India, July 28 -- Southeast Asia has emerged as the world's fourth-largest economic bloc in 2024, driven majorly by the region's blue economy, according to a new report.

However, this ocean-based economy is under increasing pressure from environmental degradation and a severe lack of investment, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) warned in its analysis.

The factors threaten both the marine ecosystem and livelihoods of people in Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam, according to the report Financing Southeast Asia's Blue Economy.

These places have sections of populations dependent on economic activiti...