Public investment in the blue economy has nearly doubled in the past decade, but funding still falls short of global needs

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the funding landscape of the global ocean economy, noting that while public investment has increased over the last decade, it remains significantly below the estimated USD 550 billion needed annually by 2030. The report highlights a heavy reliance on official development assistance (ODA), which is currently facing cuts from major donors, and emphasizes the economic and climate benefits of closing the sustainable ocean funding gap.

• The global ocean economy has grown significantly, reaching a gross value added (GVA) of USD 2.6 trillion in 2020, which is double its size from 25 years prior. Most of this growth is concentrated in Asia and the Pacific.
• There is a massive gap between current investment and the funding required for a sustainable ocean economy. By 2030, an average of USD 550 billion per year is estimated to be needed, yet tracked investment in 2023 represented just 2% of that amount.
• Ocean finance is predominantly driven by official development assistance (ODA), which made up approximately 55% of total flows in 2023. However, sustainable ocean economy ODA represents only 1.4% of total ODA.
• Recent funding trends show a risk of decline due to a 23% drop in overall ODA between 2024 and 2025, with over 95% of these cuts coming from France, Japan, the UK, the US, and Germany.
• Since 2010, ocean financing has been concentrated in fisheries, marine protection, and maritime transport. In contrast, sectors critical for climate goals, such as offshore energy and disaster preparedness, have received very little funding.
• Investing in the sustainable ocean economy offers high returns and climate mitigation potential, including the possibility of reducing the 2050 emissions gap by 35% on a 1.5°C pathway. Every dollar invested is estimated to yield at least five dollars in global benefits by 2050.
• Failure to protect the ocean carries high economic costs, with inaction on ocean protection estimated to cost USD 75-85 billion annually. Additionally, listed companies and investors face potential assets and revenue losses of USD 8.4 trillion by 2035 under business-as-usual trajectories.

APA

Kalyvas, V. (2026). Public investment in the blue economy has nearly doubled in the past decade, but funding still falls short of global needs. Zero Carbon Analytics. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/finance/public-investment-in-the-blue-economy-has-nearly-doubled-in-the-past-decade-but-funding-still-falls-short-of-global-needs/

Chicago

Kalyvas, Victoria. Public investment in the blue economy has nearly doubled in the past decade, but funding still falls short of global needs. Zero Carbon Analytics, 2026. https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/finance/public-investment-in-the-blue-economy-has-nearly-doubled-in-the-past-decade-but-funding-still-falls-short-of-global-needs/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Kalyvas |first1=Victoria |title=Public investment in the blue economy has nearly doubled in the past decade, but funding still falls short of global needs |publisher=Zero Carbon Analytics |date=28 May 2026 |url=https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/finance/public-investment-in-the-blue-economy-has-nearly-doubled-in-the-past-decade-but-funding-still-falls-short-of-global-needs/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{kalyvas2026public, author = {Kalyvas, Victoria}, title = {{Public investment in the blue economy has nearly doubled in the past decade, but funding still falls short of global needs}}, institution = {Zero Carbon Analytics}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://zerocarbon-analytics.org/finance/public-investment-in-the-blue-economy-has-nearly-doubled-in-the-past-decade-but-funding-still-falls-short-of-global-needs/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }