Find Investment Opportunities

The sustainable development of coasts and oceans might well prove to be the next impact investment frontier. Over the last 20+ years, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and other donors have contributed billions of dollars to (1) support regional scientific assessments, (2) develop regional Strategic Action Programmes (SAPs) and (3) set up or strengthen institutional mechanisms for improved governance of coasts and oceans.

These science-based and government-approved SAPs have the potential to reduce investment risks, providing more certainty for longer-term commercial returns, along with accountability frameworks for social and environmental impact. In most cases, the problems are recognized, the solutions are known and investment capital is available and seeking good projects. The main bottleneck is a lack of pipeline of bankable investment opportunities.

Working with international partners, PEMSEA is developing a regional investment facility with two main components:

1. Pre-investment facility for identifying and developing a pipeline of bankable projects
2. Links to actively managed, sector-focused investment funds

Leveraging ongoing project work at over 100 ICM sites in 12 countries and a network of dozens of technical and program partners around the region, the pre-investment facility provides services and tools for sourcing an investment pipeline and connecting investors to investment opportunities.

Working with investors, PEMSEA has identified a set of coastal and ocean sectors with the potential for both positive environmental and social impact and financial returns.

• Sustainable fisheries & aquaculture
• Ecotourism / sustainable tourism
• Climate smart development and disaster risk reduction
• Pollution reduction and waste management
• Marine renewable energy
• Sustainable ports, shipping and marine transport
• Water use and water supply management
• Habitat Protection, restoration and management
• Ocean-based technology products and services

Through a growing roster of technical and investment partners, the facility is developing pilot investment cases across several asset types.

PEMSEA is always interested in connecting with institutions with technical and investment expertise in these areas. At the same time, companies, private funds, donor funds and other investors looking for investment opportunities in the region are encouraged to express their interest using the form below and someone from PEMSEA will get back to you as soon as possible.

True “blue economy” investment in coasts and oceans are undertaken with an intent to generate positive environmental and social impact, along with sustainable financial return. As the impact investing community well knows, there is a need for practical and meaningful metrics to measure the performance of these impact investments.

Many existing principles can be adapted, such as the IFC Performance Standards, Equator Principles, Global Environment Facility reporting standards and others. New standards, criteria and indicators are being developed at a rapid pace. The majority focus predominantly on the terrestrial context, climate change and aspects of sustainable development outside of oceans. The IRIS database from the GIIN, for instance, offers a full catalog of impact investment performance metrics. But as interest in oceans grows stronger, new ocean investment-focused indicators are arising, for example with funds like the Meloy Fund and the Blue Action Fund.

The Climate Bonds Initiative, for instance, is developing a set of green bond criteria for marine assets, including marine renewable energy, sustainable fisheries and coastal infrastructure.

PEMSEA has developed a State of the Coasts (SOC) reporting system. The SOC system includes 35 simple, meaningful core indicators to evaluate the impact of ICM implementation over time.

PEMSEA is interested in working with other organizations developing practical standards and indicators for monitoring impact investments in coasts and oceans. Please contact us at blue_economy@pemsea.org.