Abstract
The rapid expansion of offshore renewable energy has exposed new fractures in environmental politics. While often cast as a Blue vs Green debate – global climate imperatives versus local marine conservation – this framing may not go far enough. A more accurate lens is Blue vs Blue: a contest between competing visions of the ocean’s future. On one side lies the Green agenda, advancing offshore renewables for climate mitigation but rebranded as “blue.” On the other lie truly blue priorities: protecting biodiversity, respecting cultural sovereignty, and pursuing regenerative technologies. This paper situates the debate within the broader “Blue Economy” discourse, highlighting how ecological, cultural, and ethical attachments complicate the rollout of industrial-scale renewables. Ultimately, the question is whether oceans will be governed primarily as carbon sinks for global mitigation, or as relational spaces demanding protection, regeneration, and stewardship.