Blue Knowledge - Developing knowledge to support transition to a Blue Economy: A strategic approach

The emerging concept of the Blue Economy is being pioneered by Small
Island Developing States (SIDS) as a mechanism for sustainable development
of their ocean-based economies. SIDS share common drivers of socioeconomic
progress, energy and food security as well as common realities with regard to
the adverse impacts of climate change. An integrated and holistic approach
is essential to enable growth and innovation in multiple maritime sectors
within a Blue Economy, while fully accounting for the social, ecological and
economic consequences. Challenges faced in implementing the Blue
Economy are complex, multi-faceted and interdisciplinary, and development and application of new knowledge, tools and processes is needed to enable SIDS to maximise available opportunities while effectively accounting for risks. This article lays out a pathway for the development of knowledge management, as a key facet of Blue Economy realisation. To support SIDS in progressing towards coherence between policy, planning and management action, and the emerging vision of a Blue Economy, this paper provides a basis for developing a strategic approach to addressing knowledge needs. It highlights that since different types of knowledge are required for the multi-level purposes of policy, planning and management action, there is a need for considered design of knowledge development agenda. The implementation of cutting-edge policy challenges traditional approaches
to research and there is a further need to reassess the roles of key actors in
knowledge development and for new mechanisms to transfer knowledge into
action when implementing the Blue Economy.