Paris financial centre initiatives on blue finance
Ten years after COP21 and the Paris climate agreement, France and Costa Rica are organising the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) in Nice from 9 to 13 June 2025, the aim of which is to accelerate the mobilisation of stakeholders around sustainable ocean management. To coincide with the summit, the Institute for Sustainable Finance is presenting its new report « Blue finance initiatives in the Paris financial centre », based on the sharing of best practice by 16 financial centre players¹.
In this new report, the Institute for Sustainable Finance (IFD) identifies initiatives by banking, insurance, asset management and non-financial companies in four key sectors of the blue economy:
- Decarbonising maritime transport and the transition of port activities ;
- Sustainable aquaculture and fishing ;
- The prevention and reduction of marine pollution, including the fight against plastic pollution;
- The conservation, management and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems.
The report also lists the main ocean-related tools and resources that can help stakeholders to get involved.
The ocean: essential resources facing multiple pressures and fragmented governance
The ocean is the planet’s largest biome, covering more than 70% of the earth’s surface, and provides ecosystem services that are essential for regulating the climate and maintaining biodiversity. It also supports billions of people through its food, economic and cultural contributions. However, the ocean is subject to strong anthropogenic pressures, while its governance remains fragmented, making international coordination complex.
An emerging blue economy, but still marginal in investment strategies.
To achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 14 – « Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development » – 147 billion euros a year are needed worldwide. However, only €21 billion has been mobilised to date (of which €16.8 billion comes from the public sector and €4.2 billion from the private sector).
However, the blue economy (which accounts for 4% of global employment) offers a wealth of opportunities² which are still largely underestimated, provided that we strengthen the protection of marine ecosystems and work to ensure their resilience.
The financial sector is gradually taking ocean issues into account: an emerging trend in Paris, with some notable initial initiatives.
Based on the gradual integration of ocean-related issues into their operations, the Sustainable Finance Institute’s report presents the main actions and initiatives of 16 players in the marketplace, which can be divided into four types:
(i) understanding the risks, impacts and dependence on the ocean,
(ii) using certifications and joining coalitions,
(iii) structuring commitments,
(iv) deploying financing solutions towards a blue economy (e.g. blue bonds, loans, thematic funds, carbon credits, innovative insurance, etc.). see appendix for more details on these initiatives).
Despite this growing interest and the start of the integration of these issues, the economy’s dependence on the ocean and the redirection of financial flows towards a sustainable ocean remain poorly integrated into financial strategies. UNOC-3 is an important opportunity to reinforce the momentum that has been built up and to promote funding efforts in favour of marine ecosystems.
The Sustainable Finance Institute and its members will be present at 2 round tables
- On 7 June from 16:30 to 18:00 for the round table entitled « Tackling Plastic Pollution and Promoting Circularity with Finance », co-organised by the Institute for Sustainable Finance and UNEP FI, with the following speakers: UN Environment Programme, UN Capital Development Fund, World Bank, The Ocean Cleanup, Plastic Odyssey, Beyond Plastic Med, Circulate Capital, Removall, LBP AM, Amundi, BNP Paribas.
- On 8 June from 7.00 to 8.30 a.m. on the round table entitled « Mainstreaming Sustainable Blue Finance for a Regenerative and Sustainable Blue Economy – Enabling and Derisking Approaches », in the presence of WWF, AXA and ORRAA.
[1] Groupe Agence Française de Développement, AXA, BL Evolution, BNP Paribas, Groupe BPCE, Carbone 4 & CDC Biodiversité, EDF, Eurazeo, Groupe Caisse des Dépôts, Groupe Crédit Agricole and Amundi, Crédit Mutuel Arkéa, La Macif, Removall, SCOR Assurance, Société Générale and SWEN Capital Partners.
[2] Sectors with strong development potential include sustainable maritime transport and the development of port infrastructures, fishing and aquaculture, marine renewable energies, and coastal and maritime tourism.