Climate Fund Managers (CFM) is proud to have signed the United Nations backed Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles, signalling long term commitment to accelerating the transition towards sustainable use of the world’s ocean, sea and marine resources including nearshore and offshore renewable energy. The Principles are hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), a partnership between the United Nations and the global financial sector, which works with over 350 banks, insurers and investors to mobilise private finance for sustainable development.
The signing of the initiative follows the launch of CFM’s Climate Investor Two (CI2) facility, which has a focus on sustainable water, sanitation, and oceans infrastructure projects in emerging markets. CI2 builds on the success of CFM’s Climate Investor One (CI1) facility which includes near-shore wind projects as part of its global focus on renewable energy.
The market value of marine and coastal resources represents ~5% of global GDP, with over three (3) billion people reliant on the range of biodiversity they contain for their livelihoods. The effects of climate change are already having a drastic impact on oceans, which have absorbed 90% of the climate’s excess heat and are now at record temperatures. With continued coastal eutrophication and ocean pollution, developing a sustainable blue economy is key to securing long term global development.
CFM’s CEO Andrew Johnstone commented, “We are delighted to have officially endorsed the UN Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles, designed to direct capital into rebuilding ocean prosperity, restoring biodiversity and regenerating ocean health. These principles reflect the investment ethos of the funds we are mobilising into this vital sector of Climate Investment.”
About Climate Fund Managers
CFM is a leading blended finance fund manager dedicated to securing a sustainable future through investing across global emerging markets. CFM has a long-term vision to structure cutting edge financing facilities around thematic areas of climate change mitigation and adaptation, including renewable energy, water, sanitation and oceans, sustainable land use and sustainable cities. Established in 2015, CFM is a joint venture between the Dutch development bank FMO and Sanlam InfraWorks – part of the Sanlam Group of South Africa.
Climate Investor Two (CI2) is a financing facility mandated to invest in water, sanitation and ocean infrastructure projects in emerging economies. CI2 will follow the proven ‘whole-of-life’ financing methodology of Climate Investor One (CI1), which has been acclaimed for its approach to risk mitigation and private sector capital mobilization. CI2 similarly makes use of public sector capital deployed alongside commercial funding. CI2‘s assets under management are now EUR ~95 million and the facility also enjoys cornerstone support from the Dutch Fund for Climate and Development (DFCD). The consortium that manages the EUR 160 million DFCD also includes CFM, World Wide Fund for Nature Netherlands (WWF-NL), Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) and Entrepreneurial Development Bank, FMO.