developing a blue economy in china and the united states

8/9/2019 Developing a Blue Economy in China and the United States

1/23


2/23

Developing a Blue Economyin China and the United States

By Michael Conathan and Scott Moore May 2015


3/23

1 Introduction and summary

4 China’s Blue Economy

8 The U.S. Blue Economy

13 Recommendations: Lessons learned

and opportunities for collaboration

16 Conclusion

18 Endnotes

Contents


4/23

1 Center for American Progress | Developing a Blue Economy in China and the United States

Introduction and summary

As he world populaion balloons oward more han 9 billion people by 2050,1

naions will need new resources rom a finie amoun o space o mee soaring

demand. And as more people move o coasal regions, heir minds will ineviably

be drawn o he sea. Aer all, more han wo-hirds o our plane is covered wih

ocean, and he seas boas remendous economic developmen, ransporaion

corridors, sources o oil and gas, and cornucopias o seaood. Oceans also provide

less-angible benefis ha are oen difficul o quaniy, including moderaing he

plane’s climae by absorbing roughly 90 percen o he hea rapped by a hicken-ing amospheric blanke o carbon polluion.2 Tey produce more han hal o he

oxygen we breahe.3 In coasal regions, healhy coral rees and oher welands eco-

sysems saeguard communiies rom sorm surges and flooding evens, sequeser

massive amouns o carbon, and filer ou oher polluion produced on land.

o susain a 21s cenury populaion boom, we mus balance marine economic

developmen wih proecion o he ocean’s environmenal services ha have sus-

ained lie on our plane or millions o years. Tis repor examines he differen

ways ha wo naions, China and he Unied Saes, are approaching his dilemma

by promoing a concep known as he “Blue Economy.”

Te Blue Economy represens a relaively new manner o describing ocean

economic developmen ha began o emerge firs among many island naions,

including iny developing counries such as he Republic o Seychelles, as well

as he archipelagic gian Indonesia, he ourh-mos-populous counry in he

world.4 I’s now gaining recogniion in some o he world’s bigges and mos

powerul naions, including China and he Unied Saes, which have increas-

ingly begun o urn o he concep o he Blue Economy o promoe develop-

men o heir ample ocean and coasal resources. Honing he Blue Economy’socus could ulimaely pay dividends by allowing economic growh o blossom

alongside environmenal susainabiliy.


5/23


China has no ypically been a he op o he lis o counries ha rely mos heav-

ily on heir ocean resources. Is exclusive economic zone, or EEZhe area o

ocean space over which a naion has sole righ o exrac resources including min-

erals and fishis he subjec o ongoing debae, wih China claiming a vas area o

he Souh China Sea ha neighboring counries also claim. Bu China has sough

o expand he economic conribuions i receives rom offshore resources.

Te Unied Saes, which boass he larges EEZ in he world,5 has also looked

beyond is shores o suppor is economy. Given boh naions’ economic clou,

he Unied Saes and China have remendous poenial o develop and implemen

policies ha promoe marine environmenal proecion and o prove ha hese

sraegies do no preclude he possibiliy o economic growh.

Ye as he Blue Economy emerges as a means o quaniying he economic benefi

o ocean indusries and resources, is rue definiion remains opaque. Adding up

he conribuions o all economic aciviy relaed o ocean and coasal ecosysemsis a relaively simple means o drawing boundaries. Bu i ails o accoun or he

realiy ha indusrial developmen requenly comes wih an environmenal cos.

Offshore ossil-uel exracion, or example, carries he risk o spills, which lead o

he degradaion o naural resources, and will increase emissions o carbon pollu-

ion and oher greenhouse gases. In oher cases, promoing one indusry means

prevening anoher; or example, an area designaed or shipping lanes would be

off-limis o consrucion o an offshore wind arm. As a resul, he ocean economy

canno simply be relabeled he Blue Economy. Te world needs a new definiion

o wha consiues a Blue Economy boh in order o promoe he economic ben-

efis o ocean indusries and o ensure susainable developmen.

In January 2014, developing naions came ogeher or wo days in Abu Dhabi o

explore and develop he concep o he Blue Economy under he auspices o he

U.N Susainable Developmen Knowledge Plaorm.6 Teir effors were based on

a concep paper ha esablished he Blue Economy as a “ramework or susain-

able developmen.” I explained ha “a he core o he Blue Economy concep is

he de-coupling o socioeconomic developmen rom environmenal degradaion

… ounded upon he assessmen and incorporaion o he real value o he naural

(blue) capial ino all aspecs o economic aciviy.”7

According o inernaional law, counries have sole economic jurisdicion over

ocean space ha exends 200 nauical miles ou rom heir shores.8 Small-island

developing saes have embraced he concep o he Blue Economy as a means

o maximizing he benefis ha accrue rom heir greaes asse: heir marine


6/23


resources. Te Seychelles, or example, has a land area o 455 square kilomeers,

or 175 square milesroughly hree imes he size o he Disric o Columbia.

Ye i has dominion over an EEZ ha encompasses more han 1.3 million square

kilomeers, or more han 514,000 square milesnearly wice as large as exas.9

While island naions clearly have much o gain rom improved managemen oheir ocean resources, so do larger coasal naions, including he wo economic

leviahans: he Unied Saes and China. In boh naions, effors are underway o

beter undersand, define, and promoe he Blue Economy. Tis repor explores

he concep’s developmen, deailing he similariies and differences, and makes

recommendaions or how he Unied Saes and China can promoe a collabora-

ive undersanding o how o value he ocean’s naural resources around he globe.

Tis repor also proposes hree key recommendaions o help he Unied Saes

and China accoun or he rue value o robus marine naural resources and o

boos cooperaion as hey increasingly look o heir offshore regions or economicgrowh. Specifically, he Unied Saes and China should:

• Joinly develop a mehodology o accoun or he long-erm economic conribu-

ions o healhy coasal and ocean ecosysems

• Esablish join iniiaives under he U.S. Deparmen o Sae’s EcoParnerships

program, incorporaing ocean planning and Blue echnology clusers

• Enhance and expand exising bilaeral parnerships and develop new agree-

mens o ensure sharing o bes pracices and consisency o oceanographic daa

collecion and disseminaion

Leaders in boh China and he Unied Saes undersand he need o boos eco-

nomic growh, while curbing environmenal degradaion and reducing carbon

polluion and oher emissions ha uel climae change. Now, i’s ime or hem

o urn heir atenion o heir vas areas o ocean space and implemen poli-

cies ha acknowledge he rue economic and environmenal opporuniies ha

exis offshore.


7/23


China’s Blue Economy

As a seady drip o media repors atess, China’s environmen is under growing

srain as a resul o high levels o polluion and overuse o naural resources. Te

concep o environmenal proecion is gaining greaer racion among Chinese

ciizens. In early March, a documenary film called “Under he Dome” wen

insanly viral in China, amassing more han 100 million views in is firs 24 hours

and an esimaed 300 million views beore he cenral governmen banned is

disribuion, according o a repor by Te Guardian.10 Te film is a 143-minue

exploraion o China’s environmenal degradaion hrough he eyes o is ciizens,and i includes a direc plea or ciizens o make heir voices hearda rare call o

acion in a sociey ha ypically does no permi such grassroos acivism.

China’s environmenal challenges do no sop a he waer’s edge. According

o he laes Marine Environmen Bullein published by China’s Sae Oceanic

Adminisraion, large pars o he counry’s coasal areas and erriorial seas are

heavily pollued. Nurien polluion, including nirogen and phosphae runoff, is a

major problem in China’s esuarine regions, creaing massive algal blooms.11 Tese

lead o severe europhicaionmore commonly reerred o in he Unied Saes

as dead zones, where a lack o oxygen in he waer kills all marine lie ha canno

escape o healhier areas. In major indusrial regions, paricularly he Bohai Sea,

heavy meal polluion is increasingly severe, wih marine sedimens bearing grow-

ing concenraions o mercury, cadmium, and peroleum compounds.12 China’s

near-shore fisheries are also overexploied, reducing fish landings in coasal areas

and pushing fishing flees urher and urher offshore.13 Moreover, oil and gas

producion and ranspor has become a significan problem or he marine envi-

ronmen. In 2010, a major spill near Dalian in norheas China covered some 430

square kilomeers and killed large numbers o fish and wildlie.14

Parially in an atemp o show ha i is addressing hese marine environmenal

challenges, China has embraced he concep o he Blue Economy. However, he

Chinese approach differs somewha rom he way he concep is defined in oher

naions. Globally, his ocean managemen and governance approach sresses

he environmenal, as well as economic benefis, o susainable developmen in


8/23


he world’s coasal and marine areas. Meanwhile, he Chinese model sresses an

inegraed, cross-secoral approach o he developmen o coasal areasoffer-

ing lessons or oher counries, such as he Unied Saes, ha are seeking similar

approaches o marine regional planning. Bu China’s emphasis is no on environ-

menal proecion. Te Chinese governmen has aken a ew imporan seps o

beter proec marine ecosysems, bu is primary ocus has been on economicdevelopmenan approach ha marginalizes he key role ha ecosysem proec-

ion plays in susaining producive ocean environmens.

The evolut ion of China’s Blue Economy

China has roughly 9,000 miles o coasline, nearly all o which runs rom he

Norh Korean border o he norh o he Vienamese border o he souh. I

also includes he coaslines o several island possessions. Te Chinese govern-

men’s ineres in he Blue Economy concep daes back o he 11h Five-YearPlan, Beijing’s sraegic economic developmen plan, which covered he years

2006 hrough 2010 and included a se o specific daa ha covered he marine

economy.15 Perormance during his period was impressive, regisering average

annual growh o 13.5 percen and creaing some 33 million jobs by he end o

2010.16 Accordingly, in he 12h Five-Year Plan, spanning he years 2011 hrough

2015, China’s supreme execuive body, he Sae Council, issued a new se o

specific arges or China’s Blue Economy, including oal oupu value growh o 8

percen per year, value-added growh o 9 percen annually, and a goal or he Blue

Economy o make up 10 percen o oal naional gross domesic produc, or GDP,

by 2015.17 In addiion, he arges srongly incenivized research, developmen,

and innovaion, speciying ha research and developmen expendiures should

accoun or 2 percen o oal oupu value or he marine economy as a whole.18

Te inclusion o such specific and ambiious arges or Blue Economy secors as

par o China’s sraegic economic developmen plan suggess he degree o which

i has atraced he atenion o senior Chinese governmen officials.

Noneheless, i should be clear ha he erm “Blue Economy” does no neces-

sarily mean he same hing in he Chinese concepion as in he Wesern concep-

ion. Insead o reerring o a new model o marine resource use ha emphasizesenvironmenal susainabiliy, he Chinese concep insead signifies he inegraed

developmen o coasal and marine resources as par o a sraegic, naional

economic developmen plan. Tis role is ariculaed in he 2008 Naional Marine

Indusrial Developmen Plan, which proclaims ha “marine indusry mus occupy

a very imporan sraegic posiion” in China’s “socialis modernizaion.”19


9/23


Te Naional Marine Funcional Zoning Plan shows he emphasis placed on coor-

dinaed developmen o boh land and sea resources. Te plan, originally issued by

he Sae Council in 2002, esablishes “land-sea coordinaion,” or lvhai ongchou,

as a cenral principle o zoning in coasal areas.20 Indeed, ocean planningin which

muliuse indusrial developmen and conservaion zones are planned or holisic

use o marine regionsplays an imporan par in China’s policy ramework orhe Blue Economy, which currenly relies heavily on economic developmen plans

or specific coasal areas. In 2011, or example, as par o he 11h Five-Year Plan

Marine Economic Developmen Sraegy, he Sae Council released plans o creae

a “Blue Economic Zone” in Shandong Province, cenered on he coasal ciy o

Qingdao and inended o ocus regional economic planning on he Blue Economy.

Te concep generaed significan growh in Qingdao’s GDP and was judged a suc-

cess. Te Sae Council approved an expansion known as he “Qingdao Wes Coas

New Area,” which is inended o serve as a hub or deep-sea and offshore explora-

ion, evenually susaining a regional Blue Economy o 1 rillion yuan by 2020.21

As described by he Sae Oceanic Adminisraion, he srucure o China’s Blue

Economy includes virually he complee range o economic secors. In addi-

ion o radiional marine resource uses such as fishing, shipping, and oil and gas

producion, China’s marine economic developmen sraegy also includes our-

ism, as well as new and emerging aciviies such as marine bioprospecing, which

is he search or new organisms ha migh prove valuable o he pharmaceuical or

cosmeic indusries.

In his broad definiion, China’s Blue Economy appears geared or significan

expansion and is poised o play a major role in he counry ’s economic growh

in coming years. According o he laes 2013 daa, China’s gross naional prod-

uc rom is marine economy increased 7.6 percen over 2012. Services such as

ourism accoun or he majoriy o China’s Blue Economy, wih ourism isel

accouning or some 35 percen o he oal. Ineresingly, while more radiional

resource exploiaion aciviies such as oil and gas developmen grew slowly, a

only 0.1 percen rom 2012, newer resource uses such as ocean mininglier-

ally, he rerieval o minerals rom he seabedgrew rapidly, a nearly 14 percen.

Marine bioprospecing, meanwhile, grew by 21 percen.22

Tis growh poenial, paricularly in higher-value-added indusries, appears o

have atraced high-level atenion. A he 2014 Chinese Communis Pary Work

Conerence, where naional prioriies or he coming year are discussed, China’s

leaders pledged o coninue o develop he counry’s marine economy, indicaing is

coninued imporance in he counry’s sraegic economic developmen sraegy.23


10/23


Lessons learned from China’s Blue Economy

China’s effors o develop is Blue Economy offer several lessons or oher counries

seeking o beter uilize heir marine resources, including he Unied Saes. Firs,

he ormulaion o inegraed resource use and developmen plans across disparae

economic secorsincluding fisheries, energy, and ourismhas he poenial ohighligh common-sense and win-win policy opions o enhance economic develop-

men and proec he marine environmen. Second, specific policy suppor given o

innovaive, high-growh-poenial indusries, such as marine bioprospecing, may

underpin regional economic developmen in coasal regions and help susain vibran

enrepreneurial ecosysems cenered on marine and oceanic resources.

