A bibliometric analysis of blue growth: Trends, challenges, and opportunities

The European Union is leading the Blue Growth initiative as a strategic approach to increasing economic prosperity in Europe's seas despite today's challenges. Drawing on the EU's Green Growth initiative, Blue Growth extends sustainability principles to marine areas, solidifying commitments to the sustainable management of marine ecosystems and the promotion of technological innovations. This initiative focuses on sectors such as energy, aquaculture, tourism, and biotechnology in coastal and offshore environments. Blue Growth has increased in importance following major events such as Rio+20 and has had a significant impact on ocean and marine resource management practices. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to trace the trajectory of global research on blue growth across science, policy, and the blue economy over the 17 years since the term's inception in 2007. We analyze blue growth using bibliometric techniques. Examining the blue growth literature, identifying key contributors, collaborations, research trends, and gaps. Our analysis covers publication outputs, institutional affiliations, author collaborations, research themes, and alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Blue growth research is aligned with several Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land), highlighting marine conservation and land-sea ecosystem connectivity. Keyword analysis underlines the interdisciplinary nature of blue growth research, highlighting key themes such as the blue economy, aquaculture, and sustainable development. Institutional analysis identifies the University of Exeter and CNR as key contributors, while country-level analysis highlights global collaboration networks. Citation analysis reveals the intellectual structure of blue growth research, with marine biology, oceanography, sustainability science, and climate change among the prominent themes. During the 17-year period from 2007 to 2024, there was a significant increase in publication output, especially from 2013 onwards. Key countries contributing to this research include the UK, US, Germany, Italy and Spain, reflecting extensive global collaboration. The research emphasizes a strong commitment to sustainability, with a heavy emphasis on Environmental Science and Ecology. Alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasizes a focus on marine conservation (SDG 14) and land-sea ecosystem connectivity (SDG 15). Keyword analysis reveals critical themes such as “blue economy,” “aquaculture,” and “sustainable development,” with an emphasis on interdisciplinary approaches. Institutionally, the University of Exeter and CNR stand out among the contributors.