Protecting the ocean
What is the blue economy?
The blue economy plays an important role in everything from food systems and climate mitigation, to European competitiveness and regional security. It includes all sectors with a direct or indirect link to the ocean. Examples include coastal protection, renewable energy, shipping and fishing. If the blue economy were a country, it would be the fifth largest in the world, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The ocean in numbers
The ocean covers 70% of the planet. Home to an abundance of biodiversity, it helps regulate our climate and provides for billions of people around the world.
1/4
of carbon emissions
of carbon emissions from human activity are trapped by the ocean, making it the world’s largest carbon sink
90%
of excess heat
in our atmosphere is absorbed by the ocean, helping to keep our world cool
1/2
of the oxygen
we breathe is produced by marine life such as ocean plankton
12m
tonnes of plastic waste
is dumped into the ocean each year
IN FOCUS
Our support for a sustainable blue economy
Blue economy investments
We support a wide range of blue economy projects, from low-carbon solutions to research and innovation.
Low-carbon solutions
We support sustainable port infrastructure and greener shipping. We co-financed around 40% of all offshore renewable energy capacity in Europe and invest in submarine cables that make power grids more resilient.
Coastal climate resilience
We invest in helping cities, regions and countries protect themselves and adapt to the effects of climate change, including rising sea-levels, coastal erosion, storm surge and saline intrusion.
Research and innovation
We support innovations that help traditional blue economy industries transition to more sustainable practices. We also invest in ocean monitoring technologies, such as marine robotics and research vessels.
Ocean conservation
We finance projects that help manage wastewater, storm water and solid waste in order to reduce the amount of pollution flowing into the ocean. We also support sustainable seafood production.
Who can apply?
We have developed a set of financial tools to support blue economy growth, innovation and competitiveness.
Startups
The European Investment Fund, part of the the European Investment Bank Group, finances venture capital investments that support the blue economy under the European Commission's InvestEU programme.
Scaleups
We provide quasi-equity venture debt financing to support the growth of our next champions of the blue economy.
Small businesses
We have a dedicated credit line for small and medium-sized companies committed to keeping our ocean clean and healthy.
Our partnerships
We work closely with other financial institutions in Europe and beyond to support the blue economy.
Clean Oceans Initiative
We joined six public development banks in renewing our commitment to reducing plastic pollution with the launch of the Clean Oceans Initiative 2.0. The initiative sets a financing target of €3 billion for the years 2026 to 2030.
Blue Champions Initiative
We are working with the European Commission to help blue economy scale-ups overcome financing challenges and access the advisory support they need to succeed.
Blue Mediterranean Partnership
We’ve joined forces with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the Union for the Mediterranean to foster a sustainable blue economy in the Mediterranean.
Finance in Common Ocean Coalition
We are working with twelve other public development banks to chart out and implement a Blue Finance Roadmap based on our collective knowledge and experience with ocean investments.
Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles
We teamed up with the European Commission, WWF and the World Resources Institute to define principles and create guidelines on investing in the sustainable use of the ocean’s resources.
Our stories
Individual stories speak far louder than figures and charts. Learn how our work is leading the way to cleaner oceans.
Our publications
Understanding the blue economy is key to taking action. Explore our latest research, economic studies, surveys and other resources.
