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Blue Economy and Competing Discourses in International Oceans Governance

Publication ,  Journal Article
Silver, JJ; Gray, NJ; Campbell, LM; Fairbanks, LW; Gruby, RL
Published in: Journal of Environment and Development
June 4, 2015

In this article, we track a relatively new term in global environmental governance: “blue economy.” Analyzing preparatory documentation and data collected at the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (i.e., Rio + 20), we show how the term entered into use and how it was articulated within four competing discourses regarding human–ocean relations: (a) oceans as natural capital, (b) oceans as good business, (c) oceans as integral to Pacific Small Island Developing States, and (d) oceans as small-scale fisheries livelihoods. Blue economy was consistently invoked to connect oceans with Rio + 20’s “green economy” theme; however, different actors worked to further define the term in ways that prioritized particular oceans problems, solutions, and participants. It is not clear whether blue economy will eventually be understood singularly or as the domain of a particular actor or discourse. We explore possibilities as well as discuss discourse in global environmental governance as powerful and precarious.

Duke Scholars

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Published In

Journal of Environment and Development

DOI

EISSN

1552-5465

ISSN

1070-4965

Publication Date

June 4, 2015

Volume

24

Issue

2

Start / End Page

135 / 160

Related Subject Headings

  • Development Studies
 

Citation

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ICMJE
MLA
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Silver, J. J., Gray, N. J., Campbell, L. M., Fairbanks, L. W., & Gruby, R. L. (2015). Blue Economy and Competing Discourses in International Oceans Governance. Journal of Environment and Development, 24(2), 135–160. https://doi.org/10.1177/1070496515580797
Silver, J. J., N. J. Gray, L. M. Campbell, L. W. Fairbanks, and R. L. Gruby. “Blue Economy and Competing Discourses in International Oceans Governance.” Journal of Environment and Development 24, no. 2 (June 4, 2015): 135–60. https://doi.org/10.1177/1070496515580797.
Silver JJ, Gray NJ, Campbell LM, Fairbanks LW, Gruby RL. Blue Economy and Competing Discourses in International Oceans Governance. Journal of Environment and Development. 2015 Jun 4;24(2):135–60.
Silver, J. J., et al. “Blue Economy and Competing Discourses in International Oceans Governance.” Journal of Environment and Development, vol. 24, no. 2, June 2015, pp. 135–60. Scopus, doi:10.1177/1070496515580797.
Silver JJ, Gray NJ, Campbell LM, Fairbanks LW, Gruby RL. Blue Economy and Competing Discourses in International Oceans Governance. Journal of Environment and Development. 2015 Jun 4;24(2):135–160.
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of Environment and Development

DOI

EISSN

1552-5465

ISSN

1070-4965

Publication Date

June 4, 2015

Volume

24

Issue

2

Start / End Page

135 / 160

Related Subject Headings

  • Development Studies