China’s pas emphasis on growh in he Blue Economy risks ignoring he need o

limi exploiaion o marine resources o susainable levels. Bu more recenly, he

Chinese governmen has appeared willing o benefi rom he experience o oher

counries in finding ways o susainably develop and uilize offshore and coasalregions. In Sepember 2014, under he auspices o he Asia-Pacific Economic

Cooperaion grouping, China hosed an Ocean-Relaed Miniserial Meeing,

where delegaes pledged o pursue susainable ocean developmen under he Blue

Economy concep, which hey called “an approach o advance susainable devel-

opmen and conservaion o ocean and coasal resources and ecosysems … in

order o oser economic growh.”24

China is advancing is vision or he Blue Economy wihin he naional governmen

and has developed i exceedingly well in specific local regions. However, allowing

he weaker, localized governmen eniies addiional conrol may no ranslae ino

significan gains in conservaion because broader environmenal iniiaives are sill

le o he naional governmen. Tereore, economic developmen has remained

he prioriy, leaving environmenal proecion somewha urher down he lis. Tis

approach aligns more wih simple accouning o he ocean economyall indus-

ries ha operae or rely on operaions in he marine environmen.

While he Chinese model o he Blue Economy presens ideas o uilize he

counry’s marine resources, he American experience offers several lessons or

how he developmen o he Blue Economy can simulaneously increase pros-periy and enhance marine environmenal proecion. Te nex secion oulines

he U.S. definiion o Blue Economy developmen and offers key lessons ha

China and oher naions can emulae.


11/23


The U.S. Blue Economy

According o a 2014 Naional Ocean Economics Program sudy, “[i]n 2010 he

ocean economy comprised over 2.7 million jobs and conribued over $258

billion o he GDP o he Unied Saes.”25 Meanwhile, in 2012, shore-adjacen

counies were home o 48.8 million jobs and conribued $6.6 rillion o he U.S.

GDP.26 Te U.S. populaion ends o cluser in coasal counies, where roughly 10

percen o he land area is home o nearly 40 percen o American ciizens.27 Bu

he coasal economy figures really provide a backdrop rom which we can break

ou he specific marine-relaed indusries ha comprise componens o he BlueEconomy. For he purposes o his repor, he more relevan figures are hose ha

define he ocean economy.

Te Unied Saes has no direc ederal program specifically argeed a promoing

he concep o he Blue Economy. Bu in areas where he goals o a Blue Economy

have been developed, environmenal susainabiliy is a oundaional prioriy.

O course, environmenal sewardship has no always been paramoun o U.S.

managemen o is oceans and coass. In ac, he case can sill be made ha he

Unied Saes has no done enough o prioriize marine proecion in is ocean

policy and ha i sill has ample room o improve is environmenal sewardship.

For example, he Deparmen o he Inerior plans o orge ahead wih oil and gas

developmen in he remoe and dangerous waers o he Arcic Ocean, despie is

own findings ha ull, susained producion in he region would have a 75 percen

chance o resuling in a “major spill”28 and he ac ha he closes Coas Guard

saion or major por aciliies are hundreds o miles away.29 Similarly, he ailure

o adequaely address runoff rom agriculural aciviy is a direc conribuor o a

dead zone in he Gul o Mexico. Tis areadepleed o oxygen o he poin ha

i can no longer suppor liewas roughly he size o Connecicu in 2013.30

Sill, here is progress, and he case or promoion o he Blue Economy is growing.

In June 2009, less han hree monhs aer being sworn in as adminisraor o he

Naional Oceanic and Amospheric Adminisraion, or NOAA, Jane Lubchenco

defined he Blue Economy as “a vibran, ocean-based economy ha is economically

and environmenally susainable.” Lubchenco conended ha he Blue Economy’s

developmen is “essenial o he naion’s healh, prosperiy, and well-being.”31


12/23


Lubchenco’s enhusiasic endorsemen o he concep nowihsanding, i has

allen o nongovernmenal organizaions and academic communiies o define he

Blue Economy in he Unied Saes and o advocae or is consideraion in he

developmen o ocean and coasal managemen iniiaives. As a resul, he concep

in he Unied Saes ends o ocus more on mehods o evaluaing and promo-

ing he economic conribuions o indusries ha link ocean healh and economicgrowh; rely on healhy oceans and coass o be profiable; conribue o resora-

ion o ocean resources; or resul in greaer undersanding o he ocean’s poenial

conribuions o sociey.*

Healhy ecosysems have inheren economic value, even i ha value is oen di-

ficul o quaniy. Coasal welands ecosysems, or example, serve as polluion

filraion sysems, buffers or sorm-surge flooding, and nurseries or commercially

and recreaionally imporan fish species. Tey also provide recreaional oppor-

uniies and enhance propery values. A 2014 Cener or American Progress and

Oxam America sudy o he economic value o hese areas ound ha or hreespecific sies in he coninenal Unied Saes, every dollar invesed by NOAA

o resore degraded coasal welands ecosysems reurned more han $15 in ne

economic benefis.32 Sudies such as his one make a srong case ha he Unied

Saes and oher counries mus look pas he immediae reurns o indusrial-

izaion o he world’s oceans and pay greaer atenion o he long-erm value o

oregoing developmen.

Measuring America’s Blue Economy

Tere is no hard and as line ha defines he boundaries o susainabiliy as a con-

cep. For example, one could make he case ha echnological developmens o

reduce emissions rom he shipping indusry or advancemens in oil spill cleanup

echnology should be couned as par o he Blue Economy because hey generae

economic aciviy rom he process o making indusrial aciviy less environmen-

ally harmul. Deermining a comprehensive definiion o he Blue Economy ha

includes direcly comparable subcaegories will allow greaer appreciaion or he

economic conribuions o his vial secor boh in he Unied Saes and globally.

A single inernaional erm could allow all naions o work collaboraively owardimproving managemen o he world’s marine naural resources.

* For the purposes of this document, the concept of the Blue Economy in the United States should be understood to includethe Great Lakes in addition to marine resources.


13/23

10 Center for American Progress | Developing a Blue Economy in China and the U nited States

In he Unied Saes, he curren pre-eminen ool or quaniying hese marine

economic conribuions is he Naional Ocean Economics Program, or NOEP,

operaed as par o he Cener or he Blue Economy, an academic insiuion

a he Middlebury Insiue o Inernaional Sudies a Monerey in Caliornia.

NOEP uses governmen daa o quaniy he economic conribuions o he

ocean economy and coasal economy.33

Te ocean economy includes indusries“explicily [ied] o he ocean, or … parially relaed o he ocean and locaed in a

shore adjacen zip code.” Te coasal economy is “he sum o all economic aciviy

occurring in counies defined by saes as par o heir coasal zone managemen

program or par o a coasal waershed.”34

U.S. ocean and coasal economies are major drivers o he naion’s prosperiy, bu

he sweeping caegorizaion promoed by NOEP does no acknowledge he envi-

ronmenal ramificaions o some o he larges conribuing indusries. Aciviies

such as minerals exracion can be major economic conribuors, bu hey also canpu a risk oher segmens o he economy ha rely on healhy, unspoiled oceans

and coass in order o exis a all. For example, ar ewer Americans would spend

heir vacaion dollars or a rip o beaches sained wih spilled oil or a porion o

heir grocery budge on seaood ained wih polluion.

