Abstract
Blue Growth is a paradigm brought into focus by international policy orientations since 2012 (COM/2012/0494 final). It represents one of the most promising pathways for transitioning from traditional development models to so-called place-based evidence approaches. These are models of sustainable development. They are particularly relevant in maritime and coastal contexts where interactions between natural ecosystems, productive activities, and infrastructure present a systemic complexity.
This article begins with an examination of the #BlueVision2030 strategy of the Puglia Region as a possible case study in land-sea planning and programming, as a compass guiding marine sustainability, and as an example of cross-border cooperation in the Mediterranean, specifically towards Albania and Montenegro. With its interactive and systemically cooperative vision, the Puglia strategy will thus be presented as a multi-level and multi-actor governance system, embracing open innovation frameworks. Its main goal is to observe the sea as a laboratory of innovation for the environment, industry, and society through coordinated actions in five key sectors: blue innovation, blue-green integration, ecosystem planning, transnational cooperation, and marine education and training. In this context
The article aims to demonstrate how the adoption of complex systems engineering principles — such as modelling, simulation, risk anticipation, and resilience strengthening — enables a more effective governance of the complexity arising from the interaction between environmental, social, and economic dimensions.
After an observation through the lenses of a regional strategy, our aim is also to highlight how these value chains can generate spill-over effects on a broader scale and even have an impact on European and global Blue Growth policies. This will provide an opportunity to underscore the limitations, challenges, and success conditions of strategies like this one.
Through a critical analysis informed by extensive literature and international experiences, the article will ultimately propose an operational framework to co-design resilient and sustainable strategies in the Mediterranean — the so-called Mediterranean Blue Valleys. This framework offers insights for future reflection and leverages open innovation methodologies to enhance stakeholder engagement, accelerate the development of sustainable solutions, and support policies aimed at talent attraction, vocational education, and the creation of dynamic innovation hubs.