Contributed by Ignace Beguin Billecocq, Executive Director, Mangrove Breakthrough; Advisory Board Member - MENA Oceans Initiative
In June 2025, the Mangrove Breakthrough unveiled a bold plan to accelerate capital flows into
mangrove protection and restoration at the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) in Nice,
France.
This announcement marks a major milestone in the Breakthrough’s mission to mobilize $4 billion to protect and restore 15 million hectares of mangroves by 2030. The Breakthrough is developing the financial architecture to mobilize large-scale investment that supports mangrove landscapes and businesses adjacent to them.
The Breakthrough’s financial strategy is built around four foundational elements:
- Mangrove Transition Bond Series – Mobilizing capital for mangrove-adjacent
businesses through structured bond issuances and on-lending by local financial
institutions. - Technical Assistance Facility – Supporting financial intermediaries, DFIs, and project
sponsors to enhance project quality and bankability. - Digital Platform in partnership with Restor – Mapping, tracking, and communicating
project data, funding needs, and progress. - Collaboration with Capital for Climate – Showcasing investable projects to a vetted
network of public, private, and philanthropic funders.
Following the announcement, the Breakthrough launched a six-month Investor Roadshow to present curated, high – impact investment opportunities aligned with the Mangrove Breakthrough Financial Roadmap. The first stop took place during London Climate Action Week, where Ambition Loop Founder and COP26 High-Level Climate Champion Nigel Topping, CMG, led a dynamic discussion on building the financial architecture needed to unlock large-scale investment in mangrove ecosystems and the communities they support.
Upcoming Roadshow stops include Abu Dhabi (September), New York Climate Week (Sept. 21–28), Singapore, and UNFCCC COP30 in Belém (Nov. 10–21). The announcement also coincided with a major endorsement from the Government of Brazil, which will preside over COP30. Brazil’s support brings the total number of national and subnational governments backing the Mangrove Breakthrough to 38