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Energy, Climate change, Environment

Map of the week – Blue Indicators – Employment in the Blue Economy

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Map of the week – Blue Indicators – Employment in the Blue Economy

Europe’s oceans, seas and coasts are a major driver for the European economy, generating roughly 4 million jobs and a gross added value of almost 180 billion a year[1]. Moreover, this ‘Blue’ Economy has great potential for innovation and growth[2]. The Blue Growth Strategy is a long-term strategy from the European Commission to harness this potential, and support sustainable growth in the marine and maritime economic sectors, creating both jobs and value. The strategy focuses on five sectors with a high potential for Blue Growth: Aquaculture, Coastal and maritime tourism, Blue biotechnology, Ocean/Renewable energy and Seabed mining (Mineral resources).

 

To foster this Blue Growth, the European Commission has launched the BlueInvest Platform. As part of the platform, the BlueInvest Readiness Assistance program will select 200 high potential start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) with innovative and sustainable products and solutions for the Blue Economy. The selected businesses will be assisted with tailored feedback on investment readiness, coaching to set, plan and accomplish business objectives as well as training in networking and business to business (B2B) matchmaking. Furthermore, the platform also provides financial support to eligible Blue Economy SME’s through the BlueInvest Fund.

 

To monitor the growth in the Blue Economy, the European Commission has developed a Blue Indicator Dashboard. The map of the week shows the employment in the Blue Economy as a percentage of the overall active population. Click on a country of interest, to learn how employment is distributed over the different Blue Economy sectors and how the Blue Economy employment has changed over time.

 

Access the map

 

The data in this map were provided by DG MARE.