BLUE SOLUTIONS TEMPLATE
Content
1 ………………………………………. Introduction to the Solution-ing Approach
3 …………………………………………………………………….Solution template
6 .…………………………………………………………….Building block template
8 ………………………………………………. Building block category definitions
Blue Solutions…
… address challenges to sustainable development and human wellbeing in the marine and
coastal realm and contribute to maintaining or improving the status/health of biodiversity and
ecosystems;
… are effective and have been applied with a demonstrated impact;
… are scalable: elements of your solution have the potential for upscaling or replication in
other contexts
The Solution-ing Approach – Learning from inspiring experiences world-wide
We believe that solutions are
comprised of distinct building
blocks that determine its
success.
Such
building
blocks may be adapted and
recombined with others to
address specific challenges
in other socio-cultural and
ecological contexts, sectors,
or geographies. Distilling and
sharing these solutions and
their building blocks supports
inter-sectorial
knowledge
transfer and enables mutual
Adapted from The Resilience Exchange
learning. The aim is to inspire others in taking action for an effective management and
equitable governance of marine and coastal biodiversity.
Need help in writing up your solution? Take a look at the solution provider manual or contact us.
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Solutions Exchange
The Blue Solutions Initiative uses different formats to facilitate the exchange of successful
approaches.
Face-to-face Solutions Exchange
In face-to-face meetings participants have the opportunity to engage with solution providers,
as well as experience how building blocks can be used, recombined and adapted to create
new solutions in solution-ing workshops.
Online Solutions Exchange
The online platform “Solutions Explorer” allows solution providers to easily submit their
experiences as well as providing users the opportunity to get inspiration for challenges they
are facing.
Share Your Solution
Share your blue solution and its building blocks so that effective components can become
known and replicated!
Once you have entered all information relevant to your blue solution and its building blocks,
you can submit it to the Blue Solutions team, who will support you in the curation of your
solution. The information you provide will be shared and promoted through different channels
such as online platforms, publications and/or conferences and workshops.
Learn more about solutions & building blocks and writing up your solution in the solution
provider manual.
Short facts
What is a „Blue Solution“?
A successful approach that addresses challenges related to the sustainable use and
conservation of marine and coastal biodiversity with a proven impact.
What are „Building Blocks“?
Core elements of a solution, such as instruments, tools, approaches, partnerships or
processes, that determine the solution’s success. Building blocks may be adapted and/or
recombined with others to address specific challenges in different socio-cultural, ecological,
political or economic contexts, sectors, or geographies.
Examples
Community-based Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management (CEAFM)
Using ICT tools in participatory vulnerability assessments
Need help in writing up your solution? Take a look at the solution provider manual or contact us.
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SOLUTION TEMPLATE
Character limits refer to number of characters INCLUDING spaces.
* refers to required information.
TITLE * (max 75 characters)
Example: “Community-based Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries Management”
CONTRIBUTED BY *
ORGANIZATION(S) INVOLVED
Please provide your contact details so that
people can get in touch to seek exchange.
Please provide information on the
organization(s) involved in the creation or
implementation of your solution.
Name
Name
Email
Website
Profile Picture (Please send as .jpg/.png via email.)
Logo (Please send as .jpg/.png via email.)
LOCATION * (max 75 characters)
Example: “Yap, Federated States of Micronesia”
Please name the place/country and/or region of implementation.
CHALLENGES * (max 90 characters)
Example: “declining fish and shellfish populations”
Please name up to three main challenges your solution addresses.
CHALLENGE DESCRIPTION (max 410 characters)
Please provide further information about the main challenges your solution addresses.
BENEFICIARIES * (max 250 characters)
Example: “local communities of three pilot areas”
Need help in writing up your solution? Take a look at the solution provider manual or contact us.
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SUMMARY (ABSTRACT) * (max 500 characters)
Example: “This solution addresses declining fish and shellfish populations in Yap, Federated States of Micronesia for
local communities of three pilot areas.”
Please write a short description that explains what the solution is and how it has been applied:
CLASSIFICATION Please highlight in yellow any that best apply.
Theme * (max 3 themes)
-
Climate change adaptation
Climate change mitigation
Coastal cities
Coastal and marine spatial management
Ecosystem services
Infrastructure
Marine litter
Marine protected area management and
governance
-
Maritime transport
Renewable energies
Sustainable financing
Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture
Sustainable tourism
Wastewater treatment
Other (please specify):
Ecosystem *
Region *
-
Coastal forest
Coral reef
Deep sea
Estuary
Mangrove
Seagrass
Seamount/oceanic ridge
Wetland
Other (please specify):
Territory *
-
-
Onshore & Internal Waters
Territorial Waters (12nm from coastline)
Exclusive Economic Zone (200nm from
coastline)
High Seas (beyond 200nm from coastline)
-
-
-
East and South
Africa
West and Central Africa
North Africa
North America
Caribbean
Central America
South America
Scale *
East Asia
South Asia
South East Asia
West Asia, Middle
East
Europe
Oceania
Local
Subnational
National
Multi-national
Global
Contribution to international targets
-
Aichi targets (please specify 1-20):
-
Other targets (please specify):
Need help in writing up your solution? Take a look at the solution provider manual or contact us.
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IMPACTS *(max 1.250 characters)
Please describe 1-3 demonstrated impacts of your solution.
