In 2023, the Brazilian Navy presented a new political map of the country, including the oceanic region. This region encompasses the Territorial Sea, the Contiguous Zone, the Exclusive Economic Zone – EEZ and the Continental Shelf, marine spaces whose concepts were explained here, under the terms of the United Nations Convention – UNCLOS and the Law nº 8,167, of 1993. These spaces are the so-called Brazilian Blue Amazon.

The Blue Amazon is a political-strategic concept that encompasses the riches of waters under national jurisdiction (the entire maritime extension in which Brazil exercises sovereignty or holds sovereign rights). According to the Brazilian Navy, the national maritime area comprises around 67% of the country's land area, representing similarity to the Amazon forest in terms of size and biodiversity.

It is important to note that in the EEZ and the Continental Shelf, where Brazil holds sovereign exploration rights, there is an immensity of natural resources, both living and non-living, which allows a range of economic possibilities for the country, such as oil and gas exploration, fishing, use of subsoil minerals, among other potentials. Such biodiversity inspired the Brazilian Navy to name it the Blue Amazon in 2004, in reference to the “Green Amazon”. This strategy allows maritime policies to be created in the region, in order to protect local biodiversity and bring public awareness about the importance of this maritime space for the national economy, just like the Amazon from which it takes its name.

In a global phase in which sustainable development has gained so much prominence (in view of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development), it is clear that the wise use of marine resources does not fall behind in importance, as advocates the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030). Fortunately, Brazil as a coastal State demonstrated awareness of the potential of its marine biodiversity, presenting its concern with the sustainable exploitation of resources from its EEZ and Continental Shelf.

In 1989, the Brazilian government established, through Decree nº 98,145, the Brazilian Continental Shelf Extension Plan – LEPLAC, aiming to extend its Shelf beyond 200 nautical miles at the Continental Platform Limits Commission – CLPL. This extension is permitted by UNCLOS, according to article 4, Annex II, and is relevant for Brazil considering that, according to the National Petroleum Agency – ANP, oil extraction in the pre-salt region of the Brazilian Continental Shelf corresponds to 75 % of the national total. In this way, exploration beyond 200 nautical miles can reveal new oil reserves, important for the country's economy.

Furthermore, the Brazilian Navy also protected the country's islands - the island of Trindade and Martin Vaz and the archipelago of São Pedro e São Paulo, with scientific research programs established in both places (PROTRINDADE in the case of the island and PROARQUIPELAGO in the case of the archipelago). It is important to note that, according to UNCLOS (article 121 of Part VIII), the coastal State has the right to establish EEZ and Continental Shelf around its islands, so there is a strategic importance in protecting this area, aiming at its management and exploration of resources (living and non-living), a situation of economic relevance for the country.

Besides, in 2022 the Brazilian Navy started the Marine Spatial Planning – PEM, in the southern region of the country. In collaborative work between the Navy, financial and academic institutions, the PEM aims to be a strategic planning project that helps interested parties to use Brazilian waters rationally, as well as optimizing interactions between the main actors involved. According to the Navy, the Blue Amazon is a strategic area for economic development and national security, so the PEM aims to meet targets and indicators of the Sustainable Development Goal 14 of the United Nations 2030 Agenda (conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development), and safeguard the potential for economic and social exploration of this maritime space.

The Brazilian Navy also developed a protection and monitoring system for the Blue Amazon, called the Blue Amazon Management System – SisGAAz, whose mission is, according to the Navy:

continuously monitor and protect maritime areas of interest and inland waters, their living and non-living resources, their ports, vessels and infrastructures, in the face of threats, emergencies, environmental disasters, hostilities or illegalities, in order to contribute to the security and defense of the Blue Amazon and for national development.

Thus, given how much the Blue Amazon represents for the country in terms of job creation, natural gas production, oil extraction, mineral exploration and eating habits, Brazil's proactiveness in protecting this space is positive. Due to this, the recent official inclusion of the Blue Amazon on Brazil's political map demonstrates a big step in the vision of the marine area as an important part of the country, helping to create public awareness about the need for protection and sustainable exploration of this maritime space.