Assessing the Role of the Blue Economy in the Comprehensive Development of Lagging Coastal Areas. A Case Study of Calabria

Global warming has been having profound and wide-reaching consequences on the environment. Marine ecosystems have been at the nexus of these crises. Furthermore, the Covid-19 has exacerbated existing global inequalities across Marine sectors. Over the recent decade, Blue Growth has been considered a call for holistic management of the complex marine social-ecological system. Furthermore, it has shown the potential to coordinate efforts to combat the effects of climate change. Blue Growth industries could help accelerate recovery towards inclusive growth over the post-COVID-19 in the lagging coastal regions. Considering these premises, this study focuses on highlighting the characteristics of Blue Growth industries in Calabria – one of the lagging coastal in Southern Italy – to sustain the region’s economic development. It investigates the regional characteristics and intersectoral linkages within the Blue Growth industries. Cluster-based analysis allows us to better understand the interconnections between different sectors within the industries. The paper’s results offer new insights into Blue Growth industries’ size and specialization in Calabria. The analysis in this paper detects the gaps and potentials in the exciting sectors in Blue Growth and therefore constitutes a practical first step in a series of more comprehensive examinations of Blue Growth patterns in Calabria.