SOLUTION HUBS / SIDE EVENTS
SATURDAY JUNE 7th - 11.30 - 13.00
Sailing and hydrogen, maritime routes for decarbonisation
Maritime transport is and will increasingly face huge environmental challenges related to climate change. Ensuring the sustainability of shipping is essential, both for the environment and for global trade. Practices must therefore adapt and move more widely towards innovative and sustainable solutions. As the maritime sector accelerates its push toward decarbonization,this event aims to focus on hydrogen and sailing propulsion, that are quickly proving themeselves as game-changers for maritime mobility and trade. In 2024, the Monaco Hydrogen Alliance convened the International Taskforce on Hydrogen Mobility in Coastal Areas, uniting leading startups and established firms that are developing cutting-edge hydrogen solutions. At this session, the white paper *Waves of Change: The Future of Hydrogen Mobility in Coastal Areas* will be officially released—offering a roadmap for collaboration, addressing key industry challenges, and charting the path to hydrogen-powered maritime transport. Then, a round table will aim to mobilize investments in immediate solutions for the sailing sector : it is proposed to present the maturity of the sailing industry through stories and feedback from stakeholders on concrete successes.
Speakers
Philippe TABAROT, French Minister for Transport
Eric BANEL, Director General for Maritime Affairs, Fisheries and Aquaculture
Lise DETRIMONT, DG of Windship association
Marc THIENPONT, CEO of Beyond the Sea
Guillaume LE GRAND, CEO of TOWT
Emmanuel SCHALIT, CEO of OceanWings
Sylvain PAGES, co founder of AltfinPartners
John ROSSANT, President of Monaco Hydrogen Alliance
Riccardo MASTINI, Research Director of Monaco Hydrogen Alliance
Phil SHARP, CEO of Genevos
Andrea MINERDO, CEO of Natpower H.
Organised in parnership with
WindShip
With the participation of
NAN
Business in Ocean (BIO): A starting point for a “blue ambition loop”
This high-level roundtable marks the official launch of the « Business in Ocean » initiative, bringing together companies from diverse sectors which have committed to driving systemic change in the Ocean while remaining competitive. It will highlight corporate engagement and support for ambitious ocean protection goals that could serve as the starting point for a “blue ambition loop”. Through a call to action, the initiative will enable companies to take stock of the situation and the challenges faced by the Ocean, define priorities of actions to accelerate their commitments in favor of the ocean, and urge policy makers to establish ambitious, science-driven policies to stimulate business action.
Speakers
Nils Pedersen, Executive Director of the UN Global Compact – France
Elizabeth Mcleod, Global Ocean Director, chief Conservation Office, The Nature Conservancy
Jimena Rodriguez, Group Senior Manager of ocean & Biodiversity of DP World
Pär Larshans, Chief Sustainability of Ragn-Sells
Charlotte Migne, Vice-President Sustainable Development of SUEZ
Alexandre Marty, Head of the Climate and Natural Resources division of EDF
Ulrike Decoene, Executive Director of AXA
Alfredo Giron, Head of the World Economic Forum’s Ocean Action Agenda
Organised in parnership with
Association française des Entreprises pour l’Environnement
World Economic Forum
United Nations Global Compact
UNOC3
With the participation of
NAN
Coral Reef-Positive Finance: Protecting Earth’s Climate Refugia
Bosio
Covering less than 1% of the ocean floor, coral reefs support 25% of all marine life and over one billion people globally. They are biodiversity hotspots, economic lifelines, and natural barriers shielding vulnerable coasts from rising seas and storms. Yet today, they are in crisis.
The fourth global mass coral bleaching event—declared in 2024—has affected over 84% of reefs across 82 countries. Driven by record-breaking ocean temperatures, this unprecedented bleaching is a dire signal of the escalating climate emergency. Without immediate action, we could lose nearly all coral reefs within decades—along with the critical services they provide.
But amidst this crisis, there is hope.
Hosted by the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR), this high-level event brings together investors, financial institutions, entrepreneurs, governments, and UN agencies to explore how capital can be mobilized for reef-positive enterprises and solutions. Featuring case studies from coral-dependent regions such as Sri Lanka, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Brazil, the event will spotlight scalable, nature-based solutions across sectors like waste management, sustainable agriculture, ecotourism, and fisheries.
The event addresses the capital-implementation gap, analyzing why reef-positive initiatives remain underfunded despite their environmental and socio-economic value. It will delve into blended finance strategies, de-risking mechanisms, and policy reforms required to mobilize institutional capital and scale climate-resilient blue economy models.
