The Blue Economy in the Arabian Gulf: Trends, Gaps, and Pathways for Sustainable Coastal Development

The Blue Economy has emerged as a critical framework for achieving sustainable economic diversification, environmental stewardship, and social resilience, particularly in regions vulnerable to ecological pressures such as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Despite its increasing prominence in policy agendas, including Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and the UAE’s Blue Economy Strategy 2031, scholarly research in the GCC remains fragmented and sector-specific. This study provides the first comprehensive bibliometric and thematic review of Blue Economy research in the region, analyzing 210 documents published between 2000 and 2025 and indexed in the Scopus database. Using bibliometric tools (Biblioshiny and VOSviewer), the study applies bibliographic coupling, citation analysis, co-authorship analysis, co-word analysis, co-citation analysis, and country collaboration mapping to uncover the intellectual structure and evolution of the field. The findings reveal four dominant thematic clusters: (i) sustainable fisheries and food security, (ii) marine governance and coastal policy, (iii) climate resilience and ecosystem restoration, and (iv) blue finance and economic diversification. While these clusters align with global Blue Economy priorities, significant gaps persist in research on social equity, gender inclusion, traditional ecological knowledge, and localized economic valuation methods. Country-level analysis highlights Saudi Arabia, Oman, and the UAE as leading contributors, though international collaborations with the UK, USA, and Australia remain dominant in terms of visibility and citations. This review contributes to both scholarship and policy by mapping the trajectory of Blue Economy research in the GCC and by proposing a conceptual framework that emphasizes inclusive governance, nature-based solutions, and innovative financing mechanisms as pillars for future research and practice.