Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development and Ocean Economy

The ocean is a cornerstone of global economic and ecological systems, covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, supporting 90% of the biosphere, and providing essential resources and services such as food, human health, jobs, tourism, energy, transport, and climate regulation. Marine bioresources are contributing to new health-related products, while tourism and offshore energy are among the leading sectors in the ocean economy.  If measured as a national economy, the ocean would rank as the world’s fifth largest in terms of gross value added[1].

The ocean is critical to achieving several of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including food security (SDG 2), improved health (SDG 3), affordable and clean energy (SDG 7), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), and climate action (SDG 13).  However, its ability to deliver these resources and services is increasingly undermined by climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and unsustainable resource use.

The 2025 UN Ocean Conference presents a pivotal opportunity to reframe the ocean economy not only as a growth opportunity, but as a critical component of planetary sustainability. Along with innovation, transitioning towards a productive and sustainable ocean economy will depend on improved governance and enhanced policy coherence to ensure better alignment with sustainable development among all sectors impacting the ocean.

Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) provides a practical governance framework to support this transition.  By aligning not only marine policies but also policies for land-based activities with impact on the ocean—such as agriculture—with the SDGs, PCSD can enhance cross-sector collaboration, manage trade-offs, and strengthen institutional capacity to safeguard the ocean’s role for current and future generations.  aligning national ocean strategies, marine spatial planning, and the implementation of international agreements related to sustainable development, climate, biodiversity, fisheries subsidies, and the decarbonisation of shipping.

The past decade has been marked by an escalation of interlinked global crises—ranging from climate change and biodiversity loss to geopolitical instability and the lasting repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic. These interconnected shocks, often described as a “poly-crisis,” have created a complex governance environment where fragmented policies risk deepening vulnerabilities and undermining public trust[1]. In the ocean domain, the convergence of environmental, economic and social pressures—such as overfishing, marine pollution, and territorial competition—exemplifies how poorly coordinated policies can yield compounding and often irreversible consequences.

PCSD provides a structured governance response to these challenges. It helps governments identify mechanisms that: (i) Foster synergies and maximise benefits across economic, social and environmental policy areas; (ii) Balance domestic policy objectives with internationally agreed sustainable development goals; and (iii) Address the transboundary and long-term impacts of policies.

The OECD Council Recommendation on PCSD identifies eight enablers for coherent policymaking:

Recent OECD analysis confirms that while many countries have adopted long-term sustainability visions, implementation remains fragmented—particularly in complex, cross-sectoral domains such as the ocean economy. National strategies often lack mechanisms to screen for externalities and global spillovers, and coordination among ministries is frequently impeded by institutional silos. Yet, when effectively applied, PCSD tools— can enhance alignment across levels of government and policy domains, helping countries better manage ocean-related trade-offs and advance coherent, sustainable marine governance.

The case of the ocean economy highlights the relevance and urgency of embedding PCSD in governance frameworks. As coastal and marine resources come under increasing strain, governments face mounting pressure to reconcile the growing economic value of the ocean— which doubled in real terms from USD 1.3 trillion in 1995 to USD 2.6 trillion in 2020, accruing an annual average growth rate of 3% —with the need to safeguard marine ecosystems and ensure equitable access for future generations[1]. Governments need to strengthen their capacity to balance competing interests and address fundamental trade-offs between conservation and use of ocean resources.  Applying PCSD to integrate sustainability into the management and use of the ocean, seas and marine resources, will promote more strategic and transparent use of existing instruments, such as maritime spatial planning and marine protected areas, while also tackling broader systemic challenges including data gaps, institutional fragmentation, and limited monitoring of transboundary impacts.

Recent OECD work has explored the role of PCSD for ensuring the effective and sustainable management of the ocean, enabling governments to harness synergies across sectors while avoiding costly trade-offs and potential unintended negative impacts.

