1.
Blue New Deal Initiative
Good jobs for coastal communities
through healthy seas
www.bluenewdeal.org

2.
What is the Blue New Deal?
• UK-wide initiative to help reconcile economic prosperity
with marine conservation
• An opportunity to explore ideas that can deliver more and
better jobs for coastal communities through activities that
support a healthier marine environment

3.
Coastal communities and UK seas
• They rely on the ocean for food, jobs and
recreation
• Environmental and economic pressures
are pushing natural ecosystems to their
limit: overfishing, pollution, climate
change
• Absence of social and environmental
goals in key coastal and marine
industries has had an impact on the
marine environment, communities and
the economy
• Fewer jobs, lower revenues, unnecessary
costs to the public – unstable coastal
economies

4.
Coastal communities and UK seas
• Higher levels of deprivation, seasonality,
underemployment and an ageing
population
• Fragile communities are less able to cope
with environmental and economic shocks
• Need for increased resilience
• Growing demand for greater policy focus

5.
Policy and national objectives
• UK Marine Policy Statement: vision for
‘clean, healthy, safe, productive and
biologically diverse oceans and
seas’ (2011)
• UK Government’s Coastal Communities
Fund: launched to support
‘coastal communities that are able
to use their assets (physical,
natural, social, economic and
cultural) to promote sustainable
economic growth and jobs.’ (2012)

6.
Regional interests
• “priority of improving the quality of life and the standard of living for
coastal communities” (Coastal Communities Alliance, England)
• “a broad and long-sighted vision to promote and deliver integrated coastal
zone management for the long term sustainability of the North West’s
coast.” (North West Coastal Forum)
• “a voluntary partnership of local authorities, organisations, businesses and
communities committed to working towards integrated, sustainable
management of the Clyde's environmental, economic and community
resources.” (Firth of Clyde Forum, Scotland)
• “securing an integrated approach to the management and sustainable
development of our coastal and marine environment through effective
stakeholder engagement.” (Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum, Wales)

7.
Good jobs and healthy seas
• Jobs and environmental sustainability are
linked
• Restoring UK fish stocks could create
4,922 new jobs
• UK seas already support more than
750,000 direct jobs* in coastal areas
(2013 data, latest available)
• Could healthier and more productive seas
help provide for more and better jobs in
the future?
*jobs within sectors which rely on a healthy marine
environment to generate economic benefits
851
2105
12,152
18645
20686
21236
23034
32502
34804
124651
501320.7958
0 100000 200000 300000 400000 500000 600000
Coastal Protection
Aquaculture
Fishing
Renewables
Heritage
Fish processing & retail
Ship-building
Ports & shipping
Oil & Gas
Marine Recreation
Tourism
Employment in maritime sectors in coastal areas,
2013

8.
The Blue New Deal strategy
• Starting a discussion: Blue New Deal vision report (June 2015)
• Positively presenting ideas: website with existing stories
www.bluenewdeal.org
• Bringing different voices and interests together: launch event (September
2015)
• Co-developing a nationwide action plan: summer/autumn 2016
• Delivering change: putting the action plan into action; working with policy
makers and relevant institutions; tracking progress against key indicators

9.
Initial focal areas
Five focal policy areas:
• Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
• Renewable energy
• Responsible tourism
• Innovative coastal management
• Re-connecting people with nature

10.
Co-developing the action plan
Coastal Communities Alliance:
“The Blue New Deal is a welcomed initiative to
help raise awareness of the various issues
coastal communities in the UK face today.”
Coastal Partnerships Network:
“We are looking forward to engaging with the
Blue New Deal initiative and to exploring
opportunities for enhancing the integration and
management of policies and activities on our
coasts.”
RenewableUK:
“In the UK, offshore wind and marine
renewables have huge potential. The Blue New
Deal initiative is a welcome contribution to how
these assets can be used to regenerate and
strengthen coastal communities around the
country”.
• An opportunity to identify solutions and
practical measures to help transform our
approach to development on the coast
• Assess the potential economic benefits of
these actions
• Understand the level of investment
needed
• Exploring ideas on how it can be
delivered
• Bring it all together in a coherent plan to
drive change

11.
Economic analysis
• Establishing a baseline of the coastal/marine economy
• Economic sectors’ contribution in coastal areas
• Fine tuning estimates and capturing relevant employment data
• We would be happy to provide more details on the analysis and data sources
• Working with government departments, industry, local authorities and other
bodies to develop something that is useful

12.
Get involved
Submit stories at
www.bluenewdeal.org
Send ideas and suggestions to
fernanda.balata@neweconomi
cs.org

13.
THANK YOU
www.bluenewdeal.org
www.neweconomics.org
@NEF