en.Wedoany.com Reported - The UK government has announced a new round of funding through the Blue Planet Fund to support three international marine conservation projects aimed at delivering measurable outcomes for both people and nature. These are the PROBLUE Blue Economy Multi-Donor Trust Fund managed by the World Bank, the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), and the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) initiated by the World Economic Forum.
This funding will be allocated to three specific projects: a £6.7 million contribution to PROBLUE, up to £2.2 million in additional funding to ORRAA, and £5 million to GPAP. This brings the UK's total commitment to these projects since 2021 to over £86 million.
PROBLUE is a multi-donor trust fund managed by the World Bank, primarily assisting countries in protecting and sustainably managing marine resources. ORRAA is dedicated to bringing together the financial sector, governments, and civil society to explore new financial approaches for investing in coastal communities and marine environmental protection, with a particular focus on developing countries. GPAP, as the World Economic Forum's flagship initiative to tackle plastic pollution, has established national partnerships in over 20 countries, uniting governments, businesses, and civil society to combat plastic pollution and increase investment in waste management and the transition to a circular economy.
UK Marine Minister Emma Hardy stated that behind every statistic lies the enhanced resilience of communities against storms, the absorption of atmospheric carbon by mangroves, and the reduced risk of families being displaced by rising sea levels. She noted that this funding reaffirms the UK's position at the forefront of international marine conservation and emphasized that investing in the resilience of coastal communities is both the right choice and essential amid the growing climate pressures brought by rising sea levels.
In São Tomé and Príncipe, one of the world's smallest and most climate-vulnerable countries, UK funding through PROBLUE has already yielded tangible results. Flood risks for over 800 local households have been reduced, and an estimated 20,730 people—approximately one-tenth of the country's population—are expected to benefit from coastal resilience interventions. Data shows that for every £1 of UK grant funding, over £3 in broader investment is leveraged from the World Bank. In Vanga Bay, off the coast of Kenya, projects supported by ORRAA are pioneering new pathways in ocean finance, developing one of the first marine biodiversity credit schemes in the Global South, creating sustainable income streams for coastal communities directly linked to the restoration and protection of seagrass ecosystems.
ORRAA Executive Director Karen Sack stated that the Blue Planet Fund has played a crucial role in supporting ORRAA to develop a pipeline of investable financial and insurance products aimed at enhancing the resilience of climate-vulnerable coastal communities in the Global South. She believes the latest funding is vital for redoubling efforts and scaling up critical actions for the health of the ocean and the communities it supports.
Clemence Schmid, Director of the Global Plastic Action Partnership at the World Economic Forum, stated that since 2018, the UK's sustained leadership has helped GPAP grow into the world's largest multi-stakeholder platform for tackling plastic pollution, connecting a global community of partners with plastic action partnerships in 25 countries, translating global ambition into local action. She noted that at a critical moment for the global plastics treaty, this new commitment will help strengthen this network, including the launch of the National Plastic Action Partnership in Kenya (NPAP Kenya), an initiative that helps unlock investment, create jobs, and accelerate the transition to a circular plastics economy. She expressed gratitude for the UK's continued leadership in advancing the global circular plastics agenda.
UK Special Representative for Nature Ruth Davis OBE stated that the ocean is the foundation of life on Earth, and this investment will bring tangible, measurable benefits to marine nature such as seagrass meadows and coral reefs. She believes that tackling plastic pollution, restoring coastal ecosystems, and establishing financial mechanisms for long-term marine protection are key steps to halt and reverse the decline of marine nature, and the UK's continued leadership through the Blue Planet Fund demonstrates what can be achieved when the ocean crisis is treated with the urgency it deserves.
During her visit to Kenya, Minister Hardy also signed a high-level global commitment on behalf of the UK and its Overseas Territories to protect climate-resilient coral reefs. The commitment calls on signatories to integrate coral reef protection into national plans, reduce local pressures on reefs, and mobilize global funding to support their conservation. This action builds on the UK's support for the Global Fund for Coral Reefs, which is helping to scale up enterprises that establish sustainable livelihoods and protect coral reefs in key locations worldwide.
These announcements are part of the UK's broader engagement at a critical moment for ocean and environmental diplomacy. The UK government stated that carrying out this work globally helps protect the UK's own interests by supporting healthier oceans, strengthening food security, and building resilience to climate impacts, recognizing that the nation's economy, environment, and well-being depend on a thriving natural world.
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