The ocean economy is fundamental to economic resilience and future prosperity, generating more than $3 trillion in estimated economic value each year. Yet declining ocean health and climate change could expose up to $4 trillion in coastal infrastructure over the next decade, while harmful and unsustainable practices could result in more than $8 trillion in economic losses by 2050.
Catalytic Blue Finance: Building the Financial Architecture for Scaling Ocean Investment, developed in collaboration with UBS Optimus Foundation, examines how to direct capital towards ocean-related businesses, infrastructure, innovation and nature-based solutions.
Drawing on more than 220 transactions executed between 2021 and 2026, the report uses the Ocean Investment Matrix to identify financing patterns, investment barriers and opportunities across ocean sectors. It highlights four emerging financing models and explores how catalytic actors can support data and impact measurement, aggregate fragmented opportunities, demonstrate new investment approaches and address market failures – helping unlock commercial capital for a resilient, regenerative ocean economy.