Towards a green and inclusive post-pandemic recovery of the Blue Economy and coastal communities

This research project uses case studies from coastal communities in four countries---Costa Rica, Germany, Scotland (UK), and the United States---to study the environmental and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on these communities. These communities depend on coastal communities that depend on coastal tourism (Blue Economy) for their livelihoods, but the pandemic led to drastic reduction in tourism and other economic activities in these communities. The project assesses which aspects of the Blue Economy communities prefer to recover; determinants of resilient and inclusive development of coastal communities; and determinants coastal communities that depend on coastal tourism (Blue Economy) for their livelihoods of socioeconomic performance. In addition, the project involves the training of early career researchers. The research pays particular attention to the resilience of vulnerable people, and possible strategies for recovery. The results of this research project provide inputs into policies to mitigate the negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on communities living in environmentally sensitive coastal communities and the development of resilient and fair post-pandemic development of coastal economies. The results of this research could therefore help to establish the U.S. as a global leader in environmental and climate friendly development.


This research project uses several methods and a comparative approach to study the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially on coastal economies that depend on environmental tourism (Blue Economy). Specifically, the project studies the socioeconomic impacts of COVID-19 and policy response to the pandemic; short- and long-term COVID-19 recovery strategies of the Blue Economy; barriers to coastal green and inclusive recovery policies; elements of successful resilience recovery strategies; and lessons and best practices transferable across risks and locations to efficiently respond to or prevent future crises. The project employs large-scale surveys of coastal regional authorities and businesses, discrete choice experiments to value future recovery scenarios, and expert interviews. The results of this research are shared with other academic institutions, partners, and key stakeholders in each country. The results of this research project provide inputs into policies to mitigate the negative consequences of the COVID-19 on communities living in environmentally sensitive coastal communities and the development resilient and fair post-pandemic development of coastal economies. The results of this research therefore help to establish the U.S. as a global leader in environmental and climate friendly development.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.