Financing the Blue Economy: Insights from a bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the development and research trends of blue economy financing. It identifies the main research topics, publication trends, and gaps in the literature to better understand how financing supports sustainable blue economy development. Design/Methodology: This study uses a bibliometric approach based on Scopus-indexed publications published from 1977 to 2023. The data were analyzed using VOSviewer and the Bibliometrix package in R to examine publication trends, keyword co-occurrence, thematic clusters, and research development. Findings: The results show that research on the blue economy has grown significantly over the years. Most studies focus on sustainability, climate change, and ocean governance, while topics related to blue finance, investment, and ESG are still limited. Climate change is identified as the main theme driving the development of blue economy research, indicating that the financial aspect requires more attention in future studies. Practical Implications: This study provides a comprehensive overview of the development of blue economy financing research. It identifies important research gaps and offers a useful reference for future studies, particularly in strengthening the role of finance in achieving sustainable blue economy development.