Cultural blues and the ‘Blue Economy’ in Namibia

Abstract

This article considers the intractable problem of a depressed economy attending to socioeconomic needs and meeting national and global climate change imperatives. The key argument is that it may be challenging to meet the urgent needs of a sustainable economy in Namibia while striving for ocean conservation. Drawing on field-based research done in coastal areas in Namibia (from Walvis Bay to Luderitz), the authors argue that there is a need to empower competent local authorities on ocean management to ensure a more empowering and economically sustainable outcome from proposed ocean development in the country. However, these empowerment processes need to consider the real and pernicious challenges of agency, the problem of corruption and the inclusion of the generally isolated communities in the area. The article considers these issues to be part of the ‘blues’ of the Blue Economy. The final argument of the paper is that specific, directed, concerted action is needed in the field of high-level ocean governance, in order to dispel these blues and ensure a sustainable Blue Economy in Namibia.