This EU study increases awareness and transparency of unsustainable financing in the blue economy. It characterises unsustainable financial practices in the blue economy, explores the reasons for their persistence and puts forward recommendations to steer investments towards sustainability. Case studies include Cayman Islands, China, South Korea, Japan, New Zealand, Belize, Albania, Montenegro, Mozambique, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Senegal, Vietnam, Thailand, Belgium, Netherlands, US, and EU.

The European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries is supporting a shift in finance away from unsustainable marine and maritime activities, towards investments in a sustainable blue economy and in support of the EU Green Deal and Recovery Plan for Europe. This study contributes to this initiative by increasing the awareness and transparency of unsustainable financing in the blue economy.