At the 3rd United Nation Ocean Conference (Nice, June 2025),a new initiative was launched to mobilize innovative financial pathways for biodiversity conservation and environmental sustainability in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) across Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
SIDS are not just stunning destinations, they provide essential ecosystem services: protecting coastlines, storing carbon, filtering freshwater, and supporting livelihoods. But climate change is placing these ecosystems under serious threat.
The initiative is backed by the EU-funded Support Programme for SIDS (SPS) and three regional partners:
- BIOCLIMATE PROGRAMME - AFRICA - CEPF: €1.6 million awarded for ecosystem restoration in Madagascar, Comoros, Mauritius and Seychelles
- BIOSPACE PROGRAMME - CARIBBEAN - OECS: focused on leveraging financing to restore mangroves and coral reefs impacted by sargassum
- BIOSCAPES PROGRAMME – PACIFIC - SