Case Studies from around the world

From renewable energy to sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, ports and shipping, explore case studies showcasing ocean action across sectors and geographies.

Ørsted Community Benefit Funds: Long-term investment in coastal communities

The High-Quality Blue Carbon Principles and Guidance seeks to provide a consistent and accepted framework for blue carbon credits for credit purchasers, investors, suppliers, and project developers. This shared vision for quality can serve a foundational role in building confidence and momentum around blue carbon project development and investments.The five principles, each of equal importance, are:Safeguard natureEmpower PeopleEmploy the best information and carbon accounting principlesOperate contextually and locallyMobilize high integrity capital

High-Quality Blue Carbon Principles and Guidance

Project overviewIn February 2026, Indonesia launched RENAKSI, the National Action Plan for the Protection and Management of Blue Carbon Ecosystems 2025-2030, marking an important step in coordinating policy, finance and stakeholder action around one of the world's most significant blue carbon landscapes. Indonesia holds around 17% of global blue carbon reserves, supported by approximately 3.45 million hectares of mangroves and 660,000 hectares of seagrass meadows. These ecosystems are central to climate mitigation, coastal resilience, biodiversity protection and the development of a regenerative blue economy.RENAKSI was launched by the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs together with the Indonesia National Blue Carbon Action Partnership. It was developed with the support of multiple ministries and agencies, including those responsible for marine affairs and fisheries, environment, finance, national development planning, forestry, research and innovation, and village development, alongside NGOs, scientists and academic institutions. Its purpose is to create a shared national framework for protecting and managing mangrove, seagrass and tidal marsh ecosystems while aligning blue carbon action with climate targets, inclusive development and sustainable financing.ApproachRENAKSI responds to a core implementation challenge: Indonesia already has significant blue carbon assets, policy momentum and technical capabilities, but long-term ecosystem protection requires stronger alignment across institutions, regulations, data systems, financing instruments and community-level priorities. The action plan provides a government-anchored framework to harmonize policies, identify programme needs and guide implementation by relevant ministries and institutions according to their mandates.The plan builds on existing governance foundations, including international agreements, national climate commitments, regulations on mangrove protection and carbon economic value instruments. It also recognizes the need to clarify definitions, strengthen mitigation methodologies, improve marine spatial planning, and reinforce law enforcement so that blue carbon ecosystems can be managed consistently across jurisdictions.A second pillar is science and data. Indonesia has important technical assets, including national mangrove mapping, forest reference emission levels, greenhouse gas inventories, measurement, reporting and verification systems, and geospatial monitoring platforms. RENAKSI highlights the need to further adapt MRV systems for blue carbon, strengthen seagrass mapping and improve access to research infrastructure.The third pillar is financing and social inclusion. RENAKSI aligns implementation strategies with funding instruments and principles of Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion. It recognizes the role of public programmes, community initiatives, carbon economic value mechanisms, Green Sukuk, Blue Bonds, grants and concessional finance. By linking policy coordination with inclusive financing, the plan aims to move beyond isolated projects towards a more coherent national investment environment for blue carbon protection and management.Business and economic valueRENAKSI helps create the enabling conditions for high-integrity blue carbon investment in Indonesia. A unified national framework can give companies, investors and development partners greater confidence to engage through sustainability credit purchases, supply chain transformation, direct project development or catalytic finance. This is particularly important in a market where credibility, clear rules, robust data and community safeguards are essential for scaling investment.The action plan also supports Indonesia's broader blue economy opportunity, estimated at roughly USD 1.3 trillion. By protecting and restoring mangroves, seagrasses and tidal marshes, RENAKSI can contribute to climate mitigation, coastal protection, fisheries productivity, biodiversity conservation and climate-resilient livelihoods. Its value lies not only in carbon potential, but in demonstrating how blue carbon can be integrated into national development planning, public finance, private investment and community resilience.For ACT Ocean, the case shows how governments can coordinate multiple institutions and partners around blue carbon while creating clearer pathways for responsible corporate and financial engagement. It offers a relevant model for countries seeking to convert natural capital into investable, inclusive and policy-aligned opportunities without losing sight of ecosystem integrity and local benefit.References1. Indonesia launches national action plan for blue carbon ecosystems - ANTARA News2. National Action Plan: Protection & Management of Blue Carbon Ecosystems - Konservasi Indonesia3. Indonesia National Blue Carbon Action Partnership and Government of Indonesia launch materials

Nature & Natural capital

Indonesia's RENAKSI: Creating enabling conditions for blue carbon investment

Project overviewThe Verde Island Passage (VIP) is one of the world's most important marine biodiversity corridors. Located between Batangas and Mindoro in the Philippines, it spans around 1.14 million hectares of coral reef, mangrove and seagrass habitats and is home to more than 1,700 marine species, including 60% of the world's shore fish species and more than 300 coral species. The passage supports fisheries, ecotourism, coastal protection, while also serving as a major commercial shipping channel and an area of strategic importance for industry and energy. Millions of people depend on the health of this ecosystem for livelihoods, food security and local economic activity.A Memorandum of Understanding between the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Energy and major private sector groups - including Aboitiz Equity Ventures, San Miguel Corporation and Metro Pacific Investments - creates a framework for aligning public and private action around the protection of the VIP. The case sits alongside broader Philippine efforts to strengthen blue carbon governance, including the Philippines National Blue Carbon Action Partnership and its national roadmap.ApproachThe partnership responds to a clear governance challenge: many public, private and local actors are already active in the Verde Island Passage, but their efforts need to be harmonized around a shared strategy. The agreement seeks to advance a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to conservation, biodiversity protection and responsible economic development in the corridor.Under the MOU, the participating companies and government agencies commit to support conservation and stewardship of the VIP's marine and coastal resources. Priorities include strengthening marine science and research capacity, supporting biodiversity research and development programmes, advancing habitat restoration and sustainable resource use, and aligning low-carbon transition objectives with environmental protection. The initiative also creates space for a technical working structure that can define roles, coordinate implementation and translate high-level commitments into concrete action.A central element of the model is the recognition that conservation and economic activity are interdependent. Mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs provide natural protection, nursery grounds for fisheries and biodiversity value that underpin local livelihoods and tourism. Protecting these ecosystems is therefore not only an environmental objective, but a way to safeguard the economic base of communities and businesses operating in and around the passage.The case also points to the importance of evidence and local knowledge. Calls for stronger marine scientific research, a more comprehensive understanding of ocean-based natural capital, and the inclusion of fisherfolk and seafarer knowledge can help ensure that protection strategies are grounded in both science and lived experience. In this sense, the VIP partnership is not only a conservation agreement, but a coordination mechanism for investment, research, community engagement and policy alignment.Business and economic valueThe Verde Island Passage illustrates how corporate capital can support a more regenerative ocean economy when it is aligned with public policy, ecological priorities and community benefit. For companies, mangrove-positive and biodiversity-positive action can support climate, nature and SDG strategies while strengthening resilience, reducing operational and reputational risk, and creating opportunities for credible nature-related investment. For government, private sector participation can expand the resources available for research, restoration and long-term stewardship.The economic value of the initiative lies in protecting the natural systems that sustain fisheries, tourism, coastal resilience and local livelihoods. By helping protect mangroves and other coastal ecosystems, companies can contribute to the stability of sectors on which local communities depend. Reinvesting economic gains into conservation and community welfare can create a more durable cycle of financial support for the region.For ACT Ocean, the case offers a practical example of how public-private collaboration can mobilize corporate resources for ecosystem protection in a biodiversity hotspot. It shows how conservation, low-carbon transition planning and private investment can be brought into the same framework, creating a model that may be relevant for other coastal regions where biodiversity value, economic activity and community dependence are closely connected.References1. Investing in Mangroves: The Corporate Playbook - World Economic Forum2. Loyzaga urges multisectoral effort on Verde Island Passage - Philippine Daily Inquirer3. Metro Pacific Investments Corporation joins forces in environmental MOU to safeguard the Verde Island Passage - MPIC

Nature & Natural capital

The Verde Island Passage, Philippines: Private sector investment in a global biodiversity hotspot

Project overviewThe Restoration Insurance and Financial Service Company (RISCO) is developing an integrated model that links insurance, lending and blue carbon restoration to strengthen the resilience of coastal communities in the Philippines. The model is designed around a simple but important proposition: insurance can do more than transfer risk after a disaster; it can also help create the financial conditions for ecosystem restoration and climate-resilient livelihoods before risks materialize.RISCO operates as a commercially structured institution focused on nature-based solutions, restoring mangroves, rebuilding livelihoods and creating resilient coastal communities. The case materials describe RISCO as a quasi micro-finance provider that pairs parametric insurance with low-interest loans, with repayment linked to revenue generation rather than fixed repayment schedules. Its lending activities target small coastal businesses and aquaculture operators, with finance typically offered in the order of approximately USD 25,000-50,000. For ACT Ocean, the case is relevant because it illustrates how insurance-linked finance can be connected to blue carbon restoration, community enterprise development and private capital mobilization.ApproachRISCO's model is centred on community-level interventions. It combines financial products with the practical support needed for borrowers to make restoration-linked businesses viable. According to the case materials, RISCO partners with universities, including Western Philippines University, to provide technical support to borrowers. It also offers legal support and works with governments to help borrowers navigate permitting and formalization processes. In parallel, the model seeks to connect borrowers with supply chain actors so that restored or more sustainable production systems can access markets.The financial structure uses philanthropic and internal capital as a first-loss tranche, seeking to attract impact investors looking for fixed, risk-adjusted returns. This approach is intended to reduce the perceived risk of lending to small coastal businesses and aquaculture operators, while creating a pathway for private finance to support blue carbon restoration and climate resilience. Premium revenues received by RISCO's insurance arm feed into its lending activities, creating a link between insurance operations and restoration finance.A distinctive feature of the model is its connection to local public finance. RISCO is working with municipalities in Puerto Princesa to earmark a portion of their mandated disaster-risk budgets for parametric insurance premiums. This creates the basis for a repeatable public-private funding loop for resilience: public disaster-risk resources can support insurance uptake, insurance premium revenues can support lending, and lending can help communities and coastal enterprises invest in restoration-linked activities. The model therefore combines risk transfer, concessional or patient capital, community lending, technical assistance and ecosystem restoration within one financing architecture.Business and economic valueRISCO's business and economic value lies in reframing insurance as a driver of investment into coastal resilience, rather than only a protective product. The restoration.finance materials highlight the scale of the opportunity and need: more than 250,000 hectares of abandoned fishponds in South-East Asia are awaiting restoration; more than 300 million people globally depend on mangrove coastal ecosystems; mangrove loss is associated with USD 42 billion in annual economic damage globally, citing UNEP; and mangroves store around four times more carbon per hectare than tropical forests. Within this context, RISCO's model seeks to turn the protective value of mangroves into a financeable proposition for communities, municipalities and investors.For coastal businesses and aquaculture operators, bundled finance can help overcome affordability barriers by combining loans, insurance, technical assistance and market access support. For municipalities, allocating part of disaster-risk budgets to parametric insurance premiums may help shift spending towards prevention and resilience. For investors, first-loss capital and insurance-linked revenue streams can help create a clearer pathway to risk-adjusted returns while supporting ecosystem restoration.The case also highlights that insurance-linked finance for blue ecosystems remains at an early stage. The case materials note that direct insurer funding for restoration remains elusive, and that technical, regulatory and market barriers continue to limit the scale-up of ecosystem-linked insurance products. Even so, RISCO demonstrates how bundled, community-oriented financial products can create investable pathways for resilience, local economic development and blue carbon restoration.References1. Restoration Insurance and Financial Service Company (RISCO) - restoration.finance2. Turning the Tide: A Financier's Guide to Investing in Blue Carbon Ecosystems - World Economic Forum

Nature & Natural capital

RISCO: Using insurance to unlock finance for coastal resilience

Project overviewThe shipping industry is under increasing pressure to decarbonize, driven by tightening regulation, corporate net-zero commitments and rising climate and nature risks. Ports are central to this transition because they connect vessels, fuel supply chains, land-based transport, logistics infrastructure and regulatory systems. Their transformation is therefore not only a technical challenge, but a coordination challenge across many actors that must keep global trade moving while shifting towards lower-emission models. Singapore illustrates how a major maritime hub can begin this shift at scale. As one of the world's busiest trans-shipment hubs, handling over 37 million TEUs annually and connecting more than 600 ports worldwide, Singapore has the ability to influence both domestic maritime operations and the wider shipping routes that depend on its services. The case is relevant to the regenerative blue economy because it shows how a traditional ocean industry can start reducing climate impacts while building the infrastructure, partnerships and standards needed for broader sectoral change.ApproachThe Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore is advancing a multi-layered decarbonization strategy. At the domestic level, it is targeting net-zero emissions for around 1,600 harbour craft by 2050 through electrification, charging infrastructure and efficiency improvements. Renewable energy deployment is also expanding, alongside efforts to decarbonize selected port operations. This addresses emissions generated within the port ecosystem while signalling demand for cleaner technologies and operating models. A central pillar of the strategy is the development of multi-fuel transition pathways. Recognizing that no single fuel is likely to dominate in the near term, Singapore is working with partners to support infrastructure and technical standards for alternatives such as ammonia and methanol. Early pilots and first-of-a-kind bunkering operations are positioning Singapore, one of the world's largest bunkering hubs, to help scale low-carbon fuels across global shipping routes. In parallel, Singapore is developing green and digital shipping corridors with international partners, including ports in Asia, Europe and the United States. These corridors act as practical testbeds for low-emission vessels, alternative fuels, harmonized standards and digital systems. They help reduce adoption barriers by allowing partners to coordinate infrastructure, operating requirements and technical learning across specific routes before broader deployment. Digitalization within the port reinforces this transition. Platforms such as digitalPORT@SG(tm) and the just-in-time planning and coordination system enable real-time coordination among port users, helping to reduce congestion, vessel idling and fuel consumption. Together, these measures combine infrastructure investment, fuel innovation, regulatory alignment, operational optimization and international collaboration.Business and economic valueSingapore's approach shows how decarbonization in a traditional ocean industry can be framed as a system-wide economic transition, rather than a narrow compliance exercise. By investing in fuel readiness, digital coordination, operational efficiency and international corridor partnerships, the port is helping reduce transition risk for shipping companies, fuel providers, technology developers and trading partners. The model also shows how a leading hub can use its convening power to shape standards and demand for emerging low-carbon maritime solutions. This can help make early investment more credible by linking local port measures with international shipping routes and future fuel supply chains. For ACT Ocean, the case is relevant because it demonstrates how ports can begin moving towards a more regenerative blue economy by reducing climate impacts, improving resource efficiency and shifting investment towards lower-carbon systems. It also highlights the limits of decarbonization alone. Achieving higher levels of regeneration would require embedding biodiversity restoration, habitat creation and water quality improvement into port infrastructure and operations, alongside existing efforts to reduce emissions and improve efficiency. The lesson is that port transition can create the operating platform for regeneration, but must deliberately integrate nature-positive outcomes to reach its full potential.References1. The Regenerative Blue Economy: Pathways to Prosperity - World Economic Forum

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Singapore: Scaling up decarbonization in a major maritime hub

Project overviewOffshore wind is a core growth sector in the ocean economy and must scale rapidly to support decarbonization and energy security. At the same time, expansion in heavily used marine environments raises an important question for the regenerative blue economy: can offshore energy infrastructure contribute to ecosystem recovery, rather than only reducing harm? Hollandse Kust Zuid, located 18-36 kilometres off the Dutch coast in the North Sea, offers one of the largest examples of this shift in practice. Jointly owned by Vattenfall, BASF and Allianz, the project has 139 turbines and 1.5 gigawatts of installed capacity, producing approximately 1.5 terawatt-hours of electricity annually, enough for more than 1.5 million households. Operational since 2024 and funded by Vattenfall, it is the first offshore wind farm in Europe developed without direct government subsidies. The case shows how renewable energy deployment can be linked with nature-inclusive design, circular infrastructure pilots and adaptive ecological monitoring at gigawatt scale.ApproachHKZ was enabled by a stable regulatory environment, Dutch government-backed grid connections, visibility on future market volumes and a tender process that reduced risk for private investors while allowing power to be sold into wholesale markets. This enabling context helped create the conditions for a large-scale private investment model in offshore wind. Beyond energy generation, HKZ has been designed as a testbed for innovation and ecosystem restoration through SeaLab, a dedicated research and development platform that convenes research institutes, universities and other stakeholders. SeaLab supports work on marine restoration, biodiversity conservation and circular supply chain design. In partnership with De Rijke Noordzee, Vattenfall introduced several nature-inclusive measures into the wind farm's infrastructure and operations. These include elliptical openings in turbine foundations to allow water exchange and create shelter for marine species, artificial rock reefs on scour protection to increase habitat complexity, and a double bubble curtain to reduce construction noise while monitoring impacts on marine mammals. Further pilots include using thermal cameras and artificial intelligence to trigger temporary shutdowns during peak bird migration, testing a floating seaweed farm between turbines to explore co-location and carbon sequestration, and trialling recyclable blades developed by Siemens Gamesa to reduce the life-cycle impact of offshore infrastructure. Results are still being assessed, and monitoring is informing adaptive management. The value of the approach lies in combining commercial offshore energy production with practical measures that test how marine infrastructure can create habitat, reduce wildlife impacts and support more circular supply chains.Business and economic valueHKZ demonstrates that nature-inclusive design can be integrated into a commercially significant offshore wind project when enabling policy, investor confidence and partnerships are in place. Its 1.5 gigawatts of capacity contribute to industrial decarbonization and fossil-free electricity supply for businesses and households, while the absence of direct government subsidies signals that large-scale offshore wind can attract private capital under the right market and regulatory conditions. The project also shows how innovation platforms can help reduce uncertainty around regenerative infrastructure by generating evidence, testing operational practices and building collaboration between developers, researchers and civil society. For ACT Ocean, the case is especially useful because it illustrates both the promise and limits of site-level regeneration. HKZ shows that habitat-oriented design, bird protection measures, noise mitigation, seaweed co-location and circular material pilots are achievable at scale. However, the case also highlights that individual site measures cannot substitute for seascape-level governance. Scaling from project to system requires marine spatial planning, cross-sector coordination and policy signals that reward net-positive contribution, not only impact minimization.References1. The Regenerative Blue Economy: Pathways to Prosperity - World Economic Forum

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Hollandse Kust Zuid: Advancing regenerative design in offshore wind

Project overviewMarine insurance plays a foundational role in the ocean economy because it enables shipowners to manage risk, invest, operate and recover from losses. Traditional hull and machinery insurance generally restores damaged vessels or equipment to their original condition. In a context of accelerating climate risks, tightening environmental regulation and an ageing fleet, that like-for-like model can perpetuate inefficiencies and delay the uptake of lower-emissions technology. Allianz Commercial's Marine Build Back Better Endorsement, released in May 2025 and expanded in April 2026, addresses this transition gap. The product provides additional financial support to hull and machinery clients who repair or replace damaged assets with more energy-efficient or lower-emissions alternatives after a loss event. The case is relevant to the regenerative blue economy because it shows how a mainstream financial product can shift from passive risk transfer towards proactive transition finance, using moments of asset repair and replacement to accelerate decarbonization across the maritime sector.ApproachThe endorsement changes the financial signal attached to post-loss repair decisions. To qualify, the insured must demonstrate that the repair or replacement improves vessel efficiency or reduces emissions by at least 5%. This can be achieved through increased energy efficiency, reduced carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions per unit of energy or an overall reduction in carbon emissions. The endorsement covers up to the lesser of 50% of the original loss value or 50% of the incremental costs associated with decarbonization measures, capped at $3 million based on fleet size. This means that an insured event, which would traditionally trigger restoration to pre-loss condition, can instead become a structured opportunity to upgrade assets. A range of existing technologies can support compliance with the criteria, including more efficient propulsion systems, advanced hull coatings that reduce drag, hybrid or alternative fuel systems and digital optimization tools. Many of these solutions are already technically viable but face adoption barriers linked to upfront cost and fragmented incentives. By embedding them into insurance coverage, Allianz helps bring decarbonization measures into routine operational and capital expenditure decisions. The mechanism does not require shipowners to wait for a new policy mandate or separate transition financing facility; it uses a recurring point of investment within the existing insurance relationship to encourage better environmental performance.Business and economic valueThe wider significance of the endorsement is that insurance becomes a proactive lever for sector transition, not only a tool for loss recovery. Post-loss reconstruction is a repeated investment moment across the global fleet. Redirecting even a portion of these repairs towards better efficiency, lower emissions and state-of-the-art technology can create steady, compounding gains over time. For shipowners, the product can reduce the additional cost of choosing a cleaner or more efficient option at the moment when assets already need repair or replacement. For insurers, it creates a pathway to align risk management with future resilience by reducing exposure to outdated, inefficient or higher-emitting assets. For ACT Ocean, the case illustrates an important lesson: insured events and asset renewal moments are underused financial levers. Embedding efficiency, emissions or nature criteria into standard coverage can convert routine replacement into transition finance for blue and green technology at scale, without relying solely on new capital or regulation. The model is especially relevant for a regenerative ocean economy because it shows how existing financial architecture can be redesigned to reward better future performance, rather than simply restoring the past.References1. The Regenerative Blue Economy: Pathways to Prosperity - World Economic Forum

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Allianz Commercial: Using marine insurance to accelerate low-emissions asset renewal

Project overviewBlueyou is integrating mangrove restoration directly into seafood supply chains across South-East Asia, showing how sustainable aquaculture can improve environmental outcomes while strengthening business performance. Its Selva Shrimp programme in Eastern Kalimantan, Indonesia, focuses on restoring mangroves within aquaculture landscapes where large areas had previously been deforested for shrimp farming and where many ponds are now degraded or abandoned. The programme aims to create economic incentives for farmers to conserve mangroves as the natural basis for growing seafood, supporting biodiversity, carbon capture and more resilient coastal communities.The Selva Shrimp programme was initiated in 2018. According to Blueyou, the pilot currently involves 30 farmers across a 400-hectare project area, with a stated future scale of 50,000 hectares. Impact to date includes 280 hectares of restored mangroves. The case is relevant for ACT Ocean because it links regenerative production, blue carbon, smallholder livelihoods and seafood market access into a model that can be understood by financiers, buyers and coastal development actors.ApproachThe model is built around the idea that mangrove restoration and aquaculture productivity can be mutually reinforcing rather than competing objectives. In degraded or abandoned intertidal ponds, mangroves are replanted within the pond system. Once restored, they provide structure and shelter for shrimp, crab and other aquatic species, supporting functional food webs and helping raise productivity. Blueyou reports that its Selva Shrimp programme has increased shrimp productivity by 70-100% without additional inputs or costs.The approach combines ecological restoration with supply chain design. Blueyou provides technical assistance to help farmers improve production practices and certification support to prepare seafood products for market access. It also uses long-term sourcing agreements to connect regenerative production systems with seafood buyers. This matters because many restoration models remain dependent on grants or isolated project finance. In contrast, this model seeks to embed restoration in a commercial supply chain so that farmers, buyers and financiers can all see a pathway to durable value creation.The programme also emphasizes natural production conditions. The restoration of mangroves contributes to blue carbon and biodiversity benefits, while the aquaculture system is presented as relying on natural food webs rather than additional inputs. In this way, the case shows how a seafood supply chain can be structured around improved ecosystem function, rather than only around yield expansion.For financiers, the approach is relevant because it translates restoration into a more investable model: technical assistance reduces implementation risk, certification can support access to higher-value markets, and long-term sourcing agreements can improve the credibility of future revenue streams. The provided sources do not specify the detailed financing structure behind the programme, but they show how the model is designed to make regenerative aquaculture more bankable.Business and economic valueThe business value of the Blueyou model lies in demonstrating that sustainable production practices can support both ecological restoration and commercial performance. A 70-100% increase in shrimp productivity without additional inputs or costs can improve farmer economics while reducing pressure to clear additional mangrove areas. By restoring mangroves in production landscapes, the model also supports natural capital outcomes, including biodiversity, carbon sequestration and coastal resilience.The model creates value for several actors. Farmers can benefit from improved productivity, technical support and potential market access. Seafood buyers can source products linked to restoration and more sustainable production practices. Financiers can assess a model that connects ecosystem restoration to revenue-generating supply chains, rather than treating conservation as a separate cost. Coastal communities can benefit from more resilient ecosystems and diversified seafood production systems.For ACT Ocean, Blueyou offers a practical case of how corporate and supply chain models can help channel finance toward regenerative coastal systems. It is particularly relevant for blue finance, fisheries and aquaculture because it shows how investable opportunities can be built around smallholder production, restoration, certification and buyer demand. The case also illustrates a broader lesson: blue carbon and biodiversity outcomes may be more scalable when they are integrated into real economy supply chains that reward stewardship over degradation.References1. Blueprint for restorative mangrove aquaculture at scale - Blueyou Selva Shrimp Kalimantan2. Turning the Tide: A Financier's Guide to Investing in Blue Carbon Ecosystems - World Economic Forum

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Blueyou: Turning sustainable aquaculture into an investable restoration model

Project overviewYayasan Gajah Sumatra (Yagasu), an Indonesian NGO, has led community-based initiatives advancing biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods across coastal Sumatra, Java and Sulawesi. The source materials frame the case against a wider blue finance gap: blue carbon ecosystems can store up to five times more carbon per acre than tropical rainforests, yet receive less than 1% of international climate finance. Yagasu's work shows how mangrove restoration can be structured as a durable investment model by combining carbon finance, philanthropic funding, technical assistance and community enterprise development.Yagasu reports that it has conducted mangrove restoration since 2005, following the Aceh tsunami response, and has restored 16,400 hectares of degraded mangroves through grant mechanisms and carbon investment. Its ongoing blue carbon work includes 8,000 hectares of mangrove restoration in Sumatra, 5,300 hectares of mangrove restoration in Java, and 25,000 hectares of mangrove carbon conservation in North Sumatra and Aceh. The projects aim to form a Coastal Carbon Corridor connecting mangroves, associated mangroves, seagrass and coral reef ecosystems.ApproachYagasu's model is built on layered finance and community-based implementation. Rather than relying on one funding stream, it combines carbon investment, philanthropic grants, technical assistance and income from sustainable coastal enterprises. The approach starts with land and social assessment, public engagement, education and awareness, community capacity building, nursery work, tree planting, ecosystem conservation, monitoring, research and development, socio-economic support, and project management.A key feature is the use of carbon standards and long-term carbon revenue. Yagasu combines carbon credit certification with Climate, Community and Biodiversity, SDG and biodiversity-related impact measurement. Its first carbon certification was the Yagasu-Livelihoods Mangrove Project in Sumatra, an 8,750-hectare project certified by Verra in 2015. The Yagasu-VNV mangrove carbon project, covering 8,000 hectares, was validated by Gold Standard in 2025, while the Yagasu-Apolownia mangrove carbon project of 3,300 hectares is expected by Yagasu to be listed with Verra in 2025.The investment model described in the source materials combines pre-financing and carbon credit offtake agreements over a 30-year crediting period. Technical assistance grants support adaptation work, women's empowerment programmes, consultants and training for local villagers in mangrove tree planting and sustainable farming systems. Yagasu also works with universities and research institutes on project design, financial modelling, carbon accounting and marketing of green products. Village governments and landowners are engaged through agreements to support long-term carbon and biodiversity conservation.Business and economic valueThe business value of the Yagasu model lies in making blue carbon restoration more investable without separating climate outcomes from local livelihoods. Carbon credit revenues can create a long-term revenue base linked to verified climate outcomes, while grants and technical assistance help cover early-stage adaptation, capacity building and social inclusion costs. This can reduce implementation risk and create cash flows that are more aligned with the expectations of private capital providers.Yagasu also strengthens project economics by developing complementary income streams from mangrove and coastal by-products. These include seafood production such as fish, crab, shrimp and oysters, as well as mangrove foods and beverages, honey, organic batik, household enterprises led by women, and mangrove ecotourism. The source materials report that sales from mangrove by-products increased family revenues by 49% over four years and that the overall male/female ratio of beneficiaries is 40/60.The model also generates resilience and ecosystem value. It is designed to support greenhouse gas emission reductions, improve community resilience to climate impacts, prevent natural disasters, conserve biodiversity and develop green livelihoods. Reported targeted impacts include 3-4 million tonnes of CO2e over 30 years from 3,200 hectares of mangrove restoration, reduced flood and coastal erosion risks, and protection of species including invertebrates, birds and fish. For ACT Ocean, Yagasu offers a practical example of how carbon finance can be layered with community enterprise development to scale blue carbon restoration while creating tangible local benefits.References1. GHG Emission Reductions - Yagasu2. Turning the Tide: A Financier's Guide to Investing in Blue Carbon Ecosystems - World Economic Forum

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Yayasan Gajah Sumatra (Yagasu): Layering carbon finance to scale blue carbon restoration in Indonesia

Project overviewEcoShape and Wetlands International's Building with Nature Indonesia initiative shows how nature-based coastal infrastructure can protect communities while restoring ecosystems and supporting local livelihoods. The initiative focuses on Demak, Central Java, where coastal erosion, mangrove loss, unsustainable infrastructure and groundwater extraction have contributed to land loss, flooding and declining incomes. Wetlands International reports that 30 million people are exposed to coastal flooding and erosion hazards in Northern Java, affecting 3,000 villages, and that the five-year programme from 2015 to 2020 sought to enhance coastal security for 70,000 vulnerable people in Demak.The approach combines mangrove restoration, small-scale hard engineering and sustainable land use. Rather than relying only on conventional sea walls, the project uses natural ecological processes to rebuild stable coastlines. It aims to reduce erosion risk, support mangrove regeneration and give coastal communities a long-term perspective for sustainable economic development. The case is relevant for ACT Ocean because it demonstrates how infrastructure, finance, ecosystem restoration and community incentives can be integrated into one coastal resilience model.ApproachBuilding with Nature is a comprehensive engineering approach that uses interactions and materials present in nature to deliver more flexible and sustainable hydraulic infrastructure. In Demak, the technical measures include permeable dams made from brushwood that slow waves, capture sediment and help restore a healthy sediment balance. Once nearshore bed levels rise sufficiently, mangroves can regenerate naturally, creating a living coastal defence that protects the hinterland against flooding and further erosion.The model also addresses the socio-economic drivers of coastal degradation. The project introduced sustainable aquaculture practices that create space for mangrove restoration, including by giving up unproductive coastal ponds or parts of riverine ponds to mangroves. In return, shrimp farmers receive training in sustainable techniques designed to improve production and resilience. These measures are supported through community bylaws, community development plans and government master planning.A distinctive feature is the use of a bio-rights financing mechanism linking community finance to conservation outcomes. Local households can receive small loans to develop sustainable aquaculture and other income-generating activities; once restoration targets are achieved, the loans convert into grants. This creates performance-based incentives for community participation while linking ecological recovery with livelihood security. The model has also been embedded in the work plan of the Indonesian Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries and, according to the case materials, has been replicated in the Philippines, Viet Nam and Sri Lanka. Through pilots, capacity building, knowledge exchange and policy integration, EcoShape and Wetlands International have used the Demak experience to support broader uptake of blue nature-based infrastructure across Asia.Business and economic valueThe business and economic value of the model lies in reframing coastal protection as an investable, multi-benefit infrastructure solution. The source materials state that Building with Nature can deliver long-term coastal protection at lower cost than conventional sea walls, while also supporting mangrove regeneration, fisheries productivity, carbon storage, biodiversity and local economic development. For communities facing income losses linked to erosion and aquaculture degradation, the combination of restoration and sustainable aquaculture provides a route to greater self-reliance and hazard resilience.The case also illustrates the enabling finance needed to mainstream blue nature-based infrastructure. Development and philanthropic capital helped de-risk early community engagement and pilot hybrid structures. Structured finance can support long-term maintenance and monitoring funds, which are often absent from public budgets but are essential for project durability. At the direct finance level, the case materials point to opportunities to integrate hybrid coastal protection into procurement pipelines and public-private partnerships, helping mobilize capital for resilience-linked outcomes.For ACT Ocean, EcoShape and Wetlands International's work offers a practical example of how infrastructure investment can strengthen both ecosystems and local economies. It shows that combining engineered structures, natural regeneration, community finance and policy integration can create coastal resilience benefits that are ecological, social and economic. It also highlights that, despite the promise of nature-based infrastructure, barriers remain in turning these models into scalable investment opportunities capable of attracting larger private finance flows.References1. Building with Nature Indonesia - Wetlands International2. Turning the Tide: A Financier's Guide to Investing in Blue Carbon Ecosystems - World Economic Forum

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EcoShape and Wetlands International Building with Nature: How coastal infrastructure can restore ecosystems while protecting communities

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