了解蓝色工作：支持蓝色经济中更多更好工作的操作指导说明

DISCUSSION PAPER No. 2709 | AUGUST 2026 Understanding Blue Jobs: AnOperational Guidance Note forSupporting More and BetterJobs in the Blue Economy Kevwe Sylvester PelaAnna RenhartTrrishala Kumaraswamy Series Description The Social Policy and Labor Discussion Paper series presents analysis and research that informs policy dialogue andoperational practice across social protection, social development, and labor markets. Social Protection: the collection covers the full lifecycle of Social Assistance, Social Insurance, Care, and SocialServices. Labor: the collection covers Active and Passive Labor Market Programs, Training and Skills Development, YouthEmployment, Economic Inclusion, and International Labor Mobility and Migration. SocialDevelopment:the collection covers Community and Local Development,Inclusion,Cohesion,ForcedDisplacement, Gender, and Human Rights. Across all areas, the series highlights cross-cutting issues such as Climate Change, Fragility and Conflict, andResilience. Copyright © 2026 International Bank for Reconstruction and Development / The World Bank 1818 H Street NW,Washington DC 20433 Telephone: +1 (202) 473 1000; Internet: www.worldbank.org. This work is a product of the staff of The World Bank with external contributions. The findings,interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this work do not necessarily reflect the views of TheWorld Bank, its Board of Executive Directors, or the governments they represent. The World Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this work. The boundaries,colors, denominations, and other information shown on any map in this work do not imply anyjudgment on the part of The World Bank concerning the legal status of any territory or theendorsement or acceptance of such boundaries. RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS The material in this work is subject to copyright. Because The World Bank encourages dissemination ofits knowledge, this work may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as longas full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to World BankPublications, The World Bank Group, 1818 H Street NW, Washington, DC 20433, USA; fax: +1 (202) 5222625; e-mail: pubrights@worldbank.org. Understanding Blue Jobs: AnOperationalGuidance Note forSupporting More andBetter Jobs in theBlue Economy Kevwe Sylvester Pela, Anna Renhart, and Trrishala Kumaraswamy Abstract Thisguidancenotedevelopsapracticalframeworkforidentifying,diagnosing,andsupportingmoreandbetterjobsin the Blue Economy.It starts from a central distinction,emphasizing that not allemployment inaquaticsectorsautomaticallyqualifiesasbluejobs.Bluejobsarethesubsetofjobsintheaquaticsectorsthatsupport environmental sustainability,contribute to economic productivity,andpromotesocialinclusion.Thisdistinctionisimportantbecausetreatingallaquatic-sectorjobsasinherently sustainable canoverstateemploymentgainsandobscuretheadjustmentcostsfacedbyworkers,firms,andcommunitiesascountriestransitiontowardmoresustainableaquaticresourceuse.Suchtransitionsarenotfrictionlessandmaycreateshort-and medium-term risks,particularlyfor workers and communities that depend heavily on existingaquaticlivelihoods.To help country teams navigate these complexities,the note proposes a four-stepdiagnosticsequenceforidentifyingwhereand howtosupport more andbetter blue jobs:i)identifyingthescale,profile,and location ofaquatic-sector jobs;ii)assessing whether the underlying activities arealignedwith the BlueEconomy approach;iii)diagnosing the labor market frictions and transition risksaffectingworkers,firms,and communities;and iv)matching the findings to appropriate policy and projectinstruments.The note then identifies project-level entry points that country teams can use to translatethesediagnostic findings into operational responses.These entry points are organized around the WorldBank’sthree-pillar Jobs framework:investing in foundational infrastructure for jobs,strengtheninggovernanceand the regulatory environment,and mobilizing private capital.Drawing on selectedcountryandproject examples,the note illustrates how these entry points can be applied inaquatic-sectorcontextsto support more productive,inclusive,resilient,and environmentallysustainable livelihoodsover time. Keywords:Blue Economy, blue jobs, aquatic sectors, employment, livelihoods, labor marketconstraints,transition risks, environmental sustainability, social inclusion. JEL Codes:J08, J21, J23, O13, Q22, Q28, Q56 Acknowledgement This guidance note is a joint product of the Social Policy and Environment Global Department. It wasprepared by Kevwe Sylvester Pela, Anna Renhart, and Trrishala Kumaraswamy, under the guidanceof Sarah Coll-Black, Yashodhan Ghorpade, and Kristin Gunnarsdottir Von Kistowski, and under theoverall leadership of Josefina Posadas, Jiang Ru, and Penny Williams. The team is grateful to Sarah Coll-Black, Ruth Garcia Gomez, Yashodha