Originally launched in May 2025, the Ocean Investment Protocol is a comprehensive guide designed to mobilize and scale finance for a healthy and resilient ocean and a strong, innovative Sustainable Ocean Economy. Building on the UN Global Compact Sustainable Ocean Principles and UNEP FI’s Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles, the revised Protocol reflects developments in the sustainable ocean finance landscape and the growing recognition of ocean-related risks and opportunities as material considerations for financial stability, economic resilience and long-term investment. It provides a practical framework for financial institutions, insurers, ocean industries, governments, development finance institutions and financial authorities to align financial decision-making with a sustainable, inclusive and resilient ocean economy.

The revised Protocol reflects a growing understanding that declining ocean health is not only an environmental challenge, but also a material economic and financial risk. Ocean-related dependencies and risks can affect financial stability, sovereign creditworthiness, food and energy security, trade, and the resilience of economies and communities.

The revised Protocol highlights several priorities:

• Stronger action by central banks, regulators and supervisors: New recommendations identify how public financial authorities can incorporate ocean-related risks and opportunities into financial stability assessments, supervisory approaches, sustainable finance frameworks and risk management.
• Better integration of ocean considerations into financial decision-making: The Protocol calls for greater use of existing financial and risk-management tools to recognize dependencies on healthy ocean ecosystems and the risks associated with their degradation.
• Scaling investment in a sustainable ocean economy: The Protocol seeks to strengthen the pipeline of investable opportunities across areas including sustainable seafood, shipping, ports, offshore renewable energy, coastal infrastructure, tourism, conservation and nature-based solutions.
• Improved data, measurement and ocean literacy: It highlights the need for accessible and reliable ocean data, common methodologies and greater understanding of ocean-related risks and opportunities across the financial system.
• A stronger enabling environment: The Protocol emphasizes the importance of coherent regulation, standards, public finance and other enabling conditions to mobilize private capital and accelerate the transition.

By providing a common foundation for stakeholders across the financial system, the revised Ocean Investment Protocol aims to help financial actors manage ocean-related risks, identify emerging investment opportunities and direct capital toward activities that support a healthy and resilient ocean. In doing so, it supports progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, and global biodiversity commitments.