As global leaders prepare for COP30 in Belem, a groundbreaking partnership between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) is setting a new benchmark for climate resilience and sustainable development. The initiative, co-led by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), aims to drive investment in reef-positive businesses in the Solomon Islands. This collaboration seeks to protect coral ecosystems, strengthen livelihoods, and bolster long-term climate resilience, showcasing how targeted investments can deliver both environmental and economic benefits.
The Solomon Islands, nestled within the Coral Triangle, boast some of the most biologically rich and climate-resilient reef systems on Earth. These ecosystems are vital, alleviating poverty, providing coastal protection, and enabling economic opportunities for millions. However, local pressures such as overfishing, coastal development, and land-based pollution continue to threaten these reefs, undermining their role in supporting community well-being and climate adaptation.
The partnership between WWF-Pacific and UNCDF will combine technical assistance, investment grants, and innovative finance mechanisms to strengthen both the supply and demand sides of reef-positive finance. This initiative will focus on up to two provinces among Central, Malaita, Isabel, and the Western regions—areas that host some of the Solomon Islands’ most climate-resilient reefs. By targeting locations where local businesses can deliver the greatest reef-positive impact, the initiative aims to provide tailored business development assistance and catalytic investment grants to help reef-positive businesses become investment-ready, improve their business models, and scale ecological impact.
Andrea Olivi, Global Head of Shipping at Trafigura, commented, “This partnership marks an important step in Trafigura’s commitment to improving efficiency and sustainability across its maritime operations. The ZeroNorth platform will help us optimise fleet performance through enhanced monitoring of fuel and emissions while improving data collection and quality. It will also strengthen our relationships with vessel owners through more effective communication and information sharing.”
Søren C. Meyer, CEO at ZeroNorth, added, “We’re proud to partner with Trafigura – one of the largest players in global commodity trading and shipping. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to advancing the use of technology and high-quality data, sending a clear signal to the industry about the vital roles these play in the energy transition. Trafigura’s insight, scale, and ambition will be invaluable to our strategic direction and will help accelerate the impact of our platform across the industry.”
The initiative will also support local financial institutions to better assess and finance reef-positive businesses, backed by a credit guarantee facility structured and managed by UNCDF. Additionally, blended finance solutions will help absorb investment risk and encourage lending to sustainable fisheries, ecotourism, regenerative agriculture, and pollution reduction activities.
This initiative is a critical step toward the GFCR’s goal of unlocking up to $3 billion in blended finance and investment for coral reef resilience. By accelerating solutions that unite climate action, ocean protection, and inclusive economic growth, this partnership sets a precedent for how global efforts can translate into local, sustainable development. As the world looks to COP30 for ambitious breakthroughs, this collaboration between WWF, GFCR, and the United Nations agencies offers a tangible example of how targeted investments can drive meaningful change, protecting our planet’s most valuable ecosystems while supporting the communities that depend on them.