FIGURE 1

The United States' ocean economy

Notes: "Construction" includes activity related to marine infrastructure, including ports, piers, energy development platforms, and beachrenourishment. "Living resources" includes fishing and aquaculture. Minerals includes sand and gravel mining, as well as oil and gasactivities. "Ship and boat building" includes construction and manufacturing of military, commercial, and recreational vessels. "Tourism

and recreation" includes restaurants, hotels, and activities such as surfing and diving. "Marine transportation" includes freight andpassenger transportation, as well as manufacturing of search and navigation equipment.

Source: Judith T. Kildow and others, "State of the U.S. Ocean and Coastal Economies 2014" (Monterey, CA: National Ocean EconomicsProgram, 2014), available at http://cbe.miis.edu/noep_publications/1/.

Construction

Living resources

Minerals

Ship andboat building

Tourism andrecreation

Marinetransportation

46,390

59,354

143,995

144,066

443,934

1,931,746

$5.51B

$6.02B

$87.37B

$10.84B

$89.25B

$58.73B

Number of jobs

GDP (in billions)


14/23


Indusries in he Gul o Mexico experienced his calamiy firshand in he aer-

mah o he BP Deepwaer Horizon oil spill in spring 2010, when an esimaed 5

million barrels o oil gushed rom a rupured wellhead.35 Te oil and gas indusry

is clearly a huge economic driver or producing saes in he Gul o Mexico, bu

oher indusries el he brun o he disasrous spill. A 2012 sudy published in

he Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ound ha he midpoinesimae o losses o jus he commercial and recreaional fishing indusries over

he “nex 7 years” would be approximaely $8.7 billion.36

Lessons learned from the U.S. Blue Economy

Te Unied Saes’ bes pracices or measuring he Blue Economy can provide a

useul guide or China. o explore he concep o he Blue Economy wih a more

direc ocus on he overlap beween economic growh and environmenal susain-

abiliy, CAP’s Ocean Policy program published an issue brie in June 2012. “TeFoundaions o a Blue Economy” ocused specifically on our aspecs o U.S. ocean

and coasal economies ha conribue o or rely on healhy oceans and coass and

simulaneously serve or have he poenial o serve as major economic drivers in

heir own righ: susainable fisheries, recreaion and ourism, coasal ecosysem

resoraion, and offshore renewable energy developmen.37 Te overarching goal

o his approach is o ensure ha he economic conribuions o healhy coasal

ecosysems are adequaely evaluaed so communiies and decision makers a all

levels o governmen can promoe and implemen policies ha provide he greaes

economic and environmenal benefis over he long erm.

Tis approach is by no means comprehensive o all ocean-relaed economic

aciviy, as i excludes some o he larges financial secors ha operae in he off-

shore space, paricularly shipping and offshore minerals developmen, including

oil and gas drilling. Oher organizaions wihin he Unied Saes have sough

o promoe he concep o he Blue Economy by including new and emerging

indusries. Tese indusries include echnological innovaors in secors such as

environmenal saey and compliance, marine roboics, aquaculure, desalina-

ion, and marine bioechnology.

NOEP also analyzes daa on he developmen o service indusries ha suppor

hese innovaors, including he porions o he financial and insurance secors ha

allow developmen o blue research and echnology. Tese secors are someimes

collecively reerred o as he “New Blue Economy” or “Blue ech.”


15/23


Tese secors are undamenal o a sraegy o developing “Blue Clusers,” which

boh he Unied Saes and China are currenly implemening. Tis pracice involves

promoing he symbioic growh o ocean-relaed indusries, paricularly in he

research and high-ech secors, co-locaed in a single geographic area. As menioned

above, China is developing a “Blue Economic Zone” in he ciy o Qingdao in

Shandong Province.38

Meanwhile, in he Unied Saes, an organizaion called TeMariime Alliance and he ciy o San Diego, Caliornia, have promoed a similar

approach o blue growh. Teir model encourages businesses and indusries ha rely

on he mariime secor o operae in close geographic proximiy in wha is known as

a Blue ech, or mariime echnology, cluser, as deailed in he San Diego Mariime

Indusry Repor 2012.39 Tis allows he componen secors o collecively ake

advanage o economies o scale, operae more collaboraively when appropriae,

and deliver heir producs and services more efficienly o consumers and cliens.

One way o hink o his approach is similar o a shopping mallone-sop shopping

or users o connec wih developers and purveyors o mariime echnology.

Jus as China is pursuing a Naional Marine Funcional Zoning Plan, he U.S. gov-

ernmen is also in he process o prioriizing ocean planning. In 2010, Presiden

Barack Obama esablished a Naional Policy or he Sewardship o he Ocean,

Our Coass, and he Grea Lakes.40 Among oher prioriies, he Naional Ocean

Policy Implemenaion Plan encourages regional groupings o coasal saes o col-

laborae on regional ocean plans o help opimize curren and uure uses o ocean

space.41 Te Norheas and mid-Alanic regions are well ino heir ocean planning

processes, and in 2014, he Caribbean region iniiaed a regional planning process

o is own, calling he effor “key o supporing healhy marine ecosysems and he

economies o our coasal communiies.”42


16/23


Recommendations: Lessons

learned and opportunities

for collaboration

Clearly, here are some similariies and some differences in how he Unied

Saes and China approach developmen o he Blue Economy. Jus as ocean

currens circle he globe, making marine ecosysems inherenly inerrelaed, so

should he wo approaches blend and lead o greaer collaboraion. Here, we

ouline hree key recommendaions or cooperaion beween he world’s wo

larges marine economic engines.

Jointly develop a methodology to measure long-term

economic contributions of healthy coasts and oceans

Boh China and he Unied Saes will coninue o develop heir coasal and ocean

economies. As he global populaion increases, addiional indusrial aciviies and

uses o offshore space will ineviably emerge as a resul o quess or resources,

ransporaion corridors, and space or inrasrucure projecs such as por acili-

ies. Ye any expansion o indusrial developmen in he ocean mus incorporae

principles o naural resource valuaion. Te resources hemselves conribue value

o sociey, and indusrial developmen ha harms or removes hese resources here-

ore comes a a cos. A sal marsh, or example, serves as a naural buffer o flooding

and sorm surge, and once i is desroyed and urned ino buil inrasrucure, he

land and surrounding land become subjec o addiional risk and damages when

flooding occurs. Wihou adequae accouning or hese coss, naions canno make

accurae long-erm projecions or economic reurns; hey may be able o calculae

projeced benefis, bu he rue coss will never be known. Robus, healhy ocean

and coasal ecosysems provide value, even i ha value may be difficul o quaniy.

