The UK has contributed £15.3 million to the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance since November 2022. This year, this Government announced an additional £2.2 million. All contributions are made in the form of grants.

The UK uses Official Development Assistance (ODA) to help establish robust and transparent biodiversity credit schemes that can mobilise private finance while delivering measurable environmental and social outcomes. These outcomes include equitable benefits for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

The UK-funded Vanga Seagrass Project, Kenya, one of a pipeline of projects funded through the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), is testing how marine biodiversity credits can support measurable gains for biodiversity. These include improved seagrass condition, alongside locally managed marine areas and sustainable fishing. The project is being piloted under the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits, which the UK is supporting to develop high-integrity credit standards.

Effectiveness of UK-funded initiatives is assessed through agreed performance indicators and regular monitoring and reporting on biodiversity and community outcomes. Safeguards are embedded through ODA environmental and social standards, risk assessments, site visits and Annual Reviews. The most recent ORRAA Annual Review is here: GOV.UK.

The UK uses Official Development Assistance (ODA) to help establish robust and transparent biodiversity credit schemes that can mobilise private finance while delivering measurable environmental and social outcomes. These outcomes include equitable benefits for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

The UK-funded Vanga Seagrass Project, Kenya, one of a pipeline of projects funded through the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), is testing how marine biodiversity credits can support measurable gains for biodiversity. These include improved seagrass condition, alongside locally managed marine areas and sustainable fishing. The project is being piloted under the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits, which the UK is supporting to develop high-integrity credit standards.

Effectiveness of UK-funded initiatives is assessed through agreed performance indicators and regular monitoring and reporting on biodiversity and community outcomes. Safeguards are embedded through ODA environmental and social standards, risk assessments, site visits and Annual Reviews. The most recent ORRAA Annual Review is here: GOV.UK.

The UK uses Official Development Assistance (ODA) to help establish robust and transparent biodiversity credit schemes that can mobilise private finance while delivering measurable environmental and social outcomes. These outcomes include equitable benefits for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

The UK-funded Vanga Seagrass Project, Kenya, one of a pipeline of projects funded through the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), is testing how marine biodiversity credits can support measurable gains for biodiversity. These include improved seagrass condition, alongside locally managed marine areas and sustainable fishing. The project is being piloted under the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits, which the UK is supporting to develop high-integrity credit standards.

Effectiveness of UK-funded initiatives is assessed through agreed performance indicators and regular monitoring and reporting on biodiversity and community outcomes. Safeguards are embedded through ODA environmental and social standards, risk assessments, site visits and Annual Reviews. The most recent ORRAA Annual Review is here: GOV.UK.

The UK uses Official Development Assistance (ODA) to help establish robust and transparent biodiversity credit schemes that can mobilise private finance while delivering measurable environmental and social outcomes. These outcomes include equitable benefits for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.

The UK-funded Vanga Seagrass Project, Kenya, one of a pipeline of projects funded through the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA), is testing how marine biodiversity credits can support measurable gains for biodiversity. These include improved seagrass condition, alongside locally managed marine areas and sustainable fishing. The project is being piloted under the International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits, which the UK is supporting to develop high-integrity credit standards.

Effectiveness of UK-funded initiatives is assessed through agreed performance indicators and regular monitoring and reporting on biodiversity and community outcomes. Safeguards are embedded through ODA environmental and social standards, risk assessments, site visits and Annual Reviews. The most recent ORRAA Annual Review is here: GOV.UK.

Through PROBLUE, a World Bank multi-donor trust fund supported by the UK, the World Bank has invested $4.4 million in the Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Tourism Project (WACA+) in São Tomé and Príncipe, unlocking a further $14.4 million in public and private co-funding. The project will run until 2029 and aims to strengthen coastal resilience, sustainable livelihoods and long-term blue economy growth across Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The project in São Tomé and Príncipe aligns with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty on a liveable planet. PROBLUE’s model supports countries to build sustainable blue economies that create jobs in coastal communities, improve livelihoods and protect ocean ecosystems.

