Oceans

Oceans Markets and Finance

Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) fluke with fishing boats in background. Andfjorden close to Andoya, Nordland, Northern Norway. January.

The oceans inspire and offer hope for nature and people worldwide. When the oceans thrive, the planet regains its natural strength and flourishes, people thrive, societies are prosperous, and the world is more peaceful. What’s good for the oceans is good for business.

Our oceans provide humans with integral economic and ecosystem services. Over 40% of the global population lives within 100 km of the coast, while the ocean is the vehicle for over 80% of global trade. The marine world is also a source of affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy as well as healthy and low-carbon food. The value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at US$3 trillion per year, close to 5% of global gross domestic product (GDP).

The scale of human activity today is driving pressures on ocean health that risk compromising these services. Climate change is threatening ecosystem functions at a faster rate than ocean models anticipated. Biodiversity loss is putting immense pressure on global food systems. Pollution is entering our oceans at an alarming rate. Shipping, port development, and tourism are driving large transformations of coastal areas and jeopardizing ocean ecosystems of high ecological importance.

WWF takes an integrated approach to our oceans, combining place-based seascape conservation work with global-scale markets and blue finance initiatives. We also focus on oceans futures by incubating, developing, and launching innovative programs at the intersection of climate change, ocean health, and peace and security. Business has an important role to play—and the future of ocean industries is on the line.

Our approach

WWF US aims to grow our global leadership in holistic ocean markets engagement. For WWF US Oceans Markets and Finance, we are launching two new major integrated initiatives to impact ocean productivity and resilience in support of reaching our WWF US Ocean 2030 impact targets. Our oceans markets and blue finance work combines nature-positive business with innovative blue financing to deliver scalable, durable global oceans solutions and supports our nature-positive seascape work. Our innovative blue financing work focuses on influencing and engaging financial markets using a strong case for action to shift capital away from harmful activities within key blue economy sectors and toward sustainable pathways that strengthen environmental, social, and economic resilience. Nature-positive business supports the seafood, marine renewables, coastal development, and shipping sectors to better address their environmental and social footprint, bring forth green and blue infrastructure solutions, and establish long-term investments in the seascapes where they operate.

Our 2030 impact targets

Planet

Halt declines and recover and grow ecosystems and marine resources in the places where we work

People

Deliver resilient food and livelihood security for 100 million people

Prosperity

Protect billions in economic infrastructure through nature-based solutions

Peace

Reduce conflict, crime, and societal instability via effective marine natural resource management

Blue finance

A sustainable blue economy is one that provides social and economic benefits for current and future generations; restores, protects, and maintains diverse and productive marine ecosystems; and preserves nature. If we are to achieve this vision for a healthy ocean and thriving blue economy, financial flows must be aligned and capital redirected toward sustainable investments. And we must find creative and collaborative ways to channel capital into the seascapes and coastal communities where it is most required.

Our blue finance work will influence and engage financial markets using a strong case for action to shift capital away from harmful activities within key blue economy sectors and toward sustainable pathways that strengthen environmental, social, and economic resilience through two major areas of work: Blue Financial Markets and Innovative Blue Finance for Nature-Positive Impacts.

Nature-positive business

Nature-positive is defined as halting and reversing nature loss, measured from 2020 levels, by increasing the health, abundance, diversity, and resilience of species, populations, and ecosystems so that by 2030 nature is visibly and measurably on the path of recovery. Building a nature-positive business requires a new kind of thinking. It’s a bold vision that replaces the idea of the managed decline of our natural world with one that taps into the potential of businesses to transform corporate stewardship with new modes of working to restore nature. For nature-positive business, indicators are targeted to reach net-positive impacts on biodiversity, people, and climate.

Our nature-positive business efforts will support the seafood, marine renewables, coastal development, and shipping sectors to better address their environmental and social footprint, bring forth green and blue infrastructure solutions, and establish long-term investments in the seascapes where they do business.

"We gain our livelihood from the ocean. We must take care of it."

-MIA ISAACS President, Bahamas Marine Exporters Association

WWF believes that when the planet regains its natural strength and flourishes, people thrive, societies prosper, and the world is more peaceful. The private sector and financial institutions have an important role to play in our planet’s future.

About WWF