Big blue money

OCEAN OF OPPORTUNITY — Leaders around the world looking to give their economies a boost may want to look out to sea.Segments of the so-called blue economy are heating up as nations seek sustainable growth opportunities. And efforts to build up coastal communities’ economies are being highlighted as delegates and civil society groups from countries around the world gather in Lisbon, Portugal, this week for the U.N. Ocean Conference. European nations, for instance, could reap trillions in benefits by investing in offshore wind, decarbonization of shipping, ocean-based foods, and mangrove conservation and restoration, according to an EU report out this year.