The event will feature 2 focused sessions:
1 - Solution Leaders: Spotlight on Reef-Positive Enterprises & Finance Innovations
Dive into inspiring case studies and live pitches from entrepreneurs and solution leaders driving reef-positive impact in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and coral-dependent regions. Discover how innovative business models and financial mechanisms are creating real-world change for coral reefs and coastal communities.
2 - Unlocking Capital: De-Risking Coral Reef Investment with Blended & Innovative Finance. Explore cutting-edge strategies to overcome investment barriers and mobilize capital at scale for coral reef solutions. This session unpacks how blended and innovative finance approaches are transforming risk into opportunity, enabling sustainable growth in reef-dependent economies.
Speakers
Ms.Susan Gardner, Director, Ecosystems Division, UNEP
UN SG Special Envoy, Amb. Peter Thomson.
Ambassador Ilana Victorya Seid, Palau
Mr. Gunanidhi Das, Womens MicroBank PNG
Ms. Jodi Smith, Director and CEO of Matanataki [Fiji]
Mr. Nicolas Pascal, Blue Alliance
Mr. Sylvain Taboni BNP Paribas
Mr Patrick Nussbaumer, UBS Optimus Foundation
Francine Pickup, Deputy Assistant Administrator & Deputy Director, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, United Nations Development Programme
Mr. Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Capital Development Fund,
Mr. Oliver Withers, from Standard Chartered Bank,
Mr. Dale Galvin, MD GFCR Equity Fund,
Ms. Yoko Watanabe, Director for Environment at the Asian Development Bank,
Ms. Alicia Montalvo, Managing Director for Climate Action and Positive Biodiversity, at the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean
Ms. Hilen Gabriela Meirovich, Managing Director of Climate and Environment at IDB Invest
Dr. Khaled Asfahani, Chief Executive Officer of the General Organization for the Conservation of Coral Reefs and Sea Turtles in the Red Sea (SHAMS)
Organised in parnership with
Global Fund for Coral Reefs
UNEP
UNDP
Pegasus Capital Advisors
UBS Optimus Foundation
BNP Paribas
Konservasi Indonesia
Blue Alliance
Matanataki
Konservasi Indonesia
ICRI
SHAMS
Asian Development Bank
Development Bank of Latin America
With the participation of
NAN
Pitch Session
This high-energy session highlights 10 cutting-edge ventures that are actively transforming ocean-based industries. From sustainable aquaculture and green shipping to ocean intelligence, marine restoration, and plastic waste solutions, these companies are driving forward a fast-growing and investable ecosystem.
Curated in collaboration with partners at the forefront of this transition, the session features a unique dual-pitch format—delivering both visionary storytelling and strategic insight. With rapid-fire presentations and direct access to founders at dedicated showcase stands, this is a front-row look at the technologies and business models reshaping the blue economy. These ventures represent a powerful shift—where climate solutions meet commercial scale, and innovation drives measurable outcomes for people, planet, and profit. As regulatory tailwinds accelerate and global finance increasingly demands purpose-driven performance, the blue economy is emerging as a compelling engine of value creation.
Join us to discover the ventures defining the future of the ocean economy—high-impact, market-ready, and built for scale.
Organised in parnership with
Builders Vision
World Economic Forum
ReOcean Fund
MIT Solve
Solar Impulse Foundation
Minderoo Foundation
With the participation of
NAN
Investing in Costal Resilience
Van Dongen
Coastal climate resilience is a cornerstone of a thriving blue economy. Yet resilience is not a single, standalone concept—it is a dynamic system of interconnected elements that must align to deliver lasting value for communities, ecosystems, and investors alike. To embed resilience at the heart of the future blue economy, collective efforts must focus on the most promising, investable pathways. This means seizing near-term opportunities while nurturing long-term innovations that can deliver enduring economic and environmental returns.
This session will address key questions: Which initiatives have effectively advanced coastal climate resilience within the blue economy? Where are cross-sector partnerships most urgently needed? What are the most resilient investment opportunities today, and what new financial instruments are emerging to support them?
Panellists and participants will explore the rapidly evolving landscape of coastal resilience, examining how diverse strategies can translate resilience into measurable economic value. Breakout discussions will focus on proactive ways to position coastal resilience as a strategic pillar of the blue economy.
By spotlighting both proven and pioneering initiatives—and fostering dialogue between resilience experts, business leaders, and financial stakeholders—this session aims to elevate coastal resilience as a foundational asset of long-term blue economic growth.
Speakers
Jason Carter, Blue Carbon Finance Lead, World Economic Forum
Jack Hurd, Executive Director, Tropical Forest Alliance, World Economic Forum
Ruth Davis, UK Special Representative for Nature
Barkha Mossaë, Regenerative Blue Economy Manager, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
David Obura, Director/Chair, CORDIO East Africa / IPBES
Barbara Karuth-Zelle, Chief Operating Officer, Allianz
Abyd Karmali, Managing Director, Environmental Business Advisory, Bank of America
Ayla Bajwa, Senior Vice President Sustainability, DP World
Ignace Beguin Billecocq, Executive Director, Mangrove Breakthrough – Mangrove Breakthrough Financing Facility
Joao Sousa, Senior Programme Officer, IUCN – Blue Natural Capital Financing Facility
Philippe Rochet, Deputy CEO, Partner, Removall Carbon – MozBlue
Tanya Bryan, Director of Blue Carbon, West Africa Blue – West Africa Blue
Ingrid Kelling, Programme Director, DAI Global – Climate and Ocean Adaptation and Sustainable Transition (COAST)
Rod Braun, Senior Director, Coastal & Ocean Climate Adaptation, Conservation International – Restoration Insurance and Financial Services Company (RISCO)
Pranav Pasari, CEO and Co-founder, Satsense Solutions Ltd. – Satellite based Coastal Hazard
Assessment for Sustainable Economic and Tourism Development
Loreley Picourt, Executive Director, Ocean & Climate Platform
Emmanuel Baudran, Executive Deputy Director for Sustainable Solutions and Development, AFD
Peter Thomson, United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean
Organised in parnership with
The International Union for Conservation of Nature
Mangrove Breakthrough
Ocean & Climate Platform
With the participation of
NAN
Innovative financial mechanisms ensuring long term health of our oceans
Auric 4
The event will highlight the critical role of sustainable financing in achieving global biodiversity targets, particularly Target 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework including the key qualitative and quantitative commitment 30 x 30 target. It will explore innovative financial mechanisms, discussing and showcasing experiences from conservation trust funds worldwide, demonstrating how stable funding, long-term strategies, and inclusive governance are essential for effective marine protection. The event will draw examples from the Mediterranean (The MedFund), the Caribbean (Caribbean Biodiversity Fund), South America (Marfund), Asia (Coral Triangle conservation Fund) and Africa (Bacomab). The event will provide a global perspective on scaling up marine conservation efforts, fostering collaboration between financial institutions and development agencies, philanthropies, governments, and coastal communities to ensure the resilience of marine ecosystems.
Speakers
Moderator Part 1: Amilcar Guzman, consultant author of “Conservation Trust Funds 2020: Global Vision, Local Action”
Ms Minna Epps, Global Ocean Director, IUCN international
M. David Meyers Executive Director, Conservation Finance Alliance
Ms María José González, Executive director, The Mesoamerican Reef Fund (Mar Fund)
Ms McDonald Gayle/Karen, Executive director, Caribbean biodiversity Fund (CBF)
M. Ahmed Lefghih, Executive director, The Banc d’Arguin et de la Biodiversité Côtière et Marine Trust Fund (BACoMaB)
M. Romain Renoux, Executive director, The MedFund
Dr Franck Griffin, Chair, The Coral Triangle conservation Fund
Moderator Part 2 : M. David Meyers, Conservation Finance Alliance Executive Director
M. Jorge Oviedo & Mr. Theophile Zognou, RedLac and CAFÉ networks Presidents
M. Taylor Henshaw, The GEF Sr. Environmental Specialist
M. Raphaël Ghiandai, Chief Financial Officer, The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation vice-president
Mme Marie-Cécile Thirion, Agence française de développement
Organised in parnership with
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN International)
The Albert II of Monaco Foundation
Caribbean biodiversity Fund (CBF)
The Mesoamerican Reef Fund (Mar Fund)
The Banc d’Arguin et de la Biodiversité Côtière et Marine Trust Fund (BACoMaB)
Conservation Finance Alliance (CFA)
Latin American and Carribean Network of Environmental Funds (RedLac)
Consortium of African Funds for the Environment (CAFÉ)
The Global Environment Facility (GEF)
With the participation of
NAN
MENA Blue Finance Leadership Think-tank
This strategic think tank will convene key regional stakeholders from the MENA region to unlock investments in coastal resilience through innovative instruments, nature based solutions and a regenerative blue economy framework.
Exploring global and region-relevant financial instruments—blue bonds, biodiversity credits, and blended finance mechanisms, the session will adopt an interactive discussion between financiers, scientists, innovators and industry leaders on best practices in scaling impact and de-risking investments.
The session marks two important launches, which will provide tangible roadmaps for key blue economy sectors to drive ocean positive outcomes:
The MENA Blue Economies for Coastal Resilience Programme, being initiated by MENA Oceans: An Initiative by Goumbook in Strategic Partnership with Eartha / Qatar Foundation
The Maritime Biodiversity & Ocean Health Roadmap by Sustainable Shipping Initiative, UN Foundation, UN High Level Climate Champions Team and MENA Oceans: An Initiative by Goumbook
Organised in parnership with
UN High Level Climate Champions Team
With the participation of
NAN
Ocean Metrics & Certificates
The objective of this Solution Hub is to showcase initiatives aimed at producing indicators to measure the impact of human activities on ocean health, and to foster discussion on how these methodologies can contribute to the development of innovative financial instruments that could support investment in ocean conservation and a sustainable blue economy, such as biodiversity certificates.
Speakers
Marco Lambertini, convenor, Nature Positive Initiative
Jan Pachner, Secretary General, One Ocean Foundation
Jean-Marc Daniel, Deputy Director in charge of Strategy at IFREMER, Carbone 4/IFREMER/CDC Biodiversité
Ambassador Gina Guillén, Presidential Special Envoy on the Ocean, Costa Rica
Phil James, Director of Global Ocean Accounts Partnership
David Vaillant, Depuy Director of BNP Paribas Asset Management and co-chair of IAPB Measurement Working Group
Mathilde Mignot, Group Director - Nature & Tech based Solutions, EcoAct
Organised in parnership with
Nature Positive Initiative
One Ocean Foundation
Carbone 4/IFREMER/CDC Biodiversité
Costa Rica Global Ocean Accounts Partnership
International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits
EcoAct
With the participation of
NAN
Shaping a Sustainable Future for Seaweed in a Regenerative Blue Economy
Organised by Global Seaweed Coalition, Oceanographic Institute - Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation
Seaweed holds immense potential for regenerating the blue economy, contributing to climate resilience, food security and sustainable livelihoods. This event offers a unique opportunity to highlight the untapped potential of seaweed in achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 14, while demonstrating the growing global momentum behind this agenda. Discussions will focus on the "Seaweed breakthrough", scientific targets for restoring wild seaweed habitats and developing a sustainable industry; the "Seaweed pledge" engaging private sector leaders to commit to seaweed sourcing and best practices; the creation of a UN Seaweed Task Force, which aims to establish global governance and foster collaboration between UN agencies and governments. Lastly, the session will explore success stories in microalgae, drawing parallels on how the seaweed sector can learn from its counterparts to drive sustainable innovation.
Speakers
Robert Calcagno, CEO, Oceanographic Institute, Prince Albert I of Monaco Foundation
Mathilda Da Silva, chief executive officer of Ocean Purpose Project
Adrien Vincent, Senior Advisor, Global Seaweed Coalition & EU4Algae
Dr. Elizabeth Cottier-Cook, Head of UN University Associate Institute; Professor in Marine Biology, SAMS (Scottish Association of Marine Science)
Vincent Doumeizel, Senior Advisor Ocean & Food, UN Global Compact; Co-founder, Global Seaweed Coalition
Dr. Chantal Line Carpentier, Head, Trade, Environment, Climate Change & Sustainable Development Branch, UNCTAD
Vitor Verdelho, General Manager at EABA (European Algae Biomass Association)
Veronique Raoul, CEO Inalve
Josephine Satyono, Executive Director of Indonesia Global Compact Network (IGCN)
Andi Rahim, Secretary General IGCN
Organised in parnership with
EU4Algae
European Algae Biomass Association (EABA)
The Earthshot Prize
With the participation of
NAN
SOLUTION HUBS / SIDE EVENTS
SATURDAY JUNE 7th - 16.30 - 18.00
One Ocean Finance: Financing a Regenerative & Sustainable Blue Economy
As the value of the ocean economy is set to double between 2015 and 2030, reaching $3 trillion annually, the world faces an urgent need to finance solutions that protect ocean health, support sustainable industry, and build resilience in coastal communities. This high-level dialogue will convene public, private, and civil society actors to explore how innovative financial mechanisms can help close the estimated $175 billion annual SDG 14 finance gap while unlocking the full potential of the ocean as a global asset.
The event will feature two focused sessions:
1. Session 1 will convene industry leaders and financial institutions to spotlight cutting-edge innovations—such as alternative fuels, green fleet technologies, and offshore renewable energy—and explore how to scale private sector action and mobilize finance to accelerate the transition toward a sustainable ocean economy.
2. Session 2 will bring together government leaders, multilateral institutions, and regional experts to examine how inclusive, scalable financial systems—leveraging tools like solidarity levies, pricing mechanisms, and concessional capital—can unlock investment and deliver triple-bottom-line outcomes for ocean health, communities, and industry.
The event will facilitate a collaborative dialogue toward the conceptualization of a new global financing platform—referred to as the One Ocean Finance.
This high-level session offers a powerful opportunity for the public and private sector to collaborate toward a joint vision for the future of ocean health —where innovation, economic resilience, and sustainability thrive together.
Speakers
Ambassador Julio Cordano, Director of Environment, Climate Change and Ocean, Chilean Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Co-Facilitator, UNFCCC Ocean and Climate Change Dialogue
Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, Executive Secretary, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the INC for Plastics Pollution, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Susan C. Gardner, Director of Ecosystems Division, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Francine Pickup, Deputy Assistant Administrator & Deputy Director, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
Hilen Gabriela Meirovich, Managing Director of Climate and Environment at IDB Invest, Inter-American Development Bank
Cynthia Barzuna, Global Deputy Director, Ocean Programme, World Resources Institute
Yoko Watanabe, Director for Environment, Asian Development Bank
Coral Pasisi, Director of Climate Change and Sustainability, the Pacific Community (SPC)
Erik Giercksky, Head of Business Action Platform for Ocean, UN Global Compact
Organised in parnership with
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)
World Resources Institute (WRI)
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)
Asian Development Bank (ADB)
The Pacific Community (SPC)
Catalytic Finance Foundation (CF)
With the participation of
NAN
An Ocean Tourism Pact: towards a Sustainable Blue Future
Tourism offers significant economic opportunities for many countries, but its environmental and social impacts are increasingly being felt negatively by local communities. Against this backdrop, the event aims to serve as a catalyst for aligning tourism agendas with the sustainable management of marine and coastal ecosystems. It seeks to generate political momentum by bringing together public and private stakeholders committed to enhancing sustainability efforts in the tourism sector. The event will provide a platform for sharing experiences, best practices, and innovative approaches. In addition, this initiative will enable the sector to call on joint public-private investments to help them in their transition towards sustainable and responsible tourism.
Speakers
Céline Kauffmann, Chief Programme Officer, Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI)
Philippe Tabarot, Minister of Transport, France
Céline Caron Dagioni, Minister of Equipment, Environment, and Urban Planning, Monaco
Zoritsa Urosevic, Executive Director, UN Tourism
Jerry Enoe, Ambassador, Special Envoy for Oceans, Government of Grenada
Nicholas Hardman-Mountdord, Senior Director, Blue Climate Program, Conservation International
Jorge Laguna-Celis, Head, UN Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production (10YFP-One Planet Network), UNEP
Glenn Mandziuk, CEO, World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance (WSHA)
Steven Daines, Chief Global Affairs and Public Engagement Officer, Group Accor
Moetai Charles Brotherson, President, French Polynesia
Victor Galvan, Director of Nature, Iberostar Group
Marie-Caroline Laurent, VP, Deputy Head of Maritime Policy and Government Affairs, MSC
Organised in parnership with
Accor
IDDRI
UNOC3
Ocean & Climate Platform
With the participation of
NAN
Philanthropists and Investors for the Ocean (PIO) : An alliance of investors and philanthropies to unlock new opportunities for the Ocean
In order to reach the targets of the SDGs 14, money has to be invested directly in impactful actions. Investors, public and private, philanthropies are the key to develop ideas, projects and to innovate in order to find the best solutions at different scale. Indeed, collaboration between private investors, philanthropies and public sector including development banks is essential to leverage the perspectives and the actions for the Ocean while de-risking the capital invested. Facing these challenges, the Philanthropists and Investors for the Ocean (PIO) initiative highlights groundbreaking global effort to catalyze transformational investments in the ocean. By uniting public development banks, private investors, and philanthropic organizations, PIO aims to channel funding where it’s needed the most – to restore marine ecosystems, enhance climate resilience, and drive inclusive, sustainable growth. At the heart of the initiative lies a transformative vision: reimagining ocean finance to unlock investments, donations, guarantees and blue bonds that deliver measurable results. This session will set the stage for a blue ambition loop that channels billions into transformative ocean initiatives.
Speakers
Santiago Lefebvre, CEO of ChangeNow
Daniela Fernandez, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BluePearl and Founder of Sustainable Ocean Alliance
Tiago Pitta e Cunha, CEO of Oceano Azul Foundation
Kotaro Sueyoshi, Advisor to Group Chief Sustainability Officer of Mizuho Financial Group, Inc
Russ Brook, General Partner of Katapult
Patricia Ricard, President of the Paul Ricard Oceanographic Institute
Giuditta Andreaus, Senior Manager, Private Philanthropy of the IUCN
Kevin Tayebaly, co-founder of ChangeNow
Organised in parnership with
Monaco Oceanographic Institute
Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
UNOC3
ChangeNow
Oceano Azul Foundation
With the participation of
NAN
Bridging the gap between ocean-focused innovation and large-scale investment
The Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF) is a milestone moment to mobilise capital at scale to accelerate a regenerative and sustainable blue economy- a trillion dollar investment opportunity. However, the lack of an investible project pipeline for the ocean is the singular most mentioned issue raised by potential investors.
ORRAA, Builders Vision, the WEF, and Katapult are proving this pipeline exists by building a tide of innovative solutions that cut across the capital stack, are investment-ready, and help build-out a capital market for the Ocean.
This event will provide the data on investment possibilities, showcase the opportunities and ocean-focused innovations from project inception to market integration and scaling. It will explore the diverse funding and financing mechanisms from blended finance, philanthropy, and corporate investments that are required to bring these initiatives to market.
The discussion will bring entrepreneurs from the Global South together with some of the largest global financial institutions and public, private, and philanthropic investors to highlight the pipeline of investable projects, risk-mitigation strategies, and innovative financial instruments. Set in the wider discussions at BEFF, the event will provide key insights on unlocking investment opportunities in the regenerative and sustainable blue economy.
Speakers
Karen Sack, ORRAA
Matt Mulrennan, Sustainable Ocean Alliance/Seabird Ventures
Olivier Raybaud, SWEN Blue Ocean
Nozi Mbongwa, WILDTRUST
Whitney Johnston, Salesforce
Manuela Fulga, the World Economic Forum
Peter Bryant, Builders Vision
Ambassador Ilana Seid, Palau
Melissa Walsh, ORRAA
Sindre Ostgard, Katapult Ocean Fund
Simon Dent, Outrigger Impact
Marie Ekeland, 2050
Chris Gorell Barnes, Ocean 14 Capital
Organised in parnership with
Builders Vision
World Economic Forum (WEF)
Katapult
With the participation of
NAN
Tackling Plastic Pollution and promoting circularity with finance
This session will offer valuable insights into the evolving landscape of the plastic pollution agenda and the ongoing negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty as it relates to the financial sector looking to deepen their understanding of plastic pollution-related financial risks and innovative financing solutions.
Over recent decades, the production and consumption of plastic, particularly single-use items, has surged. The resulting increase in plastic waste and pollution is a significant and growing threat to climate change, biodiversity, human rights, public health, rivers and oceans. Consequently, there is a high need to increase stakeholders engagement, including the international financial community. An estimated US$1.5 trillion in public expenditure and US$15.4 trillion in private sector investments are needed between 2025 to 2040 to reduce annual mismanaged plastic volumes by 90% relative to 2019 levels.
An international, legally binding instrument to tackle plastic pollution can potentially help unlock much-needed funds. In today’s financial landscape across banking, insurance and investors—where combined global financial assets markets are valued well over $1000 trillion in notional outstanding —aligning financial flows in our economies with SDG goals has never been more urgent. With pollution jumping to 6th place in this year’s WEF Global Risk Report and an International Legally Binding Instrument to end plastic pollution on the horizon, the pollution space represents a fast-evolving area of circular economy opportunities and pollution risks across sectoral value chains for the global finance sector.
Speakers
Moderation : Jan Raes & Lucie Pecqueur
Pradeep Kurukulasuriya, Executive Secretary, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF)
Rob Kaplan, CEO, Circulate Capital
Junu Shrestha - Senior Environmental Specialist in the Environment, Natural Resources, and Blue Economy Global Practice, World Bank
Monty Simus, Global Director of Public Affairs, Policy & Blue Finance, The Ocean Clean Up
Luc des Vallières, Director of Partnership
Côme Falque, Project manager, Removall
Lucile Courtial, Secrétaire executive de l'association Beyond Plastic Med, Be Med
Caroline Le Meaux, Global Head of ESG research, engagement & voting, Amundi
Simona Rizzuto Lead analyst Biodiversity, La Banque Postale Asset Management
Julie Millier Head of ESG Strategy & Advisory, BNP
Jyoti Mathur-Filipp, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution
Organised in parnership with
NAN
With the participation of
NAN
Setting Sail to Blue Port & Shipping
This event will explore the challenges and innovative solutions for making shipping and ports more sustainable and resilient in a rapidly evolving landscape. Through two panel discussions, experts will examine port transformation—focusing on ports' role in the energy transition and blue economy—and the shipping transition, addressing green shipping, asset transformation, and financing models. The session will also present findings from the New Energies Coalition Study on transition costs for shipping.
Speakers
Christine Cabau, EVP Assets and Operations, Cma Cgm Group
Paul Taylor, Global Head of Maritime Industries at Societe Generale, Vice Chair of Poseidon Principles
Louise Tricoire, SVP TotalEnergies Aviation and Marine Fuels at Total Energies
Hing Chao, Chairman of Wah Kwong Maritime Transport Holdings
Christophe Castaner, Supervisory Board of Marseille port
Ya Gao, Vice General Manager of Shandong port
Philippe Arsonneau, Infrastructure Segment President, Schneider Electric
Stefano Sommadossi, President of NatPower
Guillaume Branco, Managing director of Eurazeo
Moderator: Nick Brown, Corporate Affairs Director of Bureau Veritas
Organised in parnership with
NAN
With the participation of
NAN
Financing the Future of Coastal Communities: Scaling Solutions for Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture
Rare & partners will explore how governments, philanthropies, and private investors are aligning capital to support community-led ocean solutions. The session will highlight practical experiences from implementers working directly with small scale fisheries and aquaculture, and feature funders and finance leaders to share how blended finance, catalytic philanthropy, and technical assistance are mobilizing private and public capital to scale sustainable aquaculture and coastal conservation - and deliver impact to communities on the ground.
Speakers
Kate Schweigart, VP, Innovative Finance, Rare
Brett Jenks, CEO, Rare,
Jonathan Kelsey, Director of Bloomberg Ocean Fund
Kathryn Dawson, Lead of Blue Finance Mobilization at DEFRA
Nuria de Oca, COO of Levoca
Serge Raemaekers, Co-Founder & Executive Director of Abalobi
Jerry Mang'ena, Co founder & Executive Director of Aqua-Farms Organization
Pieter Van Eijk, Programm Head at Wetlands International
Claire Lemoine, Director of Institut Océanographique Paul Ricard
Amy Novogratz, Managing Partner of Aqua-Spark
Marie-Cécile Thirion, Director, Rangoon Office, French Development Agency (AFD)
Dale Gavin, Founder & CEO of Deliberate Capital
Chip Cunliffe, Senior Director at ORRAA
Organised in parnership with
Abalobi
ORRAA
Levoca
Aqua – Spark
With the participation of
NAN
From Vision to Investment: Financing the Sustainable Ocean Economy - Launch of the Ocean Panel Finance Working Paper and the Ocean Investment Protocol
The ocean economy is essential to global transitions in trade, energy, climate resilience, and food security. To ensure synergy between environmental protection, sustainable production, and equitable prosperity, a coordinated and sustainable approach is vital, where ocean finance plays a crucial role. However, despite growing momentum, the ocean finance landscape remains complex and often inaccessible. This subsequently hinders the much needed transition to sustainable practices and the development of an ocean workforce.
This event will launch the Ocean Panel-commissioned Working Paper “Ocean Finance for the Sustainable Ocean Economy”, which presents key actions for governments to enable ocean finance. It will also launch the UNGC and UNEP-FI-led “Ocean Investment Protocol”, which includes top recommendations on how to unlock private capital for the sustainable ocean economy. Together, these will shed light on the complex ocean finance landscape and provide key insights into how champions from financial institutions (asset managers, asset owners, sovereign wealth funds, and banks), (re)insurers, ocean industries, governments and development finance institutions (DFIs) can mobilise and scale up ocean finance for the sustainable ocean economy.
Interspersed between these presentations, stakeholders from across the ocean finance landscape - from private sector to government - will engage in panel discussions and Q&As to debate the recommendations presented. Audience members will be invited to share how their work is contributing to unlocking and scaling ocean finance for the SOE. This will assist in outlining the next steps to the development of a sustainable ocean economy for all. These Insights will inform ongoing efforts, including by the Ocean Panel, to align global financing frameworks with sustainable ocean goals and by the UN Global Compact in its blue finance initiative to support better uptake for the oceans in the markets.
Speakers
Amy Swift, Research Analyst, WRI
Angelique Pouponneau, AOSIS Lead
Torsten Thiele, Global Ocean Trust and Lead Author
Shashwat Koirala, Economist, Sustainable Ocean Economy Lead and Climate Transitions, OECD
Tao Wang, Senior Environmental Specialist, World Bank
Louise Heaps, Global Lead on Sustainable Blue Economy, WWF
Suzanne Johnson, Senior Advisor, UNGC
Oliver Withers, Head of Nature, Standard Chartered
Jessica Tamman, Head of Sustainability, Lloyd’s of London
Michael Marcewicz, Orsted
Jessica Smith, Head of Nature, UNEP FI
Katrina Maguire, Head of International Environment, Reef and Ocean Division, DCCEEW of Australia
Heraldo Muñoz Valenzuela, Former Minister Secretary General of the Government of Chile
Amboise Fayolle, SVP, European Investment Bank/Franck Jésus, Senior Department Climate Advisor at EIB.
Mark Spalding, The Ocean Foundation
Georg Børsting, Policy Director for climate change and ocean with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
Organised in parnership with
UNGC
OECD
WEF
World Bank
European Investment Bank
IDB-Invest
The Ocean Foundation
UNEP-FI
With the participation of
NAN
SOLUTION HUBS / SIDE EVENTS
SUNDAY JUNE 8th - 07.00 - 08.30
Canadian Innovation in Ocean Technologies
Poulenc
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) works with more than 800 members across the country, including hundreds of collaborative partners who are working together to develop more than 300 new ocean products, processes, and services. This impactful, dynamic session will showcase cutting edge, innovative made-in-Canada products and services to enable better, faster, safer and cheaper ocean observation. The moderated session will contain two panel discussions, where innovators will discuss remote sensing capabilities and in-situ monitoring innovations. It will include an extended Q&A and networking so audience members can mingle and meet companies (approx. 10).
Speakers
Honourable Stéphane Dion, Ambassador to France and Monaco
Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
Jakub Skrzypczyk, Director of Engagement, Canada's Ocean Supercluster
Trevor Moat, National Lead of OceanTech, NRC-IRAP
Eric Siegel, Chief Innovation Officer, Ocean Frontier Institute
Ethan Edson, CEO and Co-Founder, Ocean Diagnostics Inc.
Mike Fioretti, Director of Engineering & Product Development, Seamor Marine Limited
Mark Barry, President, Pro-Oceanus Systems Inc.
Julie Angus, CEO, Open Ocean Robotics
Meiz Majdoub, Co-founder & CEO, Mostar Labs Inc.
Amanda Barney, CEO & Founder, Teem Fish Monitoring Inc.
Matt Murdoch, Director PMO, EarthDaily Analytics Corp.
Alexander Dungate, CEO and Co-Founder, OnDeck Fisheries AI
James Spencer, CEO, Shift Coastal Technologies
Emily Charry Tissier, CEO, WhaleSeeker
Organised in parnership with
The Embassy of Canada in France
Ocean Frontier Institute
With the participation of
NAN
Mainstreaming Sustainable Blue Finance for a Regenerative and Sustainable Blue Economy – enabling and derisking approaches
The Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF) presents a key opportunity to mainstream sustainable blue finance. This Solution Hub, hosted by WWF, AXA, and ORRAA, will bring together stakeholders to discuss existing best practise and future opportunities to build a sustainable blue finance ecosystem that ensures that finance is directed away from harmful activities and towards the most regenerative and sustainable blue economy pathways.
The event will provide an opportunity to discuss and share best practice and key enablers for success, including existing and emerging regenerative and sustainable blue finance frameworks, such as the principles, accountability metrics and guidance needed to build finance sector confidence in the sustainable blue economy. It will also focus on how the insurance sector can play a pivotal role in de-risking finance and how innovative solutions, such as parametric insurance products, can mitigate risks, encourage investment, and enhance resilience.
Speakers
Johan Bergenas, WWF US
Martin Koehring, UNEP-FI
Oliver Withers, Standard Chartered
Martin Powell, AXA
Laura Clavey, TNFD
Louise Heaps, WWF
Lucy Holmes, WWF
Chip Cunliffe, ORRAA
Organised in parnership with
NAN
With the participation of
NAN
Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity: Empowering Pacific Blue Finance Initiatives for Global Benefits
Van Dongen
"The Blue Pacific Continent” – a vast region stewarded by 22 Pacific Island Countries and Territories, known collectively as the Large Ocean States – is spearheading a globally significant, regionally owned initiative to catalyse a regenerative, resilient blue economy.
Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity is not just an ocean initiative; it is a bold investment opportunity in the future of sustainable growth. With ocean health and coastal livelihoods under increasing threat, Pacific Leaders are charting a visionary course toward integrated, scalable, and future-fit models of ocean development—designed from the ground up for long-term impact.
This initiative represents the largest coordinated ocean conservation effort in history, with voluntary commitments to sustainably manage 100% of the Blue Pacific and protect 30%—an area nearly the size of Europe. It’s a generational opportunity for investors and strategic partners to align capital with climate, conservation, and community outcomes.
We are now mobilising risk-tolerant, blended, and outcome-driven financing to realise this vision. This is your opportunity to help shape the enabling policy and investment frameworks that will drive systemic change across the Blue Pacific—and deliver measurable returns for people, planet, and portfolios. Join us. Help unlock a resilient, inclusive blue economy. Be part of the future of sustainable ocean investment.
Speakers
President Whipps Jr., Palau
Prime Minister Brown, Cook Islands
Ambassador Ilana Seid, Co-Chair of the BEFF
Cristian Samper, Managing Director, Bezos Earth Fund
Ambassador Peter Thomson, United Nations Special Envoy for the Ocean
Lemalu Karena Lyons, Director, The Pacific Community
Organised in parnership with
Bezos Earth Fund
Government of Palau
Government of the Cook Islands
UN Special Envoy for Oceans
With the participation of
NAN
The Blue Economy and Finance Forum is co-organised by
In collaboration with
Our Partners