The World Bank oversees the project’s delivery, providing consolidated annual reports and case studies to contributing donors. The impact of the UK’s contribution to PROBLUE is assessed through Annual Reviews which are available on GOV.UK here.

Through PROBLUE, a World Bank multi-donor trust fund supported by the UK, the World Bank has invested $4.4 million in the Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Tourism Project (WACA+) in São Tomé and Príncipe, unlocking a further $14.4 million in public and private co-funding. The project will run until 2029 and aims to strengthen coastal resilience, sustainable livelihoods and long-term blue economy growth across Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The project in São Tomé and Príncipe aligns with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty on a liveable planet. PROBLUE’s model supports countries to build sustainable blue economies that create jobs in coastal communities, improve livelihoods and protect ocean ecosystems.

The World Bank oversees the project’s delivery, providing consolidated annual reports and case studies to contributing donors. The impact of the UK’s contribution to PROBLUE is assessed through Annual Reviews which are available on GOV.UK here.

Through PROBLUE, a World Bank multi-donor trust fund supported by the UK, the World Bank has invested $4.4 million in the Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Tourism Project (WACA+) in São Tomé and Príncipe, unlocking a further $14.4 million in public and private co-funding. The project will run until 2029 and aims to strengthen coastal resilience, sustainable livelihoods and long-term blue economy growth across Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The project in São Tomé and Príncipe aligns with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty on a liveable planet. PROBLUE’s model supports countries to build sustainable blue economies that create jobs in coastal communities, improve livelihoods and protect ocean ecosystems.

The World Bank oversees the project’s delivery, providing consolidated annual reports and case studies to contributing donors. The impact of the UK’s contribution to PROBLUE is assessed through Annual Reviews which are available on GOV.UK here.

Through PROBLUE, a World Bank multi-donor trust fund supported by the UK, the World Bank has invested $4.4 million in the Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Tourism Project (WACA+) in São Tomé and Príncipe, unlocking a further $14.4 million in public and private co-funding. The project will run until 2029 and aims to strengthen coastal resilience, sustainable livelihoods and long-term blue economy growth across Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The project in São Tomé and Príncipe aligns with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty on a liveable planet. PROBLUE’s model supports countries to build sustainable blue economies that create jobs in coastal communities, improve livelihoods and protect ocean ecosystems.

The World Bank oversees the project’s delivery, providing consolidated annual reports and case studies to contributing donors. The impact of the UK’s contribution to PROBLUE is assessed through Annual Reviews which are available on GOV.UK here.

Through PROBLUE, a World Bank multi-donor trust fund supported by the UK, the World Bank has invested $4.4 million in the Coastal Resilience and Sustainable Tourism Project (WACA+) in São Tomé and Príncipe, unlocking a further $14.4 million in public and private co-funding. The project will run until 2029 and aims to strengthen coastal resilience, sustainable livelihoods and long-term blue economy growth across Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

The project in São Tomé and Príncipe aligns with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty on a liveable planet. PROBLUE’s model supports countries to build sustainable blue economies that create jobs in coastal communities, improve livelihoods and protect ocean ecosystems.

The World Bank oversees the project’s delivery, providing consolidated annual reports and case studies to contributing donors. The impact of the UK’s contribution to PROBLUE is assessed through Annual Reviews which are available on GOV.UK here.

Through the Blue Planet Fund (BPF), the UK is committed to protecting marine ecosystems and increasing resilience in climate-vulnerable coastal communities.

Under the BPF, long-term sustainability is consistently considered throughout each programme’s lifecycle. Long-term impacts are considered from the outset, and progress is monitored through evaluation frameworks to assess lasting environmental, social and economic outcomes. All programmes are expected to incorporate clear exit and sustainability strategies.

Recognising the global finance gap for the ocean, and in alignment with UK policy on nature and climate finance, the BPF actively focuses efforts on mobilising and scaling accessible finance for sustainable ocean outcomes and poverty reduction through its portfolio of marine Official Development Assistance (ODA) programmes. This is in line with wider development reforms set out by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office earlier this year.

