FINANCE
Blue bonds connect finance to the ocean
Sovereign debt tools fund marine conservation and climate resilience.
Blue bonds are a niche but growing part of The Blue Economy. Modeled after green bonds, they raise capital for sustainable fisheries, marine protection, and climate resilience. Governments are turning to them as land and sea pressures mount.
Seychelles – First Sovereign Blue Bond: The world’s first sovereign blue bond raised USD 15 million to support sustainable fisheries and expand marine protected areas, backed by the World Bank and GEF.
Belize – Debt Conversion for Marine Conservation: Belize converted USD 364 million of debt to finance ocean conservation and committed to protecting 30% of its waters.
IMF on Belize Follow-Up: The IMF highlighted Belize’s debt-for-nature swap as a model, noting it cut external debt by 12% of GDP while boosting marine protection.
World Bank – Accelerating Blue Finance: The World Bank’s latest report reviews case studies and pathways to scale blue bonds and other ocean finance instruments.
Blue bonds remain small compared to green bonds, but their symbolic weight is strong. By linking sovereign finance to ocean stewardship, they bind global capital markets to The Blue Economy.
—TFI
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