Sailing Towards Sustainability via Blue Economy: Unlocking Türkiye’s Potential

Report
10 minute read
24 Jun 2024

Coastal nations possess a distinct advantage over others by virtue of their proximity to oceans and seas, affording them the opportunity to capitalize on the socioeconomic advantages inherent in these bodies of water. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, oceans and seas not only sustain marine life but also contribute to the overall well-being of human populations, promoting healthier lifestyles. The Blue Economy, defined as a holistic and sustainable approach to ocean and sea-based economic activities, enables countries to unlock the potential of their marine resources while ensuring long-term environmental sustainability and fostering inclusive economic growth.

Our “Sailing Towards Sustainability via Blue Economy: Unlocking Türkiye's Potential” report, delves into the concept of the Blue Economy and explores its potential in Türkiye. We examine global initiatives that promote sustainable practices and highlight use cases from around the world. Furthermore, we delve into the realm of blue finance and its role in supporting the growth of the blue economy.

What Do We Mean by Blue Economy?

The blue economy encompasses a comprehensive and sustainable strategy for engaging in economic activities related to oceans and seas, empowering nations to exploit their marine resources responsibly, prioritize long-term environmental preservation, and drive inclusive economic development.

Established Sectors :

Marine Living Resources: Sustainable fishing practices, aquaculture, and marine conservation initiatives
Marine Non-living Resources: Responsible deep-sea mining practices, sustainable extraction of minerals and metals
Marine Renewable Energy: Setting up off-shore wind tirbunes and floating solar panels
Port Activities: Implementing eco-friendly port infrastructure and optimizing logistics to reduce emissions
Shipbuilding and Repair: Incorporating green technologies and circular methods in ship construction and repair processes
Maritime Transport: Transitioning to low-emission vessels, and investing in port electrification
Coastal Tourism: Promoting eco-friendly tourism practices

Emerging Sectors :

Ocean Energy: Harnessing wave, tidal, and thermal energy to generate electricity
Blue Biotechnology: Developing pharmaceuticals, biomaterials, and enzymes derived from marine organisms while ensuring ecosystem conservation
Desalination: Implementing energy-efficient desalination technologies and minimizing the environmental impact
Maritime Defence, Security and Surveillance: Utilizing sustainable maritime security measures, such as renewable energy-powered surveillance systems
Research and Innovation: Investing in sustainable marine research and innovation to develop solutions for environmental challenges
Infrastructure: Constructing sustainable coastal infrastructure, such as green ports, resilient coastal defenses, and renewable energy installations

Covered with Seas: Blue Economy Outlook of Türkiye

Türkiye, with its extensive coastlines along the Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara, and Black Seas, stands poised to unlock its vast potential in the Blue Economy. With abundant marine resources, Türkiye holds promising opportunities across various sectors, including maritime transport, coastal tourism, aquaculture, offshore energy, marine biotechnology, and sustainable fisheries. By capitalizing on these sectors, Türkiye can not only drive economic growth but also foster environmental sustainability, promote responsible resource management, and contribute to the preservation of its coastal ecosystems.

Blue Finance Initiatives

Blue finance refers to financial mechanisms, instruments, and investments specifically designed to support sustainable economic activities related to oceans, seas, and coastal areas. It encompasses a range of financial tools aimed at promoting the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, fostering the growth of marine-related industries, and addressing environmental challenges such as pollution and climate change in maritime sectors.

Blue Employment Initiatives

With increased financial opportunities and economic activation, “blue sectoral transformation” is expected to widen among the coastal regions and create “blue jobs” in the coastal areas. In accordance with the “blue economy” framework, blue jobs would be defined as employment opportunities that actively contribute to mitigating environmental risks or pollution that pose a threat marine spaces. Alternatively, blue jobs can encompass roles that do not directly exacerbate existing environmental problems in marine ecosystems.

Blue Economy Initiatives in Türkiye

The most prominent blue economy initiatives in Türkiye would be listed as;

2053 Sustainable Blue Economy Action Plan to ensure the protection and preservation of marine ecosystems.

Zero Waste Management System Implementation Guideline to support the waste management and recycling activities on the coastline of Türkiye.