Te Unied Saes and China are srongly posiioned o increase undersandingo hese values, which may change he calculus abou he benefis ha indusrial

developmen could acually provide o sociey. While he economic benefis o

leting naure run is course may be real, i no one makes a direc profi, here are

ewer advocaes o generae suppor in he cour o public or poliical opinion. In

his insance, Chinawih is srong, cenralized governmen and nonradiional


17/23


capialis srucuremay acually be in a beter posiion han he Unied Saes o

insiue policies ha reflec he principles o nonmarke naural resource valu-

aion. Te cenral governmen, aer all, should have a greaer ocus on he good

o he naion as a whole, no jus he good o is corporae eniies. Meanwhile,

American academic insiuions have been invesigaing hese conceps or

decades, and sharing ha knowledge wih China can lead o more rapid assimila-ion o naural resource valuaion mehods ino naional decision making.

Develop joint initiatives for ocean planning and Blue Technology clusters

A promising sep oward more robus Sino-American cooperaion on he Blue

Economy is he developmen o new iniiaives on marine developmen under

he U.S. Sae Deparmen’s EcoParnerships program, which suppors join

effors beween ciies and saes in he Unied Saes and China o address

shared environmenal challenges. A presen, many EcoParnerships ocuson climae- and energy-relaed issues. Bu one iniiaive beween he ciies o

Seatle, Washingon, and Dalian, Liaoning Province, ocuses on miigaing he

environmenal impac o large por aciliies. Addiional parnerships could

come o ruiion in he area o Blue ech. San Diego, Caliornia, and Qingdao,

Shandong Province, are wo ciies ha have become highly invesed in he pro-

moion o mariime echnology developmen, providing Blue Economic Zones

or companies o esablish hemselves in hese communiies.

U.S. and Chinese officials should make i a prioriy o connec regions in he wo

counries ha are developing he concep o ocean planning, someimes reerred o

as marine spaial planning. Te idea is ha as new usessuch as offshore renew-

able energy and seabed miningemerge and compee or ocean space wih exis-

ing indusriessuch as shipping and fisherieshe governmen should develop

a mehod o zoning he ocean o ensure ha hese aciviies can efficienly coexis.

China has already esablished is Naional Marine Indusrial Developmen Zoning

Plan. Te U.S. Naional Ocean Policy also prioriizes ocean planning iniiaives ha

bring neighboring sae represenaives ogeher wih ederal and ribal eniies,

marine indusries, and conservaion groups o collaboraively discuss managemen

o heir shared ocean space and resources. Forging parnerships beween areas suchas Qingdao and like-minded areas in he Unied Saes, such as Massachusets and

Rhode Islandwhere he concep o ocean planning has aken roocan help

srenghen cooperaion a boh subnaional and inergovernmenal levels.


18/23


Enhance and develop bilateral partnerships

and best practices in data collection and sharing

Wih boh he Unied Saes and China invesing heavily in he susainabiliy o

ocean indusries and marine scienific research, here is ample opporuniy or boh

naions o share heir discoveries and bes pracices. Te Unied Saes and Chinashould boh ake advanage o economies o scale and accelerae he rise o susain-

abiliy and undersanding o he value o marine naural resources. One area where

bilaeral cooperaion exiss and has been highly effecive is he parnership beween

he U.S. Coas Guard and is Chinese fishery enorcemen counerpars. Trough

his program, members o China’s Fisheries Law Enorcemen Command ride

aboard U.S. Coas Guard cuters operaing in he Pacific Ocean o assis in he batle

agains illegal, unrepored, and unregulaed fishing aciviy in inernaional waers.43

A specific issue ha appears ripe or cooperaion is oil spill response. Unorunaely,

boh China and he Unied Saes have suffered large-scale oil spills in recen years, which have resuled in large economic and environmenal losses. An EcoParnership

projecperhaps coupled wih a srucured inergovernmenal iniiaive beween

he U.S. Coas Guard and he Chinese Sae Oceanic Adminisraioncould help

boh counries develop more-effecive procedures o respond o oil spills and mini-

mize economic and environmenal harm. Regions where oil producion and impor

aciliies are concenraedsuch as he Liaoning, Shandong, and ianjin provinces

in China and exas and Louisiana in he Unied Saeswould be naural ocal

poins or an EcoParnership cenered on oil spill response.

Furhermore, boh counries should coninue o develop heir scienific ocean

observing capaciy hrough he deploymen o buoys, mobile insrumens, and sa-

ellies. As hese inegraed ocean observing sysems expand, a bilaeral agreemen

o share scienific daa and develop complemenary daa collecion and dissemina-

ion mehodologies would clearly benefi no jus he Unied Saes and China bu

also global undersanding o oceanographic condiions and he changing climae.


19/23


Conclusion

Las all, when he Unied Saes and China finalized heir groundbreaking

agreemen on reducing carbon polluion and oher greenhouse gas emissions,44

i signaled Beijing’s openness o serious commimens on environmenal proec-

ion. Wih wo o he world’s larges economies commiting o serious, meaningul

acion o address climae change, he res o he world has an example o ollow.

Now, he wo naions have an opporuniy o build on ha cooperaion wih

uure agreemens on managemen o our plane’s hreaened marine ecosysems.

Our oceans hold vas economic developmen poenial, bu hey are also unda-

menal o mainaining human lie on his planeas moderaors o emperaure,

providers o nourishmen and energy, and as he source o more han hal he

oxygen we breahe. Forunaely or us, economic growh does no require environ-

menal degradaion. In ac, proecing ully uncioning marine ecosysems may

be he smares invesmen o capial ha we as a sociey can make.


20/23


About the authors

Michael Conathan is he Direcor o Ocean Policy a he Cener or American

Progress, where his work ocuses on promoing viable policy soluions o improve

he managemen o America’s oceans and coass and he indusries and communi-

ies ha rely on hem.

Scott Moore is a Council on Foreign Relaions inernaional affairs ellow and a

poliical scienis who ocuses on environmenal policy and poliics in China.

Acknowledgments

Te auhors would like o hank Judy Kildow and Jason Scorse rom he Cener or

he Blue Economy a he Middlebury Insiue or Inernaional Sudies a Monerey,

as well as saff rom he Cener or American Progressincluding Melanie Har,Shiva Polefa, and Alexander Fieldsor heir conribuions o his repor.


21/23


Endnotes

1 U.N. Population Fund, “World Population Trends,” avail-able at http://www.unfpa.org/world-population-trends (last accessed May 2015).

2 Xianyao Chen and Ka-Kit Tung, “Varying planetary heatsink led to global-warming slowdown and acceleration,”

Science, 345 (6199) (2014): 897–903, available at http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6199/897.

3 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,“Marine organisms produce over half of the oxygenthat land animals need to breathe,” available at http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/oceanproduction.html(last accessed April 2015).

4 Central Intelligence Agency, “The World Factbook:Country Comparison :: Population,” available at https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html (last accessed May 2015).

5 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, TheUnited States Is an Ocean Nation (U.S. Department ofCommerce, 2011), available at http://www.gc.noaa.gov/documents/2011/012711_gcil_maritime_eez_map.pdf .

