BlueTech as described in this report will contribute to better investigation of ocean-scapes, improved monitoring of ocean ecosystems (including marine protected areas and fisheries), increased linkages of marine products to markets, and expanded access to finance for marine enterprises. These innovative technologies will also enable solutions for problems faced by Island nations, such as coastal erosion, the proliferation of ocean plastics, and the management of sargassum.
This rapid evolution of technology and capacity across the world can help promote the use of these BlueTech approaches to benefit the poor in terms of more climate-resilient ecosystems. This will require us to not only build on the tech enablers but also ensure that the non-tech enablers to improve information-based decision making are strengthened by improved awareness of rapidly evolving BlueTech global good practices.
For example, in the area of Fishing sustainability, AI and ML provide an avenue for preventing and controlling overfishing, setting up of systems for automated fish catch thresholds, provision of insights to fishermen, more efficient monitoring of aquaculture monitoring and dictation of illegal fishing activities and finally for optimizing patrol schedules. AI and ML are also invaluable in monitoring, adapting and mitigating the impacts of climate change on the marine environments by enabling real-time monitoring of ocean temperature and Ph, the detection and prediction of how phytoplankton is distributed, monitoring of ocean currents and monitoring of coral reel ecosystems.
AI and ML can also facilitate the development of new products, services and industries that leverage the potential of the ocean. For example, ML/AI can enhance and accelerate the design of new materials, components and products that are fit for a circular economy by using iterative machine-learning-assisted processes that allow for rapid prototyping and testing . ML/AI can also enable the creation of new markets and business models that rely on data-driven insights and solutions. For instance, AI/ML can aid exponentially in optimizing offshore renewable energy production, marine transportation, aquaculture, tourism and coastal zone management, these avenues create opportunities for the youth and women to be able to contribute to the sustainable growth of the Blue Economy and development of their communities.
There are several opportunities that are emerging based on a rapidly increasing use of innovative technologies for monitoring and managing the freshwater, coastal, and ocean ecosystems of the Blue Economy in addition to the rollout of new mobile data such as 5G, availability of smartphones, tablets, touchscreens, VR/AR, and other institutional infrastructure. A major constraint has always been the capacity to adapt and use these technologies for modernizing the decision-making process, but the level of automation of the novel approaches has dramatically changed the type of expertise required in this regard. The ability of governments at all levels to build new partnerships with academia, private sector, and CSOs (Civil Society Organizations) is also changing the way relevant BlueTech data is collected, analyzed, accessed, and used to support decisions. As more countries embrace open data and standards and put more of their especially in-situ data in the public domain, they can create an enabling environment for a new age of BlueTech to thrive and positively “disrupt” how the Blue Economy is managed for all users.
Governments have a key role to use their policy, administrative, financing, convening, and partnership mechanisms to create an enabling innovation environment for BlueTech, linking the development of national capacity to rapidly-evolving global good practices and systems.
This is especially critical to leverage new forms of information and interaction. innovation, investment and integration to improve inter-operability and remain constantly evolving to avoid stranded assets of obsolete technology. They can play a key role in providing a facilitating environment for innovative BlueTech startups providing monitoring, analytics, or insights as a service, as well as helping develop appropriate multi-stakeholder forums (e.g. for integrated water resources or watershed management), networking relevant stakeholder from government, water and hydropower utilities, farmers, academia, CSOs, and other private sector to help develop a shared vision for water resources and water services planning and management knit together by the power of modern BlueTech helping stakeholders work across traditional sectoral and spatial boundaries.
They also have a key role in managing the risks – of cybersecurity, privacy, ensuring adequate competition, ensuring basic connectivity, facilitating affordability of services, and providing retraining and social safety nets for some obsolete jobs, while creating new employment opportunities. Government has a key role in embedding BlueTech as part of an e-governance vision to knit the work of government agencies together (e.g., those involved with upstream water and natural resources management, coastal zone management, early warning, and climate change planning, and oceanic sectors).
There are a range of enabling policies to encourage such inter-institutional collaboration, open data and interoperable standards, and a healthy ecosystem of startups and public-private partnerships. Many countries that are starting this journey would need early help on improving awareness of the Blue Economy potential and opportunities and risks associated with BlueTech. Capacity building on technologies, access to investment capital for the private sector, fostering BlueTech incubator and accelerator programs, and enhanced metrics to track BlueTech innovation, impact, and sustainability are all important enabling conditions to support the effective use of BlueTech to help solve challenges in the Blue Economy.
Innovative technology can be used at different stages of policy making and implementation within the various areas of the Blue Economy/BlueTech ecosystems. These include during policy development and setting data requirements, for the use of quantitative modelling for policy assessment, different tools and technologies for implementing monitoring programs, use of e-training and e-learning to develop programs of policy measures, use of surveys and collaborative tools for the implementing policy measures, and the use of quantitative modelling to evaluate and measure policy adoption.
Looking ahead, the Blue Economy could be a critical part of the overall Sustainable Development toolkit for the developing world, creating blue jobs, alleviating poverty, and stimulating growth. Technology could play a key part in this development, and BlueTech opportunities could help reimagining the speed and scalability of Blue Economy development globally.
This will require the key change makers in government, private sector, academia, financiers, and other stakeholder groups to become more aware of the range of relevant technologies, and how these are being used innovatively both in the country and globally. They will need to rapidly learn from, and contribute to, this rapidly evolving world to find effective ways to benefit the poorest sections of their societies and contribute to national growth to facilitate a range of policies, institutional, and investments that can help access these benefits while effectively managing additional risks.
Given the adage “disrupt or be disrupted”, countries, and their regional and global networks, will need to take the leadership to make sure that everyone can benefit from evolving global good practices.