PROBLUE: Healthy Ocean, Healthy Economies, Healthy Communities

OVERVIEW AND PILLARS

PROBLUE is a Multi-Donor Trust Fund, housed at the World Bank, that supports the development of integrated, sustainable and healthy marine and coastal resources. PROBLUE contributes to the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) and is fully aligned with the World Bank’s vision to create a world free of poverty on a livable planet.

PROBLUE supports the World Bank’s overall ocean portfolio. In addition to addressing cross-cutting issues such as poverty, livelihoods, social inclusion (including gender), climate change, and maximizing finance for development, PROBLUE focuses on four key areas:

PILLAR 1: Fisheries and Aquaculture

Improving fisheries by tackling the underlying causes of overfishing and strengthening aquaculture sustainability

The overall objective of Pillar 1 is to improve fisheries governance. Activities are divided into two broad categories:

Reducing overexploitation of capture fisheries, including by improving transparency, governance, and reducing the impact of harmful fisheries subsidies;
Improving aquaculture, including by increasing biosecurity to prevent disease, and supporting new development models in aquaculture

PILLAR 2: Marine Pollution

Addressing threats posed to ocean health from marine pollution, including litter and plastics, from marine or land-based sources

The overall objective of Pillar 2 is the prevention of marine pollution and litter. This requires new policies, changes from consumers and industries, investments, innovations, and private sector interventions. Pillar 2 is prioritizing activities that prevent marine plastics, including:

Improving solid waste management to stop leakages;
Transitioning to a more circular economy, in which products are designed for reuse and recycling, making waste more valuable;
Reducing the upstream production and use of plastics

PILLAR 3: Oceanic Sectors

Enhancing sustainability of key oceanic sectors such as tourism, maritime transport and offshore renewable energy

The overall objective of Pillar 3 is the “blueing” of oceanic sectors, to be achieved by supporting more sustainable development of both:

Traditional maritime activities: e.g. shipping and ports, and tourism
More innovative uses: e.g. offshore wind and desalination

PILLAR 4: Seascape Management

Building government capacity to manage marine resources, including nature-based solutions, and to mobilize private sector finance:

The overall objective of Pillar 4 is to strengthen integrated and sustainable management of coastal and marine areas. This involves:

Strengthening government capacity to value and conserve blue natural capital;
Exploring innovative financing to support the Blue Economy;
Developing Blue Economy Development Framework (BEDF) analytical tools including a blue carbon approach;
Promoting the use of nature-based solutions such as mangroves to boost costal resilience

Fact Sheets

Implementing a blue economy approach without focusing on gender equality would preclude any hope of achieving long-term sustainability.

Red fish swim among the coral in the ocean.

The impacts of climate change on oceans are growing: coral bleaching is occurring worldwide and illustrates the effects of water temperature increases caused by a warming planet from ever-increasing greenhouse gas emissions.

Achieving a Blue Economy is contingent on meaningful and effective engagement of a variety of actors - from governments to civil society and the private sector.