Image

Blue economy

Investigating opportunities for marine activities that create economic value and contribute positively to ecological, cultural and social well-being in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Led by Nick Lewis (University of Auckland)

Developing the economy is generally still seen as separate to, and often at odds with, social and environmental goals, but they are intrinsically linked. Healthy marine ecosystems require a marine economy that is committed to ecologically sustainable practices – and long-term economic use of marine resources depends on healthy marine ecosystems.

Our research has identified opportunities to help New Zealand transition to a blue economy by encouraging activities that are sustainable, resilient to climate change, minimise waste, and have positive impacts on society and culture. Our current research is focused on helping to grow these activities and develop a blue economy made up of activities that:

We define a 'blue economy' as:

Marine activities that generate economic value and contribute positively to ecological, cultural and social well-being.