June 25, (THEWILL) – Chairman, Board of Trustees of BRACED Tourism Promotion & Development Initiative (BTPDI), comprising Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Edo and Delta States, Dr Piriye Kiyaramo said integrated approaches to the development of Blue Economy would unlock multiple benefits, ranging from environmental, social and economic, to drive sustainable development at the grassroots
Dr Kiyaramo, the immediate past Senior Special Assistant (SSA), to Bayelsa State Governor on Tourism and Publisher of The Blue Economy Magazine Online, who asserted while speaking with travel writers in Yenagoa on Tuesday, also hinted that “with an annual economic value estimated at US$2.5 trillion, the ‘Blue Economy’ is equivalent to the world’s 7th largest economy.
He expressed deep concern that with a growing human population and the increasing demand for resources the connecting oceans, seas, coasts and inland waters now face a triple-planetary crisis of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss, noting that these global challenges have put the well-being of current and future generations in jeopardy.
According to him, countries are increasingly looking for ways to develop their ocean economies while making concerted efforts to address these crises in a bid to meet their inter-connected targets as enshrined in the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement.
Dr Kiyaramo maintained that only a well-sustainable Blue Economy strategy can overcome the disconnected manner our oceans, coasts and freshwater ecosystems have been managed, informing that sustainable development would imply that we manage our marine resources with caution while addressing our economic, social and ecological needs.
“Sustainable blue economy would provide essential benefits for both current and future generations to restore, protect and maintain diverse productive and resilient ecosystems through the use of clean technologies, renewable energy and circular material flows.
“A healthy ocean remains the key to a sustainable future, both for people and our planet. There is an urgent need for relevant agencies and departments of government to harness resources of the oceans, seas, and coastal ecosystems to meet the increasing demands.
“It is imperative that we do this in a sustainable manner as rapid unsustainable growth of ocean-related sectors would lead to environmental risks which could erode our ocean’s resource base”, Dr Kiyaramo said.
He lamented that developing countries and small island developing states face significant challenges, as many of them depend heavily on ocean-based resources, which are overly exposed to the consequences of ocean and coastal degradation and climate change.
Gov. Diri’s former aide pointed out that enhanced access to science, policy advice and financing would allow states that have indicated interest in developing the blue economy to tap into opportunities that exist in the blue economy, such as decent jobs, cleaner energy, improved food security and enhanced resilience, while contributing to the protection of the world’s ocean, coasts and inland waters.
According to Dr Kiyaramo, addressing climate resilience should be the foundational focus of any well-articulated sustainable blue economy development agenda, which would foster policy coherence, nature-based solutions and support planning and management.
About the Author
Amos Okioma is a Correspondent at THEWILL
