This project seeks to investigate place-based blue economies. The blue economy as a concept emerged from the preparation and organisation of the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio + 20). Endorsed by a wide range of actors (public, private, civil society), and defined as “the sustainable pursuit of economic activities resulting from the exploitation of coastal and marine resources”, it remains somehow vague and encompasses a wide range of practices. With an initial focus on Lancashire, UK, the project aims at assessing the understanding of the blue economy by private actors, mapping regional marine economic activities (“blue businesses”), creating a blue network (to facilitate dialogue and knowledge exchange), and identifying the potential for place-based blue economies.

Here is some of the underpinning research:

• This encyclopedia entry provides an overview of the blue economy concept and how it has been analysed in the literature: Blue Economy
• This special issues discusses the question of (in)justice and the blue economy: Blue Economy

The team behind the project (and their academic departments) are: Celine Germond-Duret (Politics, Philosophy and Religion), Jan Bebbington (Accounting and Finance), Josiane Fernandes (Marketing), Magnus George (Entrepreneurship and Strategy), Martin Quinn (Organisation, Work and Technology) and Sophie Standen (Lancaster Environment Centre).