By 2030, the Blue Economy will be worth $3 trillion. And the UK is well placed to capture a slice of this lucrative market, if it meets the challenges involved with innovation and ambition.
Popular tourist destination Kuta beach in Bali, Indonesia, is regularly covered in waste, most of it plastic that washes ashore during the rainy season. This picture was taken on February 15, 2016.
Wira Suryantala/Antara/Reuters
Marine plastic pollution is a global problem. Bali's beaches present prime examples and an opportunity to study the socio-economic effects this has on coastal communities.
Tanzania has around 30 species of tilapia, 11 of which are found nowhere else on earth.
Reuters/Antony Njuguna
The ocean can no longer be viewed as a limitless space for free access for all. It needs to be managed over its entirety
There is a great opportunity and imperative for Australia and Indonesia to join forces to solve critical challenges facing the ocean and coastal regions.
Lkzz/www.shutterstock.com
The two countries share huge marine resources and opportunities. At the same time both face increasing challenges to their oceans and coastal regions from climate change and over-exploitation.
The open oceans are the world's "wild west", falling outside any nation's jurisdiction. UN negotiations are aiming to draft new laws for the high seas.
Island universities are unavoidably at one with the elements. This offers rich opportunities for studying these elements - like the oceans.
REUTERS/Susana Vera
Heather Nel, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University
South Africa’s oceans economy can contribute R177 billion to the GDP and create up to one million new jobs by 2033. But this requires more skilled people to drive the growth.
Too many fish in our seas, like this Pacific bluefin tuna, are being lost to over-fishing – but better management can help.
Issei Kato/Reuters
Over-fishing is a massive environmental and economic challenge. Fortunately, there are new solutions being trialled – including in a tuna hotspot in the Pacific.
Diving in Indonesia’s Raja Ampat Marine Park to see these clownfish will cost you more than before – but for good reason.
Boris Bialek/Flickr
Diving in many parts of Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia now costs a little more than it used to – but you might be happy to discover why.
Expect to see more ships on the horizon, as global shipping booms. But how well are we measuring and governing what happens at sea?
Chris Phutully/Flickr
As the world's land-based economies struggle with around 2% GDP growth, the global marine economy – often talked about as "the blue economy" – is a bright light on the horizon.
We need to play our cards right if Australia’s marine environments are to keep us afloat.
Saspotato/Flickr
In many ways, Australia is defined by the oceans surrounding us. We have the world's third largest ocean territory, most of our trade travels by sea, and we have vast offshore resources.
