CoAct Database

Blue Growth Initiative

The world’s marine and freshwater ecosystems – the Blue World – provide food and livelihoods, essential ecosystem services and biodiversity for hundreds of millions of people. Increasing pollution, over-exploitation, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and climate change have become major threats to these aquatic eco-systems - and underpin the need for more resource efficient, integrated and socially inclusive concepts. FAO promotes sustainable fishery and aquaculture policies and practices to achieve sustainable use of living aquatic resources. The FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF) has been in place for two decades – and continues to be the global reference framework to achieve this. In 2013, FAO launched the Blue Growth Initiative (BGI), which builds on the CCRF and focuses on fisheries, aquaculture, ecosystem services, trade and social protection. It advocates ways to balance economic growth, social development, food security, and sustainable use of aquatic living resources.

Activity period	2013–present
Last CoAct update	2023
Web URL	http://www.fao.org/policy-support/policy-themes/blue-growth/en/
Output effectiveness	0.35
Accountability Index	0.23
Inclusiveness Index	0.38
Num. actors	26
Functions	Knowledge production, Knowledge dissemination, Technical implementation, Institutional capacity building, Standards and norms, Training, Funding, Policy planning
SDGs
Themes	oceans and coastal zones
Policy focus	Equal focus
Sectors	Agriculture, forestry and fishing
Implementation countries	Algeria, Bangladesh, Barbados, Cabo Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, Grenada, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Philippines (the), Saint Lucia, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Tunisia, Viet Nam, Zambia

Target	Target type
10% reduction of carbon emissions in the 10 target countries in 5 years and 25% in 25 years	Emission reduction target
Blue communities established in 5 target countries and resource stewardship with 30% improved livelihoods	People/countries affected target
Ecosystem degradation reversed in the target countries and 10% ecosystems restored in 4 target countries within 5 years	Area target
Reduction of overfishing by 20% in the target countries in 5 years and 50% in 10 years	Other target