Analysis
Working with the United Nations Global Compact, we analysed 1,000 recent green and sustainable bonds and uncovered $48 billion already flowing into ocean-related sectors
Jun 4, 2025 @ London
The ocean economy is fast emerging as the next frontier of sustainable finance. Our analysis with the UN Global Compact revealed $48 billion already flowing into ocean-related sectors through green and sustainable bonds, much of it unlabelled as "blue."
The ocean economy is fast emerging as the next frontier of sustainable finance — and the data already shows why.
Working with the United Nations Global Compact, we analysed 1,000 recent green and sustainable bonds and uncovered $48 billion already flowing into ocean-related sectors: marine transport, aquaculture, coastal resilience, and biodiversity. Much of this wasn't even labelled "blue."
This analysis was featured in a Financial Times Sustainable Views op-ed by UNGC CEO Sanda Ojiambo, who called for the ocean economy to take its place alongside climate and energy in the global financing conversation.
Investor appetite for ocean-linked finance is growing. Our data shows significant capital flows are already happening, even without explicit "blue" labelling. This suggests strong underlying demand that could be amplified with better market structure.
Issuers are beginning to step forward with early "blue bond" structures. While still nascent, we're seeing innovative approaches to financing ocean-related projects through the bond markets.
With the new Ocean Investment Protocol, the building blocks are in place for scale. The infrastructure for blue finance is developing rapidly, creating opportunities for exponential growth.
At ClimateAligned, we believe better data is the key to unlocking this growth. By making hidden flows visible, we can help investors, policymakers, and issuers recognise the role the ocean economy already plays — and channel more capital into it.
The ocean carries more than 80% of global trade volume and supports the livelihoods of over 500 million people. Yet it remains underrepresented in sustainable finance frameworks and investment strategies.
Our AI-powered analysis capabilities allow us to identify ocean-related investments across the entire sustainable bond universe, even when they're not explicitly categorised as such. This creates new opportunities for:
Blue finance represents a significant untapped opportunity in sustainable finance. With $48 billion already flowing and growing recognition of the ocean's critical role in climate and biodiversity, we expect to see rapid expansion in this space.
The key will be maintaining the same rigorous standards for impact and transparency that have driven growth in green finance, while adapting to the unique characteristics of ocean-related investments.
🔗 Read the full UNGC op-ed: Building blue capital: the ocean economy is the next sustainable finance frontier