Defra appraises the potential impact of all investments through business cases using Green Book methodologies. Defra has a comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system in place to continually assess the performance of its Official Development Assistance programmes. The outcomes of Blue Planet Fund programmes are monitored using a range of metrics, such as the International Climate Finance and Defra International Key Performance Indicators where results are published annually. These indicators include “funding mobilised for climate change purposes”, “area under sustainable management practices”, and “people benefitting from strengthened or new livelihoods”. For example, the Blue Planet Fund has brought over 410,000 ha under sustainable management practices. The Department has commissioned an independent evaluation of the Blue Planet Fund which will go beyond indicator results to explore in-depth topics such as value for money and sustainability. This includes some country-level case studies.

Defra appraises the potential impact of all investments through business cases using Green Book methodologies. Defra has a comprehensive Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning system in place to continually assess the performance of its Official Development Assistance programmes. The outcomes of Blue Planet Fund programmes are monitored using a range of metrics, such as the International Climate Finance and Defra International Key Performance Indicators where results are published annually. These indicators include “funding mobilised for climate change purposes”, “area under sustainable management practices”, and “people benefitting from strengthened or new livelihoods”. For example, the Blue Planet Fund has brought over 410,000 ha under sustainable management practices. The Department has commissioned an independent evaluation of the Blue Planet Fund which will go beyond indicator results to explore in-depth topics such as value for money and sustainability. This includes some country-level case studies.

Outcomes achieved by Blue Planet Fund programmes were published in the International Climate Finance Key Performance Indicator publication in October 2025. For example, the department’s funding has mobilised over £420 million of public and private finance to tackle climate change through the Global Plastics Action Partnership, with an additional £32 million from the World Bank’s PROBLUE and £28 million from the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA). Additionally, ORRAA has improved the resilience of over 4,000 people and brought over 95,000 hectares of ocean and coastal ecosystems under sustainable management practices.

All funding committed to the Blue Planet Fund (BPF) is attributed as Official Developing Assistance (ODA) spend.

At the recent Our Ocean Conference in Kenya, the UK announced £13.9m additional funding for marine ODA programming under the BPF.

Funding announcements included: a £6.7 million contribution to the World Bank’s PROBLUE multidonor trust fund; up to £2.2 million to the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA); and £5 million for the Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP).

The UK is taking action to strengthen resilience to environmental risks at home and overseas, investing in ocean protection and supporting the transition to more sustainable food and livelihoods globally. Defra has an official development assistance (ODA) allocation of £115 million per year until 2028‑29. Defra will use a significant portion of this to continue to support a marine portfolio which protects coastal and ocean habitats and reduces poverty in coastal communities. The Blue Planet Fund will continue to work alongside coastal communities to sustainably manage their ocean resources, drive action on plastic pollution, and pilot innovative approaches to mobilise more finance for the ocean. For example, in January 2026, we committed £14 million to eight projects in our OCEAN grant scheme to support locally led solutions to protect the ocean and communities most affected by declining ocean health.

Since 2021, the Blue Planet Fund has invested into 12 programmes. Three programmes were already being supported through Defra’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) allocation: the Blue Forests Initiative, the Global Plastic Action Partnership and one component of the Championing Inclusivity in Plastic Pollution programme. Two further programmes - the Ocean Country Partnership Programme and Sustainable Blue Economies - are new Blue Planet Fund programmes, but where we incorporated the strongest components of other pre-existing Defra ODA programmes that were then closed prior to the launch of the Blue Planet Fund.

Following the recent Independent Commission for Aid Impact rapid review we will issue a full management response in January. Both spending departments will continue to work together under the oversight and strategic direction of the Defra-FCDO Joint Management Board. Aligned Official Development Assistance delivery guidance across Defra and FCDO is applied to existing and new Blue Planet Fund programmes to ensure coherent, effective and relevant delivery.