Publication: Bulgaria: Toward Blue Economy Development
Loading...
Files in English
1,079 downloads
Published
2020-12
ISSN
Date
2020-12-16
Author(s)
Editor(s)
Abstract
This policy note reviews the challenges and opportunities that are central to the transition of the Republic of Bulgaria’s key marine-based economic sectors to blue economic development. The term blue economy refers to the sustainable use of ocean and maritime resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods and jobs, and the lasting health of ocean and maritime ecosystems. The note takes a closer look at sector opportunities as a mix of interconnected economic activities that complement or build on each other. The objective is to inform Bulgaria’s vision and strategy for transitioning to a blue economy. The note highlights development risks and charts a way forward, factoring in future challenges and drivers to substantially advance Bulgaria’s policy and investment alignment with the European blue economy initiatives. It also identifies the challenges and opportunities in shaping blue economy development based on a holistic ecosystem approach to the management of coastal and marine resources.
Link to Data Set
Citation
“World Bank. 2020. Bulgaria: Toward Blue Economy Development. © World Bank. http://hdl.handle.net/10986/34934 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”
Digital Object Identifier
Associated URLs
Associated content
Other publications in this report series
Journal
Journal Volume
Journal Issue
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by metadata.
Publication Scaling Up Marine Management : The Role of Marine Protected Areas(Washington, DC, 2006-08)This study answers the key questions on marine protected areas (MPAs) by assessing country experience with these and other tools along the marine management area continuum that have been adopted to address loss of biodiversity and fisheries and other marine resource degradation, which have eroded traditional use rights and cultural identify. In light of the confusing array of MPA types and other Marine Management Areas, the report creates a typology of tools based on their structure and objectives and commented on their relative effectiveness in achieving objectives, including marine conservation. Finally, the report assesses the best way of scaling up these interventions to achieve results at meaningful scales through replication, networking, or mainstreaming onto other platforms. The main findings of this report were: open access is a principal driver of resource degradation in coastal commons; enforceable governance systems will be required to begin to deal with the formidable problem of regulating access (including types and rates of resource exploitation)-systems that can accommodate different marine coastal and marine environments and that do not undermine local cultural values and practices; while they can be successful in regulating access and use, particularly at the scale of local community-managed reserves, MPAs are fragile governance structures; they require ongoing stakeholder participation in co-management arrangements with authorities and adequate resources to enforce limited entry and use; MPAs are costly to establish and maintain; MPAs cannot survive in isolation; and a broad spectrum of MPA and other emerging coastal and marine management (CMM) frameworks are now in use.Publication The Political Economy of Natural Resource Use : Lessons for Fisheries Reform(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2010-04-01)The release of 'Sunken billions: The economic justification for fisheries reform' has drawn renewed attention to the enormous loss of wealth suffered in fisheries each year due to weak fisheries governance and the need for fundamental fisheries reform. Such reform calls for addressing the issues plaguing the world's fisheries, such as persistent overfishing and fleet overcapitalization, and addressing the political economy challenges of developing country-specific pathways of reform. Despite growing evidence of success in selected fisheries, less than two percent of the world's fisheries have actually undergone effective reform because of these challenges. At the same time, it is estimated that the world's fisheries could generate at least fifty billion US dollars per annum and the economic benefits generated could be much higher if management systems were established to enable investment in growing this important economic sector in a sustainable manner. The potential pay-off from economic fisheries reform is not only globally significant for the sector, it is crucial for enhancing economic growth and alleviating poverty in developing countries with significant fisheries assets. This report seeks to move this debate forward by discussing key lessons drawn from reform experience in the wider natural resource sector that might inform successful reform in fisheries.Publication Framework Document for a Global Partnership for Oceans(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2014-03)This document summarizes the approach that the global partnership for oceans (GPO) will take in its work with countries to help improve the health of the oceans and reduce coastal poverty. Restoring the health of the world's ocean is a global challenge that can and must be solved if one has to alleviate poverty, build resilient communities, and foster strong coastal economies. The natural systems underpinning the health of the ocean and the livelihoods, food, and other services dependent upon them are at risk, due largely to human action occurring in the context of weak institutions. The GPO has been established as a convening platform that can help to reduce the barriers to countries obtaining the finance and expertise needed to restore ocean health. To finance this support, the GPO will establish a new global fund for oceans (GPO fund), as well as an ocean investment roundtable. To mobilize the knowledge countries need, the GPO will include a network of expertise from the partners, coordinated through a global assembly of partners, supported by the GPO fund, and a number of communities of practice established around specific issues and themes.Publication Pacific Islands - Fisheries sector engagement strategy(World Bank, 2012-03-05)The World Bank's 11 Pacific Island member countries are a diverse group in terms of economic and social conditions. Five are least developed countries, with annual per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as low as US$ 700, while in some of the territories average incomes are comparable to those in wealthy industrialized countries. Population densities and growth rates, land areas and the level of urbanization all display similarly wide ranges. There is a great diversity of cultures and languages. What they have in common is that all are islands surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, with jurisdiction over areas that are many times (in some cases thousands of times) their land area. All derive significant economic and social benefits from their marine resources, with many coastal communities depending on them for their livelihoods. Several have large and important freshwater fisheries. All identify their living aquatic resources (for fisheries, aquaculture and non-extractive uses mainly related to tourism) as a major opportunity for economic growth and development. In some cases, they represent one of the only opportunities. Reviews of the importance of fish as a source of food for Pacific Island populations have found that annual per capita consumption of fishery products in all cases exceeds the global average of 16.5 kg. In several small island countries, where opportunities to produce other food are very limited, fish consumption is among the highest in the world. Fishing also plays an important cultural role for men and women in many of the region's coastal communities.Publication Egypt : Gulf of Aqaba Environmental Action Plan(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2000-11-06)The intensive development of tourism in the Gulf of Aqaba presents both an opportunity and a dilemma for Egypt. Intensive tourism, if left unmanaged, can inflict irreversible damage on coral reef and desert ecosystems and curtail the area's economic potential. Together with current projections for a rapid expansion of the tourism base in the Aqaba coast, degradation from mounting recreational activities give rise to serious concerns about the sustainability of tourism development in the region. The challenge is to plan for economic development within a sound environmental framework. Implementing the Gulf Of Aqaba Environmental Action Plan (GAEAP) would protect marine resources, including coral reefs and fisheries, and conserve the aesthetic attributes of the Gulf environment and waters upon which the tourist industry depends. This action plan comprises activities in nine categories: institutional strengthening, enforcement of legal and regulatory framework at the South Sinai Governorate level, management of marine pollution, flood and earthquake protection, water and wastewater management, solid waste management, protected areas management, public awareness and environmental education, and assures sustainability of environmental protection in the Gulf of Aqaba. The highest priority actions are decentralizing the institutions to have a presence on the ground, and enforcing the legal and regulatory framework for implementing curative and preventive environmental measures.
Users also downloaded
Showing related downloaded files
Publication Mongolia Country Climate and Development Report(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-22)Mongolia’s development prospects are uniquely challenged by both the impacts of climate change and the global shift toward a low-carbon economy. The country’s efforts toward decarbonization pose significant challenges given the structurally high-emission intensity of its economy. While challenging, climate action also presents Mongolia with opportunities to achieve important development benefits. The effects of climate risks and the shift away from coal will have diverse impacts across different regions, communities, and socioeconomic levels. The report assesses the critical interconnections between Mongolia’s development ambitions and climate change action and identifies ways to transition to a more economically diversified, inclusive, and resilient development path. It highlights key climate and transition risks affecting Mongolia’s future development and presents a pathway to enhance climate mitigation and adaptation. The report also makes a case for strengthening policies to enhance resilience to climate change and ensure a just transition, particularly for the most vulnerable. The report is structured as follows: section 1 gives introduction. Section 2 delves into the linkages between development and climate in Mongolia and presents model-based findings on the economic and poverty impacts of climate change under different scenarios. Section 3 covers four in-depth sectoral analyses. The first two mainly focus on adaptation to climate change in the agriculture and water sectors. The third considers prospects for the extraction sector, while the fourth sectoral analysis focuses on decarbonizing power and heat generation. Section 4 shifts the focus to how the government can boost resilience for climate-vulnerable populations. Section 5 outlines options for mobilizing private and public financing and private investments to support the green transition. Section 6 examines the existing institutional and governance structure for climate action and presents recommendations to improve its effectiveness, and section 7 concludes with a framework for prioritizing the policy actions outlined in this report.Publication Comoros Country Climate and Development Report(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-06-18)The Union of the Comoros (The Comoros) has significant vulnerability to climate change-related risks but has considerable opportunities to strengthen preparedness and resilience against these challenges. According to the Notre Dame Global Adaptation Index, the Comoros is the 29th-most vulnerable country to climate change and the 163rd most ready to adapt (out of 191). The Comoros archipelago is exposed to many natural hazards that adversely affect the country’s natural capital, people, and physical infrastructure. In 2014, the economic cost of climate-related disasters was estimated at 5.7 million dollars annually, equivalent to 9.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Between 2018 and 2023, as many as 11 tropical depressions or cyclones impacted the country, with Cyclone Kenneth causing the greatest damage, equivalent to 14 percent of GDP, resulting in total economic growth falling from 3.6 percent in 2018 to 1.9 percent in 2019. More than 345,000 people (40 percent of the population) were affected by the cyclone, with 185,000 people experiencing severe impacts and 12,000 people displaced. However, there is an opportunity for the country to grow more robust and shock-responsive, and to establish pre-positioned funding mechanisms to enhance future crisis response efforts. For the Comoros, adaptation and climate-resilient development are the key climate change focus areas, with the country projected to face 836 million dollars 2050 in additional costs due to climate-related impacts. Current plans to adapt to the impacts of climate change in the Comoros include efforts to improve water management, strengthen coastal protection, and develop climate-smart agriculture practices. Given the country’s reliance on its natural resource base for economic growth and mobility, protection of these resources from climate change will be essential for promoting resilient growth and development. In addition to growing the adaptive capacity of the country’s natural resource sectors, strategic economic diversification will be important to help minimize future climate impacts, and development activities will need to be undertaken in such a way as to attract low-carbon co-benefits. The Union of the Comoros is committed to addressing climate change through its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and national priorities. The country’s NDC (which was revised in 2021 for a ten-year horizon) sets ambitious targets, with a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 23 percent by 2030. The country also plans to significantly increase the share of renewable energy in its energy portfolio, reaching 33 MW by 2030. This will not only promote low-carbon development but also reduce the country’s dependency on imported oil and coal, which currently make up 95 percent of the energy mix. Additionally, the Comoros has declared its intention to increase CO2 removals by 47 percent by 2030, compared to BAU.Publication Jobs in a Changing Climate: Insights from World Bank Group Country Climate and Development Reports Covering 93 Economies(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-11-05)The World Bank Group’s Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs) provide a crosscutting look at how countries’ development prospects, and the job opportunities they offer to their people, can be threatened by climate impacts and supported by climate policies. Climate change and policies affect jobs through impacts on productivity, energy and material efficiency, and physical, human, and natural capital. They can also transform employment opportunities, especially through complementary measures that help workers and firms adapt to and benefit from new technologies and production practices. Prepared by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), CCDRs integrate country perspectives, climate science and economic modeling, private sector information, and policy analysis to assess how countries can successfully grow and develop their economies and create jobs despite increasing climate risks and while achieving their climate objectives and commitments. Each CCDR starts from the country’s development priorities, opportunities, and challenges, and is developed in close consultation with governments, businesses, and civil society, ensuring the recommendations reflect national priorities. By combining evidence on adaptation, resilience, and emissions pathways, CCDRs highlight where climate action can reinforce development and job creation, and where targeted policies are needed to manage risks and smooth labor market transitions. Taken together, these elements can help create local jobs, ensure economic transitions are just and inclusive, and equip workers and firms to navigate the disruptions and opportunities of a changing climate and changing technologies.Publication Kyrgyz Republic Country Climate and Development Report(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2025-11-03)This Country Climate and Development Report (CCDR) on the Kyrgyz Republic aims to support the country’s development goals amid a changing climate. The CCDR considers two policy scenarios up to 2050: the business-as-usual (BAU) and high-growth scenarios. As it quantifies the likely impacts of climate change on the Kyrgyz economy between now and 2050, the report highlights key government actions to best prepare for and adapt to climate impacts (referred to as “with adaptation” measures), with a particular focus on the time horizon up to 2030. The CCDR also outlines a path to net zero emissions by 2050 (referred to as “with mitigation” measures, “decarbonization,” or, simply, “net zero 2050”), highlighting associated development co-benefits.Publication Guinea-Bissau Country Climate and Development Report(Washington, DC: World Bank, 2024-10-23)Guinea-Bissau is endowed with a wealth of natural resources, with the highest natural capital per capita in West Africa (US3,874 dollars per capita), which could be leveraged for sustainable and resilient growth. However, Guinea-Bissau faces significant development hurdles, such as high poverty rates, political instability, and economic challenges, including an over-reliance on cashew nuts. Rural poverty has increased, and the nation's infrastructure, education, and health care systems are underdeveloped. Climate change poses a severe threat, potentially impacting agriculture, fisheries, and infrastructure. Without adaptation, it could lead to a significant cut in real GDP per capita (minus 7.3 percent by 2050) and increase in poverty (with up to over 200,000 additional poor by 2050, that is, 5 percent of the expected population, in the worst scenario). The country's low greenhouse gas emissions are expected to rise, mainly due to agriculture and land-use changes, with deforestation being a major contributing factor. Although Guinea-Bissau is a low emitter, it has high mitigation ambitions, targeting a 30 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. The Nationally Determined Contribution outlines significant climate actions, with initiatives focused on forest conservation, sustainable agriculture, and community development. However, the country's political instability, institutional weaknesses, and limited financial resources pose challenges to implementing these climate commitments, which depend heavily on external funding. The financial sector's underdevelopment and vulnerability to external shocks limit its ability to support green investments, though reforms could enhance resilience. Guinea-Bissau must consider its climate financing as development financing and vice-versa, engage the private sector, and integrate climate goals with national development plans to ensure a sustainable future. Concessional climate financing is vital due to the underdeveloped financial sector and the government’s limited borrowing capacity. Addressing Guinea-Bissau's vulnerability to climate change and its structural issues requires a cohesive approach that integrates development and climate strategies. This could involve improving governance, diversifying the economy, protecting natural capital, developing human capital, and investing in sustainable agriculture and infrastructure. The transition to a more sustainable and inclusive development pathway that supports economic growth is possible, but requires focusing on key strategic sectors, enhancing institutional capacity, and creating the conditions to mobilize finance. As a highly vulnerable country, there are myriad needs in the different sectors; however, to be more efficient and effective, Guinea-Bissau should prioritize actions in a few sectors, especially actions on biodiversity, agriculture, and social protection. Low carbon development, especially in energy and forestry sectors, could provide cost-efficient solutions and attract climate finance, including from the private sector, which will support the overall development agenda.