Key facts
- The UK has committed £13.9 million to ocean protection initiatives.
- Funding will support PROBLUE, ORRAA, and GPAP programs.
- PROBLUE focuses on marine resource management, ORRAA on coastal resilience, and GPAP on plastic pollution.
- The UK's total commitment to these programs since 2021 exceeds £86 million.
- The funding aims to protect vulnerable coastal communities and marine ecosystems.
The United Kingdom has announced a £13.9 million investment in ocean protection initiatives, channeling funds through its Blue Planet Fund. This investment aims to bolster marine ecosystems and increase the resilience of climate-vulnerable coastal communities worldwide.
The funding will be distributed across three key international programs: PROBLUE, the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), and the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP). PROBLUE, managed by the World Bank, partners with countries to safeguard and sustainably manage their marine resources. ORRAA focuses on developing financial and insurance products to protect coastal communities and marine environments, particularly in developing nations. GPAP, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, works to create national partnerships to combat plastic pollution and promote circular economy transitions.
Specifically, the UK will contribute £6.7 million to PROBLUE, up to £2.2 million to ORRAA, and £5 million to GPAP. This brings the UK's total commitment to these programs to over £86 million since 2021. Marine Minister Emma Hardy emphasized that investing in coastal resilience is essential given the intensifying climate pressures on oceans.
Examples of the impact of UK-backed funding include reducing flood risk for over 800 households in São Tomé and Príncipe through PROBLUE, and pioneering a marine biodiversity credit scheme in Vanga Bay, Kenya, via ORRAA to provide sustainable income for local communities tied to seagrass restoration. The GPAP has also grown significantly, establishing 25 National Plastic Action Partnerships.