Centre for Blue Governance
We're committed to the protection, restoration and sustainable governance of aquatic environments
Aquatic environments cover more than 70% of our planet's surface, and the value of the global oceans is estimated to be US$24 trillion.
Our international community of inter-disciplinary researchers are working to tackle challenges impacting aquatic systems worldwide. These include the climate, pollution, and biodiversity crises, and the safeguarding of human health and wellbeing.
We are committed to research that supports evidence-driven policy and decision-making, and better governance of our aquatic environments for the common good. New holistic solutions are urgently needed.
Ready to explore?
Use the links below to jump to different sections of the page
Our mission
The Centre for Blue Governance (CBG) aims to promote sustainable aquatic resource management through research, policy development, social and environmental justice, and education. We provide inter-disciplinary expertise to create and implement blue growth strategies in countries and political entities around the world. We also strive to expand blue economic perspectives by encompassing marine and freshwater systems and conceptualising them as development spaces.
The CBG tackles current research themes as well as elaborating on and supplementing established ideas. Our work encompasses numerous sub-topics within five central themes.
Explore our themes below.
What is blue governance?
The blue economy is an economic term relating to the sustainable exploitation of marine and freshwater resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and overall aquatic ecosystem health.
Blue governance is an emerging concept which integrates Blue Economy and Blue Growth with the governance principle. Governance refers to structures and processes which ensure accountability, transparency, responsiveness, rule of law, stability, equity and inclusiveness, empowerment, and broad-based participation.
Blue Governance therefore relates to the public and private institutional mechanisms (such as institutional coordination, private-public partnerships and institutional arrangements) required to implement Blue Economy and Blue Growth initiatives, strategies and policies.
UNESCO Chair in Ocean Governance
A UNESCO Chair is a team led by a higher education or research institution that partners with UNESCO on a project to advance knowledge and practice in an area of common priority. The UNESCO Chair in Ocean Governance is led by the Centre for Blue Governance, University of Portsmouth, to develop around the domain of Ocean and inland waters governance (Blue Governance) that is transdisciplinary by nature and includes disciplines such as economics, management, law, policy, ecology, marine biology, geography, transport logistics and information science.
Professor Pierre Failler was appointed as the Chairholder of the UNESCO Chair in Ocean Governance in December 2021. A set of areas relating to education (PhD programme and visiting fellowship), the natural and social sciences, culture and communication, started to develop since then.
Follow us on X @UNESCOChair_OG
Research projects
MaCoBios
The MaCoBioS project brings together a multidisciplinary team of experts, to ensure the efficient and integrated management and conservation strategies to help the most-important marine coastal ecosystems to face climate change.
Marine SABRES
Co-design, co-produce, and co-deliver a straightforward Social-Ecological Systems framework (simple SES) to analyse, understand and solve marine environmental management problems in simple situations.
GREPPAO
Contribute to the achievement of the overall objective of the PESCAO Programme which is to improve the contribution of fisheries resources to sustainable development, food security and poverty reduction in West Africa.
Gentoo Collaboration
The University is partnering with Gentoo Sailing Team to conduct world-leading global marine research to help measure the challenges faced by the world’s oceans.
BlueGreen Governance
The main goal of BlueGreen Governance is to develop innovative land-sea governance schemes based on scientific evidence and societal choices.
Native Oyster Restoration
The Native Oyster (Ostrea edulis) Restoration Ecology project has created a model for restoration of this key habitat, by relaying millions of oysters into the Solent.
Competitive Angling as a Scientific Tool
Our project uses the newly established annual sea angling competition located in the Solent to collect relevant data, test and optimise the citizen science method to a secure a significant cost-effective legacy.
Affiliated research centres and groups
UNESCO Chair in Ocean Governance
The UNESCO Chair in Ocean Governance develops around the domain of Ocean and inland waters governance (Blue Governance) that is transdisciplinary by nature.
Institute of Marine Sciences
Explore the marine ecosystems of the Solent European Marine Site at our shoreside marine station, complete with floating research platform, £2 million aquarium and laboratory suite, and 2 research vessels, RV Calypso and RV Noctiluca.
Revolution Plastics Institute
From developing sustainable fashion to combatting microplastics, we’re putting our research into practice, working with local groups, organisations, businesses and individuals to solve the planet's plastic problem.
Latest news and blogs
News
View all
University teams up with Hampshire sailor to help protect the world’s oceans
Can using biodegradable fishing gear help reduce the cost of ghost fishing?
New resource to help in the fight against climate change
University of Portsmouth researcher wins best paper award in prestigious academic journal
“Heading for failure”: UN Sustainable Development Goal for world oceans.
