The Alliance for the Blue Economy ("All Blue")
The Alliance for the Blue Economy ("All Blue") is a local, multidisciplinary initiative to establish Wilmington and southeast North Carolina as a national and global leader in the Blue Economy.
The World Bank describes the Blue Economy as the "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem."
As a CIE program, All Blue's mission is to:
- Support Blue Economy high-impact entrepreneurs and innovators
- Promote the region as an innovation hub and attract Blue Economy investment capital
- Gain recognition as an eventual global leader in Blue Economy solutions
- Champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability
What is the blue economy?
Oceans and rivers are critical to life on our planet. Not only do they provide drinking water, oxygen, and food, they also support countless businesses and millions of jobs. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), ocean-based businesses such as commercial fishing, shipping, tourism, wind energy, and biopharmaceuticals, among others, deliver $361 billion in good and services to the U.S. economy annually and supported 2.2 million jobs.
Yet, our oceans and waterways are facing increasing threats from climate change, pollution, and over-fishing. Parts of the oceans have seven times more plastic than fish. Climate change is warming waters, making it more difficult for fish to reproduce and thrive. Rising sea levels are endangering coastal habitats.
The Blue Economy is a global concept to align ocean economic growth with sustainable ocean and coastal health. The Blue Economy is recognized by The World Bank as "the sustainable use of ocean resources fo economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem."
In establishing the Alliance for the Blue Economy, southeastern North Carolina joins a growing list of Blue Economy hubs in locations such as Boston, Seattle, southern California, the Great Lakes, Alaska, Iceland, and Newfoundland.
Around the world, Blue Economy alliances and hubs are fostering innovation in coastal and oceanic observation, sustainable aquaculture and fisheries, carbon sequestration, and healthy ocean ecosystems to ensure that the ocean's resources sustainably thrive for future generations.
Why Wilmington?
Southeastern North Carolina is ideally positioned to become a viable Blue Economy hub for several reasons that are unique in the nation:
- We're adjacent to the second largest coastline and river estuary in the U.S.
- Southeastern NC has the second largest coastal access to open ocean on the East Coast.
- We're cultivating a growing reputation as a leader in technology-focused businesses that employ highly skilled workers.
- We're home to UNCW (scientific research), NCPorts (commercial application and deployment), and Cape Fear Community College (workforce training). Taken together, these institutions advance Blue Economy science and technologies (UNCW alone has more than 100 faculty engaged in marine sciences and ocean/coastal preservation).
What are some examples of the "Blue Economy"?
Some examples include:
- Marine Engineering and IT: Robotics and Advanced Data Science Analytics
- Marine Biology: Marine Ecosystems, Sustainable Seafood and Aquaculture
- Marine Biotechnology: Pharmacology, Natural Products, Water and Waste Systems and Testing
- Coastal Resilience: Sustainable Hospitality and Recreation, Economic Durability, Infrastructure and Disaster Recovery
Key All Blue Activities
Learn More
Information in the Blue Economy
Happening at UNCW (sign up and get involved)
- Alliance for the Blue Economy
- Shellfish Mariculture Propel
- The UNC Wilmington Blue Economy Index
- Storm Surge Protectors and Spat Monitoring
- Open Water level
- Interested in helping test a new water level sensor? Contact Dr. Phil Bresnahan (bresnahanp@uncw.edu). This is a grassroots effort to develop a better way to gather water level data.
- NC EcoTech
Other Ways to Get Involved
- NC Oyster Trail
- Growers, restaurants, ecotourism and education
- Become a Member or Become a Friend
- Sign up for events
- Travel the NC Oyster Trail https://ncoystertrail.org/
- NC Sea Grant
- Subscribe to Coastwatch
- Subscribe to Hook, Line, and Science
- NC State Blue Economy Innovation Program is happy to announce the 3rd annual Creating Solutions for the Global Blue Economy workshop in Morehead City, Feb 23-24, 2024. The “Creating Solutions for the Global Blue Economy” workshop is a student-oriented event to bring together undergraduates, graduates, practitioners, and subject matter experts together in a forum to learn about the challenges facing development of resilient and sustainable coastal economies. The aim is to inspire students to create teams around shared interests and pursue those ideas in entrepreneurship, research opportunities, and community service.
- Student fellowship:
- Graduate students should consider applying for the Knauss Fellowship:
Partners
- Cape Fear Community College Marine Technology
- Carteret Community College Aquaculture Program
- Coastal Studies Institute
- Entrepreneurship competitions in the Blue Economy
- Ocean Exchange Sea Ahead
- The KIETS Climate Leaders Fall Symposium is a good opportunity.
- The State Energy Conference hosted by the NC State Energy Collaborative.
Keynotes from the Ocean Innovation Conference 2023
- Jake Kheel, author of Waking the Sleeping Giant: Unlocking the Hidden Power of Business to Save Our Planet
- Wallace J. Nicols, author of Blue Mind
- Rear Admiral Laura M. Dickey, Deputy for Materiel Readiness
U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters