THE SUSTAINABLE OCEAN

The ocean and coastal ecosystems are critical for global biodiversity, food security, and carbon sequestration, but they face severe threats from climate change and pollution. Despite an estimated annual funding need of USD 175 billion to USD 459 billion to safeguard the ocean, only USD 11 billion has been invested via philanthropy and Official Development Assistance over the last decade. The Green Climate Fund (GCF) aims to close this gap by creating enabling environments, catalysing innovation, de-risking projects to mobilise private finance, and strengthening national financial institutions through tools like blue bonds and debt swaps. Current GCF initiatives include the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, targeting 17 countries with a USD 500 million project value, and the Blue Action Fund, focusing on coastal resilience in the Western Indian Ocean region.

• Ocean and coastal ecosystems are vital for the planet, with marine fisheries and aquaculture supporting 650 to 800 million people globally, and coral reefs generating USD 36 billion in annual expenditure prior to COVID-19.
• There is a significant deficit in ocean financing; while annual requirements to foster a blue economy are estimated between USD 175 billion and USD 459 billion, only USD 11 billion was invested by philanthropy and Official Development Assistance in the previous ten years.
• The Green Climate Fund (GCF) employs several strategies to increase ocean financing, including providing technical assistance to policymakers, acting as an anchor investor for new technologies, and using concessional financing to de-risk projects and attract private capital.
• The Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) Investment Window is GCF's first large-scale private sector blue economy programme, with a total project value of USD 500 million (including USD 125 million in GCF equity) targeting 17 countries across Africa, the Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
• The Blue Action Fund (BAF) focuses on the Western Indian Ocean region, specifically Tanzania, Madagascar, South Africa, and Mozambique, with a total project value of USD 58 million to improve climate-resilient coastal zone management.

APA

Green Climate Fund (n.d.). THE SUSTAINABLE OCEAN. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/thematic-brief-oceans_0.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. THE SUSTAINABLE OCEAN. n.d. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/thematic-brief-oceans_0.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=THE SUSTAINABLE OCEAN |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/thematic-brief-oceans_0.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefundndsustainable, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{THE SUSTAINABLE OCEAN}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/thematic-brief-oceans_0.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }