At the 2022 UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, a working group of five international organisations committed to launching global guidance on blue bonds. Earlier this year, IFC, ADB, UNEP FI, UN Global Compact and ICMA developed a comprehensive global practitioner's guidance on blue bonds to build investor confidence and catalyse investments that protect our oceans and the marine ecosystem, in line with SDG 14.3
Gabon’s $500 million ‘blue bond’ issuance in 2023 to refinance existing debt was criticised because only a part of the proceeds was ringfenced for marine conservation. The presentation of this deal is also misleading: The debt swap in Gabon did not prompt the Government of Gabon to commit to protecting 30% of its oceans, nor did it generate US$163 million in additional money for ocean conservation.4
2 Your Guide to Green Bonds, Blue Bonds, and Beyond, CFA Institute
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