New UN Protocol Charts Investment Pathway for a Sustainable Ocean Economy

Linking ocean health to prosperity, this new framework sets guidance to align financial flows and business practices with the transition to a Sustainable Ocean Economy worth $US 5.5 trillion by 2050

NEW YORK, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The United Nations Global Compact and the UN Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) unveiled the Ocean Investment Protocol, a comprehensive guide designed to mobilize and scale finance for a healthy and resilient ocean that supports a strong and innovative Sustainable Ocean Economy. Building on the UN Global Compact Sustainable Ocean Principles and UNEP FI's Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles, the Protocol provides financial institutions, insurers and re-insurers, ocean industries, governments and development finance institutions with a clear pathway to collectively lead the growth of the Sustainable Ocean Economy to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG14 ("Life Below Water").     

A thriving ocean is essential for biodiversity, food security, climate resilience, and global livelihoods. The Sustainable Ocean Economy links ocean health with prosperity, making targeted finance more urgent than ever. It is central to achieving the targets of the SDGs, the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. With ocean health inseparable from global prosperity, mounting pressures—rising ocean temperatures, overfishing, pollution, biodiversity loss, weak governance, and inequitable access to marine resources—highlight the urgency of dedicated investments and policies that safeguard marine ecosystems and drive equitable economic opportunities.

The ocean economy is already equivalent in size to the world's fifth-largest economy as global markets are reliant on the ocean and its industries to support 90 per cent of global trade volume. Developing a regenerative and sustainable ocean economy is becoming increasingly central to global transitions in trade, infrastructure, energy, climate resilience, food security and regenerative tourism. The Ocean Investment Protocol responds to the critical need for swift, holistic efforts to preserve ocean ecosystems and foster growth in sustainable ocean-based sectors. It outlines actionable steps to align investments with nature- and climate-positive outcomes, fostering innovation across key ocean sectors.

By 2050, the market value of a refocused, sustainable and fairly shared ocean economy is projected to reach USD$5.5 trillion.

Sanda Ojiambo, CEO & Executive Director, UN Global Compact, emphasized the Protocol's focus on uniting diverse stakeholders: "The Ocean Investment Protocol underscores the transformative role that businesses, governments and development finance institutions can play in protecting our oceans for future generations. It provides a blueprint for accelerating responsible investments and ensuring that all sectors of the economy contribute to a healthy and productive ocean."

"The ocean is at a tipping point—and the decisions we make now will determine the future of life below water and far beyond. The Ocean Investment Protocol equips financial actors with practical guidance to unlock the capital needed for a sustainable and inclusive ocean economy projected to reach $5.5 trillion by 2050. But finance alone is not enough. Policymakers must send clear signals and create enabling environments that make sustainable ocean investment the smart, secure, and strategic choice. This Protocol calls on public and private leaders alike to align capital with ocean health—because a thriving blue planet is a foundation for prosperity, resilience, and global progress," said Eric Usher, Head, UNEP Finance Initiative.

Key Elements of the Ocean Investment Protocol to guide financial institutions, insurers and re-insurers, ocean industries, Governments and development finance institutions to manage risks and understand opportunities to increase energy security, food security and transport security, while advancing sustainable solutions, include:

• Holistic Guidance for banks, investors, insurers, governments and development finance institutions, enabling them to manage environmental risks while pursuing growth opportunities in sectors such as offshore renewables, sustainable seafood and climate-resilient infrastructure.
• Data and Disclosure recommendations, promoting greater transparency on nature-related risks and impacts and aligning with global reporting frameworks, including Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and science-based targets.
• Sector-Specific Roadmaps outlining responsible financing and operational practices in shipping, tourism, fisheries, renewable energy and other key ocean industries.
• Policy and Regulation Support to foster investment-ready environments, highlight the importance of marine spatial planning and encourage incentives for sustainable practices.
• Catalytic Role of Development Finance in advancing pipeline development for the Sustainable Ocean Economy, especially in emerging markets and coastal communities most vulnerable to climate change.

The release of the Ocean Investment Protocol comes at a pivotal moment, with global momentum building around a nature-positive agenda, the high-stakes race to curb carbon emissions, and accelerating action to tackle plastic and chemical pollution.

Ocean-related investment needs and opportunities are growing amid momentum for a Global Plastics Treaty and a High Seas Treaty as well as implementing the SDGs, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the Paris Agreement. The Protocol is intended to galvanize multi-stakeholder collaboration and resource mobilization in the run-up to major ocean, climate and biodiversity milestones.

By setting a clear vision and practical recommendations, the Protocol aims to empower all stakeholders—public and private—to scale up and accelerate actions that protect marine ecosystems, support sustainable livelihoods and drive inclusive economic development.

Notes to Editors     

About the UN Global Compact
The ambition of the UN Global Compact is to accelerate and scale the global collective impact of business by upholding the Ten Principles and delivering the SDGs through accountable companies and ecosystems that enable change. With more than 20,000 participating companies, 5 Regional Hubs, 63 Country Networks covering 80 countries and 13 Country Managers establishing Networks in 18 other countries, the UN Global Compact is the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative — one Global Compact uniting business for a better world.

About UNEP FI
UNEP FI brings together a global network of banks, insurers, and investors to catalyze the transition to more sustainable economies. The initiative has been connecting the UN with financial institutions worldwide to help shape the sustainable finance agenda for more than 30 years. We host the world's leading sustainability frameworks for banking and insurance to help the financial sector address sustainability risks, opportunities and impacts.

UNEP FI provides practical guidance and tools to more than 500 banks and insurers that are individually implementing Principles for Responsible Banking and Principles for Sustainable Insurance on a voluntary basis. Financial institutions work with UNEP FI to advance responsible banking and sustainable insurance to support clients and customers position their businesses for the transition to a sustainable and inclusive economy.

Founded in 1992, UNEP FI was the first initiative to engage the finance sector on sustainability. Today, the secretariat cultivates leadership and advances sustainable market practice through global programmes supported at a regional level across Africa & the Middle East, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America & the Caribbean and North America.

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