Access, participation and socio-economic benefits of blue versus green economy: a systematic literature review

There are implications to sustainable development from overconsumption of natural resources. Increasingly, economies are running out of resources to sustain or achieve desired growth rates and inclusive growth. As a result, momentum is building on exploring how the blue economy can be used as complimentary resource, particularly as a taping into it as an opportunity of ensuring that the marginalised groups in society are catered for. This is argued to address the ex-ante inequalities in other sectors of the economy, such as the green economy (land and resources on it), where participation by vulnerable groups like women and youth is limited owing to segregation policies of yesteryears, at least in former colonised countries like South Africa. The study used a systematic literature review, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses for Protocols (PRISMA-P) approach to ascertain works on this topic and identify gaps that need to be addressed to adequately inform policy and practice. With regards to access and participation in the blue economy, most studies found that women do have access and participate in the blue economy, however, their participation is limited by barriers such lack of education and credit as well as patriarchal beliefs. Furthermore, women participation in both green and blue economies is determined by social norms, skills attainment, access to credit, age, technology. Most of the reviewed studies concluded that men derived more commercial benefits from green economy, while women derive more subsistence and recreational benefits from the blue economy.