ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the concepts of risk and resilience through the lens of the blue economy – the ocean frontier of social-ecological sustainability. First, these two key ideas are defined and explained. The chapter discusses the blue economy, considering the four great challenges to ocean health and then examining the development trends and trajectories our marine environments now face. The ocean is arguably the next great frontier for human exploration, and there are substantial environmental and social risks that would result from unconstrained economic development. However, if a proactive and restorative approach to development can be implemented, there are opportunities to improve ocean health, economic productivity, and social justice outcomes. The chapter concludes by summarising the risks for and from the future ocean economy and considers how a resilience approach might contribute to building a sustainable and just blue economy through the next decades of this pivotal century.
