INITIATIVE INITIATIVE: Barcelona Blue Economy website

Barcelona Activa – Barcelona City Council

Carrer de la Llacuna, 162, Barcelona, Spain
website

Barcelona's Blue Economy Strategy boosts and promotes the blue sectors as a new economic hub for the city. It was launched in 2021 by the Barcelona City Council with the collaboration of more than 70 public and private agents from the local blue ecosystem.

Its mission is to develop the potential of the Blue Economy in Barcelona, especially favoring activities focusing on innovation, sustainability, and technology so that these become a vector for creating jobs and achieving economic and social development in the city.

The document aimed to define the driving strategy of the Blue Economy in Barcelona and to set out a roadmap for its implementation through a series of measures and projects already running.

Blue Economy, adapted to Barcelona reality, comprises all economic activities related to the aquatic spheres, which are performed in a manner that is compatible with the environmental conservation of the ecosystems and favour sustainable social and economic development. Barcelona City Council wishes to particularly focus on driving economies linked to the sea, sustainable maritime economies.

The objectives of the strategy are:
- Generate and reinforce economic activity in Barcelona linked to the Blue Economy, ensuring sustainability and environmental regeneration
- Support the integration of the blue economic activity in the city's social fabric in all its dimensions
- Promote and make Blue Economy visible locally and internationally 

Barcelona's Blue Economy strategy promotes twelve economic sectors: port activities, maritime transport and logistics, shipbuilding and maintenance, fishing and bioeconomy, water treatment, nautical activities, sports, tourism, blue biotechnology, marine renewable energies, education, training and research, and culture.
The strategy, designed and promoted with both public and private collaboration, consists of 8 lines of action ranging from the promotion of employment, entrepreneurship, or innovation, to international promotion or urban resilience, always with a sustainable aspect, and promotes 15 projects and 43 measures.

More than 80% are implemented or in progress one year after publication.

Geographical coverage
  • National/local
Intended Users
  • Administrations/Authorities
  • Businessmen/Companies
  • General public
  • Organisations/Associations
  • Policy-makers/managers/planners
  • Researchers and scientists
Source of funding
  • EU Funds
  • Public funding
Macro-themes
  • Aquaculture
  • Biodiversity and ecosystems
  • Climate change
  • Diversification of marine activities
  • Education/training networks & jobs
  • Environment
  • Fisheries/Marine resources
  • General maritime and Mediterranean information
  • Heritage
  • Marine biotechnologies
  • Maritime safety/surveillance/security
  • Maritime stakeholders / clusters
  • Public private funding
  • Renewable energy
  • Scientific research / technologies / innovation
  • Tourism
  • Transport/shipping
  • Oceanography
  • Circular economy
  • Citizen science
  • Pollution / marine litter
  • Ports and harbours
Country of project partners
  • Spain
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