Ha pasado casi una década desde que se firmara el histórico Acuerdo de París; un pacto vinculante que consiguió reunir a 195 países con un objetivo común: frenar el avance del cambio climático. Los signatarios se comprometieron a emprender las medidas necesarias para mantener la temperatura global de la Tierra por debajo de 1,5 ˚C respecto a los niveles preindustriales. Y, para ello, se perfiló necesario recortar las emisiones de dióxido de carbono (CO2) alrededor del 45% hasta 2030 respecto a las emisiones en 2019 como paso previo para alcanzar el net zero en 2050. Uno de los mayores desafíos a los que se ha enfrentado la humanidad.
Climate change is the greatest global challenge of the 21st century. Although the history of our 4.6-billionyear-old planet has seen repeated climate fluctuations, there is no doubt that mankind is responsible for the largest share of current global warming as a result of carbon dioxide emissions. It is precisely the high speed at which climate change is progressing that poses an enormous problem. Neither flora and fauna nor humans can adapt that quickly to the changed environmental conditions. The destruction of animal and plant species, wars over water and other resources, famines and migratory flows are all areas of conflict which are mainly caused by climate change. Climate change is the topic of this century and thus also the decisive part of the future of today's pupils.
The seventh edition of the EU Blue Economy Report, presented in a fresh format, persists in thoroughly examining the scale and breadth of the Blue Economy within the European Union (EU). Its primary aim remains to offer guidance to policymakers and stakeholders in fostering the sustainable advancement of oceans and coastal resources, aligning closely with the principles of the European Green Deal (EGD). By providing economic insights, the Report also aims to inspire potential investors. This seventh edition of the Report focuses on a summarised data analysis, trends and drivers of the Blue Economy sectors. The analysis of the sectors Marine living and non-living resources, Marine renewable energy (offshore wind), Port activities, Shipbuilding and repair, Maritime transport and Coastal tourism is based on data collected by the European Commission from EU Member States and the European Statistical System. Specifically, fisheries and aquaculture data were collected under the EU Data Collection Framework (DCF); data for the other sectors are taken from Eurostat Structural Business Statistics (SBS), PRODCOM, National Accounts and tourism statistics. Along with these sectors, the reader can find relevant information on innovative Blue Economy sectors, namely Desalination and Blue biotechnology. These sectors offer significant potential for economic growth, sustainability transition, as well as employment creation. Comparable data are not yet fully available in the public domain, and therefore data presented in the Report for these sectors come from various sources. This year’s Report also includes special sections on Energy Transition and Climate Change in the EU Maritime transport sector, on the EU fishing fleet and the partnership in fisheries and aquaculture, as well as a section on Coastal flood impacts due to climate change along the EU27 coastline, with a particular reference to the EU Outermost Regions. This edition will continue taking advantage of the EU Blue Economy Observatory platform, which provides more timely and regular updates of the Blue Economy data per sector, EU-27 Member State and sea basin. Further analysis will be published throughout the year, as the most recent data become available, and sectors or topics gain more relevance. Analyses are given for the EU-27 as a whole and by sector and industry for each Member State. An initial regional analysis is also envisaged, to be completed within the EU Blue Economy Observatory.