Caribbean BLUEFin Project launches to drive sustainable ocean investment in the region

GREAT BAY--The Caribbean is taking a bold step toward a more sustainable future with the launch of the Caribbean Blue Economy Financing (Caribbean BLUEFin) Project, a four-year initiative designed to unlock innovative financing for marine and coastal conservation.

Funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and executed by the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund (CBF), the project will channel USD 6 million into strengthening blue economy opportunities and nature-based solutions across five beneficiary countries: Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, the Dominican Republic, and The Bahamas. The project will run until 2028.

The Caribbean BLUEFin project directly tackles barriers that have long limited investment in marine and coastal ecosystems. These barriers include the absence of sustainable finance mechanisms, weak enabling environments for private sector investment, and the lack of decision-support tools and regional-scale action.

"The Blue Economy is about using our ocean and coastal resources sustainably to fuel growth, protect ecosystems, and support the communities that depend on them. In the Caribbean, where over 90% of our economies rely on the ocean, investing in marine conservation protects livelihoods, culture, and resilience against climate change. From healthy coral reefs that protect our coasts to thriving fisheries that provide food for our tables and eco-tourism that powers local jobs, a sustainable Blue Economy is essential for our region’s future," said Tadzio Bervoets, Caribbean BLUEFin Project Technical Officer.

• By addressing these gaps, the project aims to:

• Improve access to funding for national and regional marine and coastal priorities.

• Facilitate private sector participation in the blue economy by creating enabling policies and practices.

• Develop a regional Caribbean Ocean Financial Mechanism (FM) focused on partnerships with the productive and private sectors.

• Create a Blue Economy Hub to promote new business opportunities and partnerships, delivering socioeconomic benefits while conserving marine and coastal ecosystems.

• Increase stakeholder knowledge of blue economy business opportunities, sustainable finance mechanisms, and valuation tools, enabling replication and scaling of initiatives across the Caribbean.

The project is aligned with the GEF-7 International Waters Focal Area, which seeks to strengthen blue economy opportunities while sustaining healthy coastal and marine ecosystems. Global environmental benefits are expected to translate into improved livelihoods, enhanced food security, greater gender equality, and stronger resilience to climate change impacts.

The CBF, which leads the project’s execution, is a regional umbrella environmental fund with three key programs: the Conservation Finance Program, the Climate Change Program, and the Nature-Based Economies Program. Together, these initiatives deliver innovative financing solutions that support conservation, climate resilience, and sustainable development across the Caribbean.