Key facts
- The UK has invested £13.9 million in ocean protection initiatives.
- The funding will support programs like PROBLUE, ORRAA, and GPAP.
- These initiatives aim to protect marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
- The UK's total commitment to these programs since 2021 exceeds £86 million.
- Previous funding rounds have supported community-led projects focused on marine conservation and poverty reduction.
The United Kingdom has announced a £13.9 million investment aimed at protecting ocean ecosystems and enhancing the resilience of coastal communities in climate-vulnerable regions. This funding, channeled through the UK's Blue Planet Fund, will support three key international programs: PROBLUE, managed by the World Bank; the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA); and the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP), a World Economic Forum initiative.
PROBLUE partners with countries to protect and sustainably manage marine resources, with a £6.7 million contribution from the UK. ORRAA focuses on developing investment strategies for coastal communities and marine environments, receiving up to £2.2 million in additional funding. GPAP tackles plastic pollution through national partnerships, with the UK contributing £5 million. These contributions bring the UK's total commitment to these programs to over £86 million since 2021.
Marine Minister Emma Hardy stated that this investment reaffirms the UK's leadership in international ocean protection and is essential for building the resilience of coastal communities facing intensifying climate pressures. Examples of impact include reducing flood risk for households in São Tomé and Príncipe and pioneering marine biodiversity credit schemes off the Kenyan coast.
This new funding builds on previous UK efforts, including a £14 million boost for the Ocean Community Empowerment and Nature (OCEAN) Grants Programme. That initiative supported community-led projects in developing countries, focusing on protecting marine habitats, reducing poverty, and empowering marginalized communities, particularly women and girls. Projects have included efforts to prevent accidental capture of marine life in Ecuador and expanding waste recovery systems in the Philippines to divert plastic from the marine environment.