The role of impact-oriented risk capital in advancing conservation solutions in oceans

Oceans cover more than two-thirds of the earth’s surface and contribute a more than US $2.5 trillion in goods and services annually.[1] By the year 2030, the ocean economy is projected to outperform the growth of the global... [ view full abstract ]

Oceans cover more than two-thirds of the earth’s surface and contribute a more than US $2.5 trillion in goods and services annually.[1] By the year 2030, the ocean economy is projected to outperform the growth of the global economy overall.[2] While the “blue economy” presents significant opportunities, the global community must balance economic growth with the critical need to protect the integrity of our ocean ecosystems and the natural and human communities that depend on them. Innovation and entrepreneurship are essential to the development of new and more sustainable models of economic development in oceans. Building on our legacy of innovation in conservation finance, Conservation International, a leading conservation organization working in more than 30 countries worldwide, is launching CI Ventures LLC, a new conservation-oriented investment vehicle that links science, conservation, and impact finance to addresses the current gap in seed and early stage financing for entrepreneurs seeking to develop and scale ocean conservation solutions. 

[1] WWF-International (2015), Reviving the Ocean Economy: The Case for Action, https://c402277.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/publications/790/files/original/Reviving_Ocean_Economy_REPORT_low_res.pdf?1429717323

[2] OECD (2016), The Ocean Economy in 2030, OECD Publishing, Paris.

http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/9789264251724-en