At the UN Capital Development Fund, we understand that the world’s oceans are vital to our planet’s future prosperity. That’s why at the Blue Economy and Finance Forum (BEFF) and the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), UNCDF joined with partners to showcase transformational finance solutions that respond to both local needs and global development targets. At both events, we highlighted scalable, de-risked finance models that can unlock capital at the pace and scale required for a sustainable ocean-based economy and pushed action forwards through new announcements:

NEWS: One Ocean Finance

A collective of United Nations agencies and global partners launched at BEFF the co-design process for One Ocean Finance —a bold new effort to unlock billions in new financing from ocean-dependent industries and blue economy sectors. By channeling these underutilized capital flows through an agile, scalable, and fit-for-purpose global platform, One Ocean Finance seeks to deliver triple-win outcomes: accelerating industry transition, restoring ocean health, and supporting resilient coastal communities. The Call for Engagement invited all sectors—governments, industry, finance, and civil society—to come together in shaping a more coherent and inclusive ocean finance architecture, one that reflects the true value of the ocean as a global asset.

The One Ocean Finance Facility is highlighted as one of 10 voluntary commitments made at UNOC3.

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NEWS: +US$25M for Coral Reefs

As the most widespread coral bleaching event on record pushes the world’s reefs toward an ecological tipping point, a coalition of government and philanthropic partners announced at UNOC3 over $25 million in new contributions to the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR).

This wave of support—from the Governments of the United Kingdom, New Zealand, France, and Germany, alongside renewed commitments from Builders Vision and UBS Optimus Foundation—comes at a make-or-break moment for the planet’s coral ecosystems and the more than one billion people who rely on them for food security, livelihoods, and coastal protection.

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Also at BEFF and UNOC3, UNCDF highlighted the Plastics Transition Investment Facility (PTIF), which is mobilizing private capital for high-impact solutions across the plastics value chain in partnership with IFC and UNEP. By financing upstream innovation, circular business models, and infrastructure for reuse and recycling, the Facility is designed to drive environmental and social outcomes at scale.

The work to unlock capital for sustainable economic growth for the world’s most underserved markets continues in 2025, with the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) from 30 June – 3 July in Seville, Spain.