Conceptualizing the interplay between blue justice, blue economy, and blue governance

Recent literature on blue justice underscores its growing relevance to legal instruments and state practices of blue governance. The blue economy, while promising sustainable development, often generates risks for coastal communities, including displacement, inequitable distribution of benefits and harms, and exclusion from governance processes. In response, states and international organizations have begun integrating environmental justice principles into ocean policies to promote equitable access and sustainable use of marine resources. However, much of the existing research remains largely descriptive. This paper advances the discourse by conceptualizing the interplay between blue justice, blue economy, and blue governance through three analytical lenses: (1) rigid and fluid, (2) global and local, and (3) plural and singular. The first lens highlights how static governance frameworks struggle to manage dynamic marine environments, leading to “governance inelasticity.” The second lens reveals the fragmented and often asymmetrical nature of decision-making across scales, resulting in “siloed justice approaches.” The third lens critiques dominant narratives that marginalize alternative histories and visions, leading to “singular perspectives”. Together, these lenses expose how justice risks emerge from mismatches between governance structures and the socio-ecological realities of blue spaces. By making these interconnections explicit, the paper offers a conceptual foundation for rethinking marine policy and governance. In doing so, it aims to support more inclusive, adaptive, and pluralistic approaches to governing the blue economy—contributing to ongoing efforts to ensure a just and sustainable ocean future.