integrated management of ocean resources and foster sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and the economy. 

Building Consensus on Future Actions 

At the 2025 World Ocean Summit & Expo, participants worked together to align approaches for the design and implementation of the blue economy strategies and drive action toward a sustainable ocean economy. As UNOC and future summits are convened, it is crucial for more stakeholders to join these collaborative efforts to eliminate fragmentation and create a unified approach to ocean governance, ensuring that the blue economy becomes a central pillar of sustainable development.