Blogs
View all
West Africa’s plastic waste could be fuelling the economy instead of polluting the ocean: experts
How marine fisheries can add millions of tonnes to Africa’s catch
Can biodegradable nets tackle unsustainable fishing?
Tackling our plastics problem with big tech and big thinking
Upcoming events and seminars
Blue Green Governance: Evolutionary perspectives on coastal governance
This webinar introduces Evolutionary Governance Theory and developing strategies for sustainability transitions in coastal governance.
Tuesday, April 30., 3.30-4.30pm GMT, online
"Deep Rising": Free screening hosted by the Centre for Blue Governance
In the same week as Earth Day 2024, the Centre for Blue Governance at the University of Portsmouth is delighted to host a free screening of "Deep Rising", a film by Matthieu Rytz, and narrated by Jason Momoa.
"The documentary will take viewers inside the companies and technologies seeking to mine the ocean floor and expose the inner workings of the international organization that is writing the rules for seabed mining, scrutinizing the case for and against that exploitation while exploring innovative solutions to both combat climate change and conserve the deep ocean."
Wednesday, April 24., 4.00-6.00pm GMT, Buckingham Building, Lecture Theatre 1.01
Centre management
For more details on the work of the Centre, please contact Helen Currie by emailing helen.currie@port.ac.uk or calling +44 (0)2392 844184
Research themes
Sub-topics
- Ocean and Water Governance
-
Marine and freshwater policies
-
Maritime security
-
Spatial planning
Theme lead: Dr Gianluca Ferraro
Deputy: Dr Tegan Evans
Sub-topics
- Seafarers’ rights and well being
- Ship breaking industry and sites
- Fisheries and labour
- Blue tourism and labour
- Blue economy human rights and labour rights awareness
- Blue economy modern slavery survivors access to remedy
Theme lead: Prof. Leila Choukroune
Deputy: Open chair
Sub-topics
- Fishery management
- Fishing by-catch of birds, turtles and mammals
- Aquaculture development
- Marine protected areas
- Habitat restoration
Theme lead: Dr Ben Drakeford
Deputy: Andy Forse
Sub-topics
- Marine renewables energies
- Logistics and safety
- Shipping
- Port management
- Oil spill prevention
- Biofouling and anti-fouling
- Off-shore technologies
Theme lead: Dr Negar Akbari
Deputy: Open chair
Sub-topics
- Marine and coastal ecosystem functioning
- Ecosystem carbon sequestration and storage
- Ecosystem resilience
- Marine debris litter and plastics
- Biodegradation and bioprospection
- Marine and coastal ecosystem service valuation
Theme lead: Prof. Joanne Preston
Deputy: Open chair
Our PhD students
Grégoire Touron-Gardic - Perspectives and Tools for improving Ocean Protection
About: Gregoire’s PhD is centred around three main and interdependent components of Blue Governance, as defined by the CBG. These components occur at different levels of intervention including: the “decision-making” aspect, i.e., how public policies can positively impact environment management; marine resources and the public policies which govern them; specific management tools, highlighting how public policies are implemented. Grégoire is doing a PhD by publication.
Expected completion: 2024
Antaya March - Marine policy and management in the Blue Economy
About: Antaya is doing a PhD by publication.
Expected completion: 2024
Daisy Taylor - From Marine Protected Areas to Nature-based solutions
About: Daisy's PhD will be exploring stakeholder and community interactions with marine and coastal nature-based solutions (NbS). The success of NbS has been connected to the inclusion of the community that surrounds them, with the rationale that by including the community as stakeholders, NbS may be developed with increased longevity, ecosystem services, benefits and acceptance. The project will evaluate how stakeholder understanding can impact the designation and implementation of marine and coastal nature-based solutions.
Expected completion: 2025
Study with us
Coastal and Marine Resource Management MSc
Do you have an ambition to combat the challenges facing our coastlines? Learn about solutions and develop your own strategies to manage our marine resources.
Start date: September 2024 January 2025
Applied Aquatic Biology MSc
Dive into our MSc in Applied Aquatic Biology. Get set for an exciting career in conservation, consultancy, or research.
Start date: September 2024
The Blue Review
Our regular newsletter, the Blue Review, provides an update of CBG activities, recent publications, and project updates. It also includes a wealth of opportunities such as events to attend, courses, job opportunities and conferences.
Contact us
Reach out to us, or follow us on social media
-
Email us at CBG@port.ac.uk
-
Follow us on X @blue_centre
-
Follow us on LinkedIn