A Blue New Deal

“Provides a persuasive guide to recovery, and is an inspiring and invigorating read.”—Phoebe Weston, The Guardian

“Armstrong argues that the institutions and laws that govern our oceans are too fragmented, too weak and too amenable to vested interests to protect the marine environment from further destruction. . . . He makes his case for a new approach by exploring the mess we are in.”—Simon Ings, New Scientist

“This thoughtful tome is a must-read for anyone who cares about ocean and marine life.”—Sunday Express

“This is a vision for bio-diversity, citizen-led governance, equality, sustainability and recovery, and the possibility of social and economic benefits for all.”—Jini Reddy, National Geographic

“An intriguing new book. . . . Using an array of political and oceanographical literature, Armstrong details how humans are on the way to wrecking our marine environment through everything from overfishing to climate change.”—Bill Bowkett, Reaction

“Prof Armstrong is a gifted storyteller. . . . He provides a fascinating history of how different civilisations have viewed the sea [and] . . . offers hope—the ‘new deal’ of the title. . . . An excellent start would be to invest £20 in this informative, engaging book and perhaps, when you have finished with it, to send it on to your MP.”—Jonathan Self, Country Life

“[A] valuable and a thought-provoking read, providing a great introduction to current issues in ocean governance.”—Mélodie Ruwet, Environmental Politics

Winner of the Lynton Keith Caldwell Award, sponsored by the APSA


“Indispensable. A must read for anyone who cares about the ocean and understands the integral role it plays in our lives. This book is also a strong reminder that doing better and leaving no one behind in the process is a choice we can and should make for the sake of our present and our future.”—Dr. Asha de Vos, founder of Oceanswell

“Chris Armstrong delivers a deep dive into a complex and crucial ocean narrative. A Blue New Deal is a gripping read, providing a well-argued vision of a just future for nature and humanity in the largest liveable space on earth.”—Torsten Thiele, founder of the Global Ocean Trust

“A Blue New Deal is a timely contribution to one of the most important issues facing us all, written with an appropriate sense of urgency but also as a result of deep and wide scholarship. I hope, for all our sakes, it reaches a wide readership.”—Ray Monk, author of Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius

“A Blue New Deal is the first systematic look by a political theorist at the most important and most endangered global commons. Not only does Chris Armstrong provide a brilliant critical account of the origins of the failing oceanic governance, he also offers a forward-looking guidance on how to design reforms towards justice and environmental sustainability. The range of issues addressed (from workers at sea, marine animals, small island states, seabed minerals) and a broad and practice-based approach to justice makes this book a must both for policy makers and political theorists.”—Dr. Petra Gümplová, University of Erfurt

“Blue New Deal shows how our treatment of the sea aggravates both climate change and socioeconomic inequalities. It is rare for a book written by an academic to be so rich in facts and arguments and yet also fun to read. A must-read for academics, policy-makers and activists alike.”—Dr. Dimitrios Efthymiou, Goethe University Frankfurt