An Integrated Systems View of Sustainable Blue Economy Governance

Despite the widely accepted view of blue economy as an integrating policy framework for the sustainable development of the ocean—requiring a systems approach to governance—achieving the integration of the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability remains challenging. Various critical issues and obstacles complicate the alignment of these different goals, primarily due to the diversity of interests and the intrinsic complexity of sustainability itself. Additionally, the dynamic and evolving nature of blue economy governance necessitates an ongoing adaptation process. This requires defining the essential components of sustainable ocean development and optimizing governance frameworks to strengthen the blue economy and broader global sustainability initiatives. Given this context, this chapter adopts a managerial perspective based on Triple Helix approaches, which emphasize collaboration among academia, indus- try, and government, to propose a reference framework that facilitates an inte- grated sustainability approach to blue economy governance. Illustrating the connections between blue economy and other sustainable economy frameworks from the green economy, bioeconomy, and circular economy, this chapter pre- sents an interpretative pathway that proposes the Triple Helix of Sustainability as a unifying framework, offering insights and guidelines from a systems perspective. This chapter further emphasizes that a cultural shift in the harvesting, production, and use of natural resources is essential for the sustainable viability of the blue economy and its contribution to global sustainability.