PHOTO *
Please provide photos that show your solution in action. (Please send as .jpg/.png via email.)
RESOURCES
Please provide additional information (documents, URLs) about your solution. (If you want to
provide files, please send via email. Please provide URLs below.)
STORY (max 2.500 characters)
Please illustrate your solution by providing an inspiring and subjective/personal story of the
solution in action.
Need help in writing up your solution? Take a look at the solution provider manual or contact us.
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BUILDING BLOCK TEMPLATE
What are your solution’s building blocks?
Building blocks are the core components of your solution such as instruments, tools,
approaches, partnerships or processes that you believe could be applied to other contexts.
They may be adapted and recombined with building blocks from other solutions to solve new
challenges. Building blocks should be described in a way that someone who does not know
about the location or the context can understand what was done and how this building block
can be relevant to their work context.
A minimum of two building blocks is required, and a maximum of six building blocks is
allowed. Please see the building block template below and copy it for two to six building
blocks of your solution.
BUILDING BLOCK TEMPLATE (2-6 building blocks per solution)
TITLE * (max 60 characters) Example: “Community management plans”
CLASSIFICATION * Please highlight in yellow the attributes that apply to this building block. For
support, see the definition in the annex.
Category* (max 3 categories)
-
Alternative livelihoods
Collection of data and information
Capacity development
Co-management building
Communication, outreach and awareness
building
Enforcement
Finance scheme
Law and regulations
-
Monitoring / evaluation / overseeing
implementation
Partnership
Policy advocacy
Review
Stakeholder dialogue
Strategy and plan
Technical method, technique and tool
Other (please specify):
Level*
Phase of solution
-
-
Local
Subnational
National
Multi-national
Global
Planning phase
Inception phase
Implementation
Monitoring
Documentation & dissemination of results
Review phase
Entirety
DESCRIPTION *(max 1.250 characters)
Please explain the purpose of this building block and how it works.
Need help in writing up your solution? Take a look at the solution provider manual or contact us.
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ENABLING FACTORS *(max 570 characters)
Please list conditions that are important to enabling the success of this building block.
LESSONS LEARNED *(max 1.000 characters)
Please list key lessons learned during the process of implementing this building block. If
relevant, please also mention any aspects that have not worked and any specific advice to help
anyone wishing to replicate your building block avoid being confronted to the same challenges
as you did.
RESOURCES
Please provide additional information (documents, URLs) about this building block. (If you want to
provide files, please send via email. Please provide URLs below.)
PHOTOS
Please provide photos that show your building block in action. (Please send as .jpg/.png via email)
HOW DO THE BUILDING BLOCKS INTERACT WITH EACH OTHER IN THE SOLUTION?
(max 1.250 characters)
Please briefly describe how the building blocks interact with each other to address the
challenges in your solution. Step-by-step instructions or a pictorial chart may be helpful for
greater clarity.
Need help in writing up your solution? Take a look at the solution provider manual or contact us.
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BUILDING BLOCK CATEGORY DEFINITIONS
Alternative livelihoods: includes income diversification and skills training
Collection of data and information: tools, surveys, assessments or research applied in the inception
phase of project/intervention, can include biodiversity & socioeconomic information; used in order to
create baseline, define intervention area, generate information on gaps/needs
Capacity development: the process of strengthening the abilities of individuals, organizations and
societies to make effective use of the resources, in order to achieve their own goals on a sustainable
basis, e.g. through trainings, e-learning, strengthening institutions
Co-management building: development of institutional, legal, operational and administrative
components for effective co-management, including community members and groups, governmental
authorities at levels concerned, non-governmental organisations and partners, private sector and any
other stakeholder
Communication, outreach and awareness building: includes resource documents as knowledge
products for stakeholders’ reference, translation of resource documents into other languages, sharing
of experiences to disseminate best practices; cross visits to exchange experiences; specific events
tailored to inform and change behavior
Enforcement: efforts leading to enforcement of laws, regulations and activities
Finance scheme: includes micro finance plans and institutions, payment for ecosystem services
schemes, other sustainable financing options such as entrance fees, funding support, financial
incentives and offsets, diversification of funding sources, development of financial plan
Law and regulations: includes codes of conduct, definition of user rights, drawing up legislation
Learning & education: includes pilot projects and sites that serve as demonstration and learning
platforms for multiplying successful solutions, addressing a wide range of beneficiaries from
managers, community groups, tourists, students, governmental and policy makers to persons involved
in research and science
Monitoring / evaluation / overseeing implementation: used to understand long-term development
of interventions; and to measure progress and impact of project/activity
Partnership: development and/or strengthening of (multi-stakeholder) partnerships and cooperation
Policy advocacy: includes campaigns to get support from influential people; gain political support;
identify and “use” champions
Review: includes revisions of processes, management plans...; management cycles to adapt to
changing circumstances and influences
Stakeholder dialogue: details various approaches to stakeholder consultation and involvement,
including community engagement
Strategy and plan: process of developing reference / guiding documents; combines information from
various sources, e.g. local & scientific knowledge
Technical method, technique and tool: related to technical efforts; can be used for different
purposes throughout projects/efforts
Need help in writing up your solution? Take a look at the solution provider manual or contact us.
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Other
Need help in writing up your solution? Take a look at the solution provider manual or contact us.
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