Blue Transitions in the Black Sea: Multi-ActorForums to Advance a Sustainable Blue Economy

The Blue Economy, encompassing all economic activities associated with littoral regions,
oceans, and waters, is crucial for the sustainable development of areas worldwide. Situated at
the nexus of Asia and Europe, the Black Sea possesses tremendous potential for the expansion
of a thriving Blue Economy. Conversely, this potential is accompanied by a distinct array of
obstacles that necessitate resolution in order to guarantee the enduring expansion of maritime
sectors in the area. An EU-funded project, DOORS Black Sea ¹ , that develops optimal and
accessible Black Sea research support, aims to tackle these issues. DOORS facilitates
collaboration among industry, academia, and local communities in an effort to revitalize the
Black Sea and foster "blue economy" opportunities through the implementation of a system of
systems (SoS) that addresses the effects of climate change and human activities on the marine
ecosystem. Success, value, and impact of DOORS are contingent on stakeholder participation.
Collaboration with researchers advances science and technology, imbuing project work with
greater significance. Multi-Actor Forums (MAFs) facilitate the collaboration of diverse
national stakeholders from Georgia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey in order to assist
scientists in the prioritization of Black Sea issues, with an emphasis on innovations to address
gaps and blue economy policies. This method also contributes to the co-design of the region's
System of Systems, which provides the necessary insights for researchers to address
environmental challenges and advance the blue economy. This research examines the
potential implications of the findings on the sustainable growth of the Blue Economy and
policy-related matters in the area.

¹ https://www.doorsblacksea.eu