As a small island state, Malta’s economy is tightly linked to the ocean. Maritime transport, tourism, fisheries, and aquaculture drive national growth but also expose the country to mounting pressures on marine ecosystems. These pressures—including pollution, habitat loss, and climate change—threaten the long-term viability of ocean-based sectors and their benefits for future generations.

To address these interlinked challenges, Malta adopted a Sustainable Development Strategy to 2050 and, supported by the OECD, piloted practical tools to align its ocean economy governance with the SDGs. This included:

• Identifying policy interlinkages and trade-offs across marine sectors;
• Applying PCSD principles to regulatory impact assessment (RIA);
• Developing a blueprint to improve coherence between sectoral strategies and national sustainability goals.

This structured application of PCSD provides Malta with a replicable governance framework for other policy domains beyond the ocean economy. It supports more transparent, evidence-based, and future-oriented policymaking—essential for sustaining economic prosperity while safeguarding marine ecosystems. Malta’s experience demonstrates that even in a complex poly-crisis context, small states can build institutional resilience and policy coherence through targeted, system-wide reforms. 

Portugal’s ocean economy is central to its development strategy, with key sectors such as aquaculture, maritime transport, offshore energy, and tourism playing a pivotal role. To ensure these activities contribute to both national prosperity and environmental sustainability, Portugal is embedding the principles of PCSD into its ocean governance framework.

With OECD support, Portugal’s Directorate-General for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services (DGRM) is developing a Strategic Plan 2030 aligned with the National Ocean Strategy 2021–2030 and the SDGs. This work identifies institutional, regulatory, and digitalisation challenges, and provides targeted recommendations to:

• Enhance inter-ministerial coordination and reduce policy fragmentation;
• Improve workforce capacity and stakeholder engagement;
• Streamline administrative procedures and modernise digital systems;
• Align national ocean priorities with EU and international sustainability commitments.

By operationalising PCSD across its ocean governance, Portugal is positioning itself as a frontrunner in balancing sustainable blue growth with long-term ocean stewardship.

Further details on this work can be found in the OECD report Improving Policy Coherence for Portugal’s Ocean Economy: A Strategic Plan for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services

Methodological framework for identifying policy interactions

The experiences of Malta and Portugal demonstrate how Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development can serve as a practical framework to build more effective ocean governance and foster a sustainable ocean economy. Several lessons stand out:

• Embedding coherence into strategic planning: Both countries underscore the value of integrating sustainability objectives into national strategies. Portugal’s use of the PCSD framework to inform the development of its Strategic Plan for Maritime Services and Malta’s alignment of its Sustainable Development Strategy with sectoral ocean economy policies highlight the importance of long-term, cross-sector planning guided by shared goals.
  
  
• Strengthening institutional coordination: Effective inter-ministerial coordination mechanisms—such as interdepartmental committees and focal points—are essential for integrating sustainability priorities, identifying policy interlinkages and avoiding conflicting mandates. The Malta and Portugal cases show how structured coordination improves policy alignment across ocean-related sectors.
  
  
• Enhancing data and stakeholder engagement for coherence: Inclusive engagement and transparent data-sharing systems are central to enhance coherence in managing ocean resources. Portugal’s investment in interoperable digital platforms and Malta’s participatory planning efforts demonstrate how informed and inclusive processes can improve alignment across governance levels.

As countries prepare for the 2025 UN High-Level Political Forum, where SDG 14 (Life Below Water) will be reviewed, the cases of Malta and Portugal illustrate how the principles of Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) can serve as a practical compass for integrated, inclusive, and future-proof ocean governance —while also accelerating progress across the broader SDGs. Strengthening the systematic use of PCSD tools and mechanisms will be essential for navigating the trade-offs between economic use and marine conservation, and for ensuring that ocean economy strategies accelerate progress toward the 2030 Agenda.

^{1, 3}  The Ocean Economy to 2050 | OECD

² Driving Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development | OECD

⁴ Improving Policy Coherence for Portugal’s Ocean Economy: A Strategic Plan for Natural Resources, Safety and Maritime Services | OECD