The　term　“blue　economy”　has　become　synonymous　with　generating　income　from　maritime　pursuits　while　protecting　and　improving　marine　environments.　Oceans　provide　both　solutions　and　boosts　to　a　sustainable　environment　and　economy,　given　the　growing　need　for　resources　to　accomplish　the　global　food,　water,　and　energy　nexus　and　the　rapid　reduction　in　land-based　supplies.　However,　the　ecological　footprint　(EF)　is　one　of　the　significant　factors　that　may　influence　the　sustained　capacity　of　oceans　to　deliver　economic　and　environmental　value.　Therefore,　this　study　aims　to　investigate　the　impact　of　ecological　footprints　on　the　sustainability　of　the　blue　economy　(BE)　while　controlling　for　greenhouse　gas　emissions　(GHG),　population　growth　(POT),　and　economic　growth　(GDP).　The　study　applied　Bayesian　neural　network　(BNN),　OLS,　fixed　effects,　and　a　two-step　generalized　method　of　moments　on　the　panel　dataset　of　G20　countries　over　the　period　2000　to　2021.　The　study　shows　that　the　ecological　footprint　exerts　a　negative　influence　on　the　blue　economy,　while　greenhouse　gas　emissions,　population　growth,　and　economic　growth　exhibit　a　positive　impact.　This　study,　by　realizing　the　importance　of　blue　economy　development　in　various　nations,　suggests　that　all　nations　must　incorporate　ocean　strategies　within　their　national　climate　pledges　in　order　to　effectively　meet　the　sustainable　development　goals　(SDGs),　especially　those　outlined　in　SDG　14　(Life　Below　Water).　©　The　Author(s)　2025.