EU Involvement in the Financing of the Blue Economy

Abstract

he prospect of implementing the concept of the Blue Economy is currently still at a relatively early stage of achieving its full potential. The purpose of this paper is to present the idea of the ocean economy and selected aspects of its financing, including initiatives undertaken in this area by the European Union. Part I characterises the Blue Economy, part II discusses selected aspects of financing a sustainable ocean economy, and part III analyses the institutional approach, particularly within the EU, to the financing process of this type of economy. The descriptive method was used to conduct this study, and the available literature on and legal acts related to the subject of the article has been analysed. The undertakings made so far, especially by the EU, are impressive and, moreover, are driving global activity towards the sustainable financing of the Blue Economy. It is becoming a fundamental priority to realise the governments’ and international organisations’ aspirations to make economies independent from excessive carbon emissions, to counteract water degradation, overfishing, and shrinking drinking water resources. In the long term, it is important to develop coherence between the actions of national entities and the sources and methods of international funding. This is in order to develop a mutual, global good of innovative fi nancing of coastal projects for sustainable development.