Crafting blue visions for a sustainable blue bioeconomy in European coastal regions through communities of practice

Abstract

In coastal development, sustainable blue bioeconomy initiatives are becoming essential for promoting environmental stewardship and strengthening local economic resilience. These initiatives use marine resources for sustainable products, but face challenges in integrating technological innovations, accommodating diverse stakeholder interests, and addressing region-specific requirements. Current efforts, including the Horizon Europe BlueBioClusters (BBC) project, are addressing these challenges by implementing Communities of Practice (CoPs) in Estonia, Portugal, Lithuania, and Sweden. CoPs bring together diverse stakeholders—businesses, policymakers, academics, and NGOs—using collaborative framework to foster local innovation and sustainability in the blue bioeconomy. This study identifies key barriers and success factors in establishing CoP, emphasizing the importance of early, inclusive engagement and regional collaboration. We show that CoPs effectively integrate local knowledge in shaping blue visions, enabling coastal communities to drive region-specific innovations while tackling regulatory and environmental challenges. Insights from this research provide valuable guidance for policymakers aiming to enhance stakeholder-driven growth in the blue bioeconomy and contribute to broader efforts in environmental stewardship and equitable ocean governance. These findings emphasize the role of CoPs as drivers of actionable and scalable solutions for regional bioeconomy development, demonstrating their adaptability to a wide range of global contexts.