Blue Economy Jobs Program for Pollution Reduction Study conducted by PwC Türkiye as part of the Blueing the Black Sea Project (BBSEA) supported by the World Bank.

Enabling Blue Economy Progress: Use Cases

As the blue economy encompasses economic activities conducted in oceans and seas, direct influence (such as ecological degradation, pollution, excessive waste disposal etc.) of these activities on marine ecosystems constitute a need for sectoral transformation. Therefore, implementing environmentally considerate practices and changing the conduct of economic activities towards sustainable ones within these sectors are crucial. Blue economy practices that change the way of conducting economic activities are varied among marine-related sectors depending on the geographic and economic conditions. Below, some of the specific country initiatives for sectoral transformation are summarized as successful practices.

Portugal:

Portugal’s national commitment to the Blue Economy is exemplified by its Ocean Strategy 2013-2020, which aims to promote the sustainable use and protection of the ocean and its resources. The strategy focuses on four main areas: knowledge and innovation, competitiveness, environmental sustainability, and governance.

Indonesia:

As a pioneer country in blue economy, Indonesia has introduced a blue economy approach to develop its marine and fishing industries by emphasizing comprehensive policies that integrate economic growth and environmental protection, fostering regional development, and promoting clean production and innovative investments.

Maldives:

To protect its coastline and support its growing blue economy, the Maldives’ Ministry of Environment, with support from the World Bank, has been implementing Coastal Protection Projects. These initiatives focus on safeguarding coral reefs and coastal wetlands, vital for marine biodiversity and erosion prevention.

Brief Recommendations to Enhance Blue Economy in Türkiye

Establish integrated and robust regulatory frameworks that promote sustainable practices within the blue economy. This should include clear guidelines for resource management, pollution control, and ecosystem conservation specific to prominent economic activities in different coastal zones.

Foster collaboration with international organizations including financial institutions, neighboring countries, and regional initiatives to share best practices, exchange knowledge on coastal clean-up and preservation activities, and promote sustainable management of shared marine resources. This will enhance Türkiye's position as a responsible global player in the blue economy.

Encourage collaboration between the government, private sector, and academia to leverage expertise, resources, and innovative technology for the sustainable development in Türkiye's coastline. This can be achieved through joint ventures, knowledge-sharing platforms, and hybrid funding mechanisms.

Conduct awareness campaigns and engage relevant stakeholders, including local communities, NGOs, and industry associations, to foster a sense of ownership, responsibility and environmental awareness towards the sustainable development of Türkiye's blue economy. This can be achieved through public consultations, stakeholder forums, and information-sharing platforms.

Develop educational programs and vocational training initiatives to equip the workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge for blue economy sectors. This will ensure a blue upskilling that would facilitate innovation and sustainable growth. Furthermore, active labor policies addressing blue economy sectors would strengthen decent working conditions in especially highly informal sectors such as fisheries and aquaculture.

Provide targeted support and incentives for enhancing the networks of SMEs operating in the blue economy sector. This can include access to financing, capacity-building programs, and streamlined administrative processes to foster entrepreneurship and innovation.

Develop sustainable tourism strategies that highlight Türkiye's unique marine ecosystems and cultural heritage. This should include measures to minimize the environmental impact of tourism activities, promote responsible tourism practices, and ensure the preservation of coastal and marine ecosystems.

Invest in research and development initiatives to enhance understanding of Türkiye's marine resources, current ecologic threats and preservation of ecosystems. This will enable evidence-based decision-making and foster innovation in sustainable blue economy practices.

Invest in the development and maintenance of maritime infrastructure, including ports, harbors, and ship building and repair facilities. This will facilitate efficient transportation, logistics, and trade, thereby attracting investments and promoting economic growth in the blue economy sector.

Implement robust monitoring and evaluation systems to assess the effectiveness of policies and especially coastal clean-up and waste management initiatives related to the blue economy. This will enable evidence-based decision-making, identify areas for improvement, and ensure accountability in the sustainable development of Türkiye's blue economy.