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The extent to which the blue economy may mitigate the resource curse is seldom addressed in the literature. For this reason, this study investigates the resource curse theory in West African nations, focusing on the relationship between the blue economy and two contrasting perspectives—weak sustainability and strong sustainability, as well as the implications of natural resource depletion and economic growth while considering significant control variables. The contributing factors of the blue economy include aquaculture production and capture fisheries production. Weak sustainability, strong sustainability, and resource depletion are represented by genuine savings, the Sustainable Development Index, and carbon emissions. Economic growth is measured through GDP per capita. The study utilizes the Driscoll-Kraay Standard Error and the Panel Correlated Standard Error methodologies to assess the relationships among these variables. The findings demonstrate that the blue economy in the ECOWAS member states appears to stem from economic and social imperatives rather than ecological or environmental considerations. The impact of the blue economy on economic growth is sizable, while the empirical regularity of the blue resource curse thesis was not established. Nonetheless, the findings underscore the unsustainable practices associated with blue economy policies and development in the ECOWAS region. The study advocates for the effective management of blue resources within a sustainable value economy framework to promote economic growth and address sustainability challenges. It contributes to the existing literature by re-evaluating and expanding the resource curse hypothesis in the context of the blue economy, particularly regarding weak versus strong sustainability. Furthermore, it presents actionable insights and recommendations for transforming the blue economy and facilitating the sector’s transition from a weak to a strong sustainability paradigm, offering valuable perspectives that are relevant not only to ECOWAS but also to other developing nations.

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The Resource Curse Hypothesis, Weak Versus Strong Sustainability, and the Blue Economy: An Empirical Analysis of the ECOWAS13

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年

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  • Oluwaseun J. Oguntuase

摘要

The extent to which the blue economy may mitigate the resource curse is seldom addressed in the literature. For this reason, this study investigates the resource curse theory in West African nations, focusing on the relationship between the blue economy and two contrasting perspectives—weak sustainability and strong sustainability, as well as the implications of natural resource depletion and economic growth while considering significant control variables. The contributing factors of the blue economy include aquaculture production and capture fisheries production. Weak sustainability, strong sustainability, and resource depletion are represented by genuine savings, the Sustainable Development Index, and carbon emissions. Economic growth is measured through GDP per capita. The study utilizes the Driscoll-Kraay Standard Error and the Panel Correlated Standard Error methodologies to assess the relationships among these variables. The findings demonstrate that the blue economy in the ECOWAS member states appears to stem from economic and social imperatives rather than ecological or environmental considerations. The impact of the blue economy on economic growth is sizable, while the empirical regularity of the blue resource curse thesis was not established. Nonetheless, the findings underscore the unsustainable practices associated with blue economy policies and development in the ECOWAS region. The study advocates for the effective management of blue resources within a sustainable value economy framework to promote economic growth and address sustainability challenges. It contributes to the existing literature by re-evaluating and expanding the resource curse hypothesis in the context of the blue economy, particularly regarding weak versus strong sustainability. Furthermore, it presents actionable insights and recommendations for transforming the blue economy and facilitating the sector’s transition from a weak to a strong sustainability paradigm, offering valuable perspectives that are relevant not only to ECOWAS but also to other developing nations.