UN Launches Ocean Investment Protocol to Accelerate Sustainable Blue Economy
The United Nations Global Compact and UNEP Finance Initiative have jointly launched the Ocean Investment Protocol, a new roadmap to guide global finance toward building a Sustainable Ocean Economy. The protocol aims to mobilize public and private investments in sectors such as shipping, renewable energy, sustainable seafood, and climate-resilient infrastructure, aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 14: Life Below Water.
The initiative comes at a critical juncture, as the ocean economy—already the size of the world’s fifth-largest economy—faces rising threats from pollution, overfishing, biodiversity loss, and climate change. The Protocol emphasizes the need for nature-positive and climate-aligned finance to help protect marine ecosystems, ensure equitable access to resources, and support coastal communities.
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Ocean Economy Worth $5.5 Trillion by 2050
A thriving ocean economy is key to food security, energy stability, climate resilience, and global trade, with 90% of trade volume depending on maritime routes. The Protocol outlines specific actions for financial institutions, insurers, governments, and development banks to align capital flows with sustainability goals.
Key elements include:
- Holistic investment guidance and sector-specific roadmaps
- Supportive policies and incentives for sustainable practices
- Data disclosure aligned with TNFD and TCFD frameworks
- A catalytic role for development finance in emerging markets
By 2050, a sustainable ocean economy could reach a market value of $5.5 trillion.
A Call for Unified Action
Sanda Ojiambo of the UN Global Compact emphasized the Protocol as a tool for unified, responsible action across sectors. Eric Usher of UNEP FI added that finance must be coupled with enabling policies to secure a thriving blue planet.
The release aligns with upcoming global milestones on plastics, climate, and biodiversity, aiming to galvanize multi-stakeholder action for a resilient ocean economy.
