The United Nations and its partner organizations have launched a collaborative effort to establish One Ocean Finance, a global financial mechanism designed to address chronic underfunding of ocean conservation and sustainable development. The project recognizes that Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water) remains the least funded, receiving less than $10 billion between 2015 and 2019 against an estimated $175 billion annual need.

The One Ocean Finance initiative seeks to mobilize capital from ocean-dependent industries such as shipping, tourism, and marine insurance. By leveraging blended finance instruments, user fees, and ecosystem service payments, the platform aims to redirect underutilized financial flows toward triple-benefit outcomes — restoring marine ecosystems, supporting coastal communities, and facilitating industry transitions to sustainable practices. The co-design process, announced at the Blue Economy Finance Forum in Monaco and set to culminate at the 2028 UN Ocean Conference, emphasizes inclusivity, with governments, private sector stakeholders, and civil society invited to shape the architecture of this transformative financial system.

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United Nations