The Dominican Republic has been selected alongside Seychelles and French Polynesia as one of the first pilot countries for the newly launched Marine Finance Initiative 30×30. Announced during the 11th Our Ocean Conference by the Minderoo Foundation and the Blue Nature Alliance, the program aims to help countries establish sustainable financing systems to protect 30% of their marine areas by 2030.
Backed by an initial $10 million investment from the Minderoo Foundation, the initiative will support participating nations in developing national ocean finance plans, attracting investment, and implementing innovative financial mechanisms that ensure the long-term management of marine protected areas.
Developing Long-Term Ocean Financing
The initiative is designed to address one of the largest barriers to achieving global marine conservation goals: the lack of reliable, long-term funding for protected marine ecosystems. Although more than 190 countries have committed to international biodiversity targets, many marine protected areas continue to face financial challenges that limit effective management.
Participating countries will develop financial strategies tailored to their own economic and environmental priorities. Proposed funding mechanisms include tourism-related fees, blended finance, parametric insurance, and blue carbon projects, which generate value by protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems capable of storing significant amounts of carbon.
Recognition of the Dominican Republic’s Conservation Progress
The Dominican Republic’s selection reflects its recent achievements in marine conservation. The country became the first nation in the Caribbean to reach the global 30×30 target, which seeks to effectively protect 30% of the world’s terrestrial and marine ecosystems by 2030 under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
Paíno Henríquez, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, described the country’s participation as an important step toward ensuring that marine protected areas have sustainable financial support.
“The Dominican Republic is proud to be the first Caribbean nation to achieve the 30×30 target, but for us this is not the finish line—it is the beginning of a new phase,” Henríquez said. “Effective conservation requires sustainable financing, and this initiative helps us build exactly that.”
The minister added that the government is exploring several innovative financing tools, including blue carbon initiatives, parametric insurance, and blended finance models, to secure long-term resources for protecting the country’s marine and coastal ecosystems.
He said these financial instruments are intended to transform international conservation commitments into lasting benefits for coastal communities, the national economy, and future generations.
Building a Global Network for Marine Conservation
Beyond the pilot projects, the Marine Finance Initiative 30×30 will establish a global Community of Practice that will allow governments, financial experts, and conservation organizations to exchange technical knowledge, best practices, and lessons learned.
Organizers say the collaborative platform is expected to strengthen international capacity for financing marine conservation while helping countries develop practical solutions that balance biodiversity protection with economic and social development goals.