6 U.N. Conference on Small Island Developing States,“SIDS Action Platform,” available at http://www.sids2014.org/index.php?page=view&type=13&nr=59&menu=1515 (last accessed April 2015).

7 U.N. Sustainable Development, “Blue Economy ConceptPaper” (2014), available at https://sustainabledevelop-ment.un.org/content/documents/2978BEconcept.pdf .

8 United Nations, “U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea- Part V: Exclusive Economic Zone,” available at http://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htm (last accessed May 2015).

9 John Lablache and Sharon Uranie, “Seychelles takingsteps to protect more marine areas of its oceanic zone,”Seychelles News Agency, June 11, 2014, available at http://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/702/Seychelles+taking+steps+to+protect+more+marine+are

as+of+its+oceanic+zone.

10 Tania Branigan, “China takes environmental docu-mentary that went viral off the web,” The Guardian,March 6, 2015, available at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/06/china-takes-environmental-documentary-off-the-web.

11 Colin Schultz, “China’s Massive Algae Bloom CouldLeave the Ocean Lifeless,” Smithsonian, July 5, 2013,available at http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-massive-algae-bloom-could-leave-the-oceans-water-lifeless-7262513/?no-ist.

12 State Oceanic Administration, “Marine EnvironmentBulletin,” March 21, 2014, available at http://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyhjzlgb/hyhjzlgbml/2013nzghyhjzkgb_2484/201403/t20140321_31051.html.

13 Ying Yiyuan, “Overfishing depletes fish stocks in E.China Sea,” China National Television, May 31, 2013,available at http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsup-date/20130531/104071.shtml.

14 Cara Anna, “Large China oil spill threatens sea life,water,” San Francisco Chronicle, available at http://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Large-China-oil-spill-threat-ens-sea-life-water-3258484.php.

15 People’s Republic of China, “The 11th Five-Year Plan,”available at http://www.gov.cn/english/special/115y_index.htm (last accessed May 2015).

16 China Briefing, “China releases 12th Five-Year Plan forthe Marine Economy,” February 1, 2013, available at

http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2013/02/01/china-releases-12th-five-year-plan-for-the-marine-economy.html.

17 Ibid.

18 Ibid.

19 State Oceanic Administration, “National Marine Indus-trial Development Plan Highlights,” National MarineInformation Centre, May 12, 2008, available at http://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/3.html.

20 State Oceanic Administration, “National MarineFunctional Zoning Plan,” National Marine InformationCentre, March 2012, available at http://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/4.html.

21 China Briefing, “Qingdao’s Blue Economy: Marine invest-

ment on the rise,” June 12, 2014, available at http://www.china-briefing.com/news/2014/06/12/qingdaos-blue-economy-marine-investment-rise.html.

22 State Oceanic Administration, “2013 Annual NationalMarine Economic Statistics Report” (2014), available athttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyjjtjgb/201403/t20140311_30836.html.

23 Ibid.

24 Hao Nan, “Declaration lays foundations for buildingthe blue economy,” State Oceanic AdministrationPeople’s Republic Of China, September 29, 2014,available at http://www.soa.gov.cn/english/201409/t20140929_33701.html.

25 Judy Kildow and others, “State of the U.S. Ocean andCoastal Economies 2014” (Monterey, CA: National

Ocean Economics Program, 2014), p. 8, available athttp://cbe.miis.edu/noep_publications/1/.

26 Ibid.

27 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Na-tional Coastal Population Report: Population Trends from1970 to 2020 (U.S. Department of Commerce, 2013),available at http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/features/coastal-population-report.pdf .

28 Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Alaska OuterContinental Shelf: Chukchi Sea Planning Area, Oil and GasLease Sale 193, In the Chukchi Sea, Alaska; Final SecondSupplemental Environmental Impact Statement: Vol. 1,Chapters 1-7 (U.S. Department of the In terior, 2015),p. 156, available at http://w ww.boem.gov/upload-edFiles/BOEM/About_BOEM/BOEM_Regions/Alas-ka_Region/Leasing_and_Plans/Leasing/Lease_Sales/

Sale_193/2015_0127_LS193_Final_2nd_SEIS_Vol1.pdf .

29 Michael Conathan and Kiley Kroh, “Putting a Freeze onArctic Ocean Drilling” (Washington: Center for Ameri-can Progress, 2012), available at https://www.american-progress.org/issues/green/report/2012/02/03/11104/putting-a-freeze-on-arctic-ocean-drilling/.

http://www.unfpa.org/world-population-trendshttp://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6199/897http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6199/897http://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/oceanproduction.htmlhttp://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/oceanproduction.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.htmlhttp://www.gc.noaa.gov/documents/2011/012711_gcil_maritime_eez_map.pdfhttp://www.gc.noaa.gov/documents/2011/012711_gcil_maritime_eez_map.pdfhttp://www.sids2014.org/index.php?page=view&type=13&nr=59&menu=1515http://www.sids2014.org/index.php?page=view&type=13&nr=59&menu=1515http://www.sids2014.org/index.php?page=view&type=13&nr=59&menu=1515https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/2978BEconcept.pdfhttps://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/2978BEconcept.pdfhttp://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htmhttp://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htmhttp://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htmhttp://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/702/Seychelles+taking+steps+to+protect+more+marine+areas+of+its+oceanic+zonehttp://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/702/Seychelles+taking+steps+to+protect+more+marine+areas+of+its+oceanic+zonehttp://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/702/Seychelles+taking+steps+to+protect+more+marine+areas+of+its+oceanic+zonehttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/06/china-takes-environmental-documentary-off-the-webhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/06/china-takes-environmental-documentary-off-the-webhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/06/china-takes-environmental-documentary-off-the-webhttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-massive-algae-bloom-could-leave-the-oceans-water-lifeless-7262513/?no-isthttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-massive-algae-bloom-could-leave-the-oceans-water-lifeless-7262513/?no-isthttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-massive-algae-bloom-could-leave-the-oceans-water-lifeless-7262513/?no-isthttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyhjzlgb/hyhjzlgbml/2013nzghyhjzkgb_2484/201403/t20140321_31051.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyhjzlgb/hyhjzlgbml/2013nzghyhjzkgb_2484/201403/t20140321_31051.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyhjzlgb/hyhjzlgbml/2013nzghyhjzkgb_2484/201403/t20140321_31051.htmlhttp://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20130531/104071.shtmlhttp://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20130531/104071.shtmlhttp://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Large-China-oil-spill-threatens-sea-life-water-3258484.phphttp://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Large-China-oil-spill-threatens-sea-life-water-3258484.phphttp://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Large-China-oil-spill-threatens-sea-life-water-3258484.phphttp://www.gov.cn/english/special/115y_index.htmhttp://www.gov.cn/english/special/115y_index.htmhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2013/02/01/china-releases-12th-five-year-plan-for-the-marine-economy.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2013/02/01/china-releases-12th-five-year-plan-for-the-marine-economy.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2013/02/01/china-releases-12th-five-year-plan-for-the-marine-economy.htmlhttp://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/3.htmlhttp://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/3.htmlhttp://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/4.htmlhttp://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/4.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2014/06/12/qingdaos-blue-economy-marine-investment-rise.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2014/06/12/qingdaos-blue-economy-marine-investment-rise.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2014/06/12/qingdaos-blue-economy-marine-investment-rise.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyjjtjgb/201403/t20140311_30836.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyjjtjgb/201403/t20140311_30836.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/english/201409/t20140929_33701.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/english/201409/t20140929_33701.htmlhttp://cbe.miis.edu/noep_publications/1/http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/features/coastal-population-report.pdfhttp://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/features/coastal-population-report.pdfhttp://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/About_BOEM/BOEM_Regions/Alaska_Region/Leasing_and_Plans/Leasing/Lease_Sales/Sale_193/2015_0127_LS193_Final_2nd_SEIS_Vol1.pdfhttp://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/About_BOEM/BOEM_Regions/Alaska_Region/Leasing_and_Plans/Leasing/Lease_Sales/Sale_193/2015_0127_LS193_Final_2nd_SEIS_Vol1.pdfhttp://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/About_BOEM/BOEM_Regions/Alaska_Region/Leasing_and_Plans/Leasing/Lease_Sales/Sale_193/2015_0127_LS193_Final_2nd_SEIS_Vol1.pdfhttp://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/About_BOEM/BOEM_Regions/Alaska_Region/Leasing_and_Plans/Leasing/Lease_Sales/Sale_193/2015_0127_LS193_Final_2nd_SEIS_Vol1.pdfhttps://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/02/03/11104/putting-a-freeze-on-arctic-ocean-drilling/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/02/03/11104/putting-a-freeze-on-arctic-ocean-drilling/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/02/03/11104/putting-a-freeze-on-arctic-ocean-drilling/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/02/03/11104/putting-a-freeze-on-arctic-ocean-drilling/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/02/03/11104/putting-a-freeze-on-arctic-ocean-drilling/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/02/03/11104/putting-a-freeze-on-arctic-ocean-drilling/http://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/About_BOEM/BOEM_Regions/Alaska_Region/Leasing_and_Plans/Leasing/Lease_Sales/Sale_193/2015_0127_LS193_Final_2nd_SEIS_Vol1.pdfhttp://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/About_BOEM/BOEM_Regions/Alaska_Region/Leasing_and_Plans/Leasing/Lease_Sales/Sale_193/2015_0127_LS193_Final_2nd_SEIS_Vol1.pdfhttp://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/About_BOEM/BOEM_Regions/Alaska_Region/Leasing_and_Plans/Leasing/Lease_Sales/Sale_193/2015_0127_LS193_Final_2nd_SEIS_Vol1.pdfhttp://www.boem.gov/uploadedFiles/BOEM/About_BOEM/BOEM_Regions/Alaska_Region/Leasing_and_Plans/Leasing/Lease_Sales/Sale_193/2015_0127_LS193_Final_2nd_SEIS_Vol1.pdfhttp://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/features/coastal-population-report.pdfhttp://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/features/coastal-population-report.pdfhttp://cbe.miis.edu/noep_publications/1/http://www.soa.gov.cn/english/201409/t20140929_33701.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/english/201409/t20140929_33701.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyjjtjgb/201403/t20140311_30836.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyjjtjgb/201403/t20140311_30836.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2014/06/12/qingdaos-blue-economy-marine-investment-rise.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2014/06/12/qingdaos-blue-economy-marine-investment-rise.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2014/06/12/qingdaos-blue-economy-marine-investment-rise.htmlhttp://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/4.htmlhttp://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/4.htmlhttp://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/3.htmlhttp://www.cme.gov.cn/gh/2013/zx/3.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2013/02/01/china-releases-12th-five-year-plan-for-the-marine-economy.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2013/02/01/china-releases-12th-five-year-plan-for-the-marine-economy.htmlhttp://www.china-briefing.com/news/2013/02/01/china-releases-12th-five-year-plan-for-the-marine-economy.htmlhttp://www.gov.cn/english/special/115y_index.htmhttp://www.gov.cn/english/special/115y_index.htmhttp://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Large-China-oil-spill-threatens-sea-life-water-3258484.phphttp://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Large-China-oil-spill-threatens-sea-life-water-3258484.phphttp://www.sfgate.com/world/article/Large-China-oil-spill-threatens-sea-life-water-3258484.phphttp://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20130531/104071.shtmlhttp://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20130531/104071.shtmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyhjzlgb/hyhjzlgbml/2013nzghyhjzkgb_2484/201403/t20140321_31051.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyhjzlgb/hyhjzlgbml/2013nzghyhjzkgb_2484/201403/t20140321_31051.htmlhttp://www.soa.gov.cn/zwgk/hygb/zghyhjzlgb/hyhjzlgbml/2013nzghyhjzkgb_2484/201403/t20140321_31051.htmlhttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-massive-algae-bloom-could-leave-the-oceans-water-lifeless-7262513/?no-isthttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-massive-algae-bloom-could-leave-the-oceans-water-lifeless-7262513/?no-isthttp://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/chinas-massive-algae-bloom-could-leave-the-oceans-water-lifeless-7262513/?no-isthttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/06/china-takes-environmental-documentary-off-the-webhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/06/china-takes-environmental-documentary-off-the-webhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/06/china-takes-environmental-documentary-off-the-webhttp://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/702/Seychelles+taking+steps+to+protect+more+marine+areas+of+its+oceanic+zonehttp://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/702/Seychelles+taking+steps+to+protect+more+marine+areas+of+its+oceanic+zonehttp://www.seychellesnewsagency.com/articles/702/Seychelles+taking+steps+to+protect+more+marine+areas+of+its+oceanic+zonehttp://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htmhttp://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htmhttp://www.un.org/depts/los/convention_agreements/texts/unclos/part5.htmhttps://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/2978BEconcept.pdfhttps://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/2978BEconcept.pdfhttp://www.sids2014.org/index.php?page=view&type=13&nr=59&menu=1515http://www.sids2014.org/index.php?page=view&type=13&nr=59&menu=1515http://www.sids2014.org/index.php?page=view&type=13&nr=59&menu=1515http://www.gc.noaa.gov/documents/2011/012711_gcil_maritime_eez_map.pdfhttp://www.gc.noaa.gov/documents/2011/012711_gcil_maritime_eez_map.pdfhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.htmlhttps://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/rankorder/2119rank.htmlhttp://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/oceanproduction.htmlhttp://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/facts/oceanproduction.htmlhttp://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6199/897http://www.sciencemag.org/content/345/6199/897http://www.unfpa.org/world-population-trends


22/23


30 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,“NOAA-supported scientists find large Gulf dead zone,but smaller than predicted,” July 29, 2013, available athttp://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/2013029_deadzone.html.

31 Jane Lubchenco, “The Blue Economy: Understandingthe Ocean’s Role in the Nation’s Future,” Remarks deliv-ered at Capitol Hill Ocean Week, June 9, 2009, availableat http://www.pco.noaa.gov/documents/administra-tionRemarks/60909_Lubchenco_CHOW.pdf .

32 Michael Conathan, Jeffrey Buchanan, and Shiva Polefka,“The Economic Case for Restoring Coastal Ecosystems”(Washington: Center for American Progress, 2014),available at https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2014/04/09/87386/the-economic-case-for-restoring-coastal-ecosystems/.

33 National Oce an Economics Program, “About NOEP,”available at http://www.oceaneconomics.org/ (lastaccessed April 2015).

34 Kildow and others, “State of the U.S. Ocean and CoastalEconomies 2014.”

35 Kiley Kroh and Michael Conathan, “The Lasting Impactof Deepwater Horizon,” Center for American Progress,April 19, 2012, available at https://www.american-progress.org/issues/green/news/2012/04/19/11409/the-lasting-impact-of-deepwater-horizon/.

36 U. Rashid Sumaila and others, “Impact of the DeepwaterHorizon well blowout on the economics of US Gulf fish-eries,” Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 69 (3) (2012): 499–510.

37 Michael Conathan and Kiley Kroh, “The Foundationsof a Blue Economy” (Washington: Center for AmericanProgress, 2012), available at https://www.american-progress.org/issues/green/report/2012/06/27/11794/the-foundations-of-a-blue-economy/.

38 China Briefing, “Qingdao’s Blue Economy: Marine invest-ment on the rise.”

39 San Diego Workforce Partnership, San Diego RegionalEconomic Development Corporation, and The MaritimeAlliance, “San Diego Maritime Industry Report 2012”(2012), available at http://themaritimealliance.org/pdf/SanDiegoMaritimeClusterAnalysis2012.pdf.

40 The White House, “Executive Order 13547—Steward-ship of the Ocean, Our Coasts, and the Great Lakes,”Press release, July 19, 2010, available at http://www.

whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-stewardship-ocean-our-coasts-and-great-lakes.

41 National Ocean Council, “National Ocean PolicyImplementation Plan” (2013), available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/imple-mentationplan.

42 Caribbean Regional Ocean Partnership, “Home,” avail-able at http://caribbean-mp.org/en/ (last accessed April2015).

43 NOAA Fisheries, Memorandum of UnderstandingBetween the Government of the United States of Americaand the Government of the People’s Republic of Chinaon Effective Cooperation and Implementation of UnitedNations General Assembly Resolution 46/215 of December20, 1991 (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1993), avail-able at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/agreements/

bilateral_arrangements/chinabilat.pdf .

44 The White House, “U.S.-China Joint Announcement onClimate Change,” Press release, November 12, 2014,available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-change.

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/2013029_deadzone.htmlhttp://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/2013029_deadzone.htmlhttp://www.pco.noaa.gov/documents/administrationRemarks/60909_Lubchenco_CHOW.pdfhttp://www.pco.noaa.gov/documents/administrationRemarks/60909_Lubchenco_CHOW.pdfhttps://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2014/04/09/87386/the-economic-case-for-restoring-coastal-ecosystems/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2014/04/09/87386/the-economic-case-for-restoring-coastal-ecosystems/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2014/04/09/87386/the-economic-case-for-restoring-coastal-ecosystems/http://www.oceaneconomics.org/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2012/04/19/11409/the-lasting-impact-of-deepwater-horizon/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2012/04/19/11409/the-lasting-impact-of-deepwater-horizon/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2012/04/19/11409/the-lasting-impact-of-deepwater-horizon/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/06/27/11794/the-foundations-of-a-blue-economy/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/06/27/11794/the-foundations-of-a-blue-economy/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/06/27/11794/the-foundations-of-a-blue-economy/http://themaritimealliance.org/pdf/SanDiegoMaritimeClusterAnalysis2012.pdfhttp://themaritimealliance.org/pdf/SanDiegoMaritimeClusterAnalysis2012.pdfhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-stewardship-ocean-our-coasts-and-great-lakeshttp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-stewardship-ocean-our-coasts-and-great-lakeshttp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-stewardship-ocean-our-coasts-and-great-lakeshttp://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/implementationplanhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/implementationplanhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/implementationplanhttp://caribbean-mp.org/en/http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/agreements/bilateral_arrangements/chinabilat.pdfhttp://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/agreements/bilateral_arrangements/chinabilat.pdfhttps://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-changehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-changehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-changehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-changehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-changehttps://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/11/11/us-china-joint-announcement-climate-changehttp://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/agreements/bilateral_arrangements/chinabilat.pdfhttp://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/ia/agreements/bilateral_arrangements/chinabilat.pdfhttp://caribbean-mp.org/en/http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/implementationplanhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/implementationplanhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/oceans/implementationplanhttp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-stewardship-ocean-our-coasts-and-great-lakeshttp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-stewardship-ocean-our-coasts-and-great-lakeshttp://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/executive-order-stewardship-ocean-our-coasts-and-great-lakeshttp://themaritimealliance.org/pdf/SanDiegoMaritimeClusterAnalysis2012.pdfhttp://themaritimealliance.org/pdf/SanDiegoMaritimeClusterAnalysis2012.pdfhttps://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/06/27/11794/the-foundations-of-a-blue-economy/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/06/27/11794/the-foundations-of-a-blue-economy/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2012/06/27/11794/the-foundations-of-a-blue-economy/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2012/04/19/11409/the-lasting-impact-of-deepwater-horizon/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2012/04/19/11409/the-lasting-impact-of-deepwater-horizon/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/news/2012/04/19/11409/the-lasting-impact-of-deepwater-horizon/http://www.oceaneconomics.org/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2014/04/09/87386/the-economic-case-for-restoring-coastal-ecosystems/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2014/04/09/87386/the-economic-case-for-restoring-coastal-ecosystems/https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/green/report/2014/04/09/87386/the-economic-case-for-restoring-coastal-ecosystems/http://www.pco.noaa.gov/documents/administrationRemarks/60909_Lubchenco_CHOW.pdfhttp://www.pco.noaa.gov/documents/administrationRemarks/60909_Lubchenco_CHOW.pdfhttp://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/2013029_deadzone.htmlhttp://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2013/2013029_deadzone.html


23/23

Our Mission

The Center for American

Progress is an independent,

nonpartisan policy institute

that is dedicated to improving

the lives of all Americans,

through bold, progressive

ideas, as well as strongleadership and concerted

action. Our aim is not just to

change the conversation, but

to change the country.

Our Values

As progressives, we believe

America should be a land of

boundless opportunity, where

people can climb the ladder

of economic mobility. We

believe we owe it to future

generations to protect theplanet and promote peace

and shared global prosperity.

And we believe an effective

government can earn the

trust of the American people,

champion the common

good over narrow self-interest,

and harness the strength ofour diversity.

Our Approach

We develop new policy ideas

challenge the media to cover

the issues that truly matter,

and shape the national debat

With policy teams in major

issue areas, American Progres

can think creatively at thecross-section of traditional

boundaries to develop ideas

for policymakers that lead to

real change. By employing an

extensive communications

and outreach effort that we

adapt to a rapidly changing

media landscape, we move

our ideas aggressively in thenational policy debate.

developing a blue economy in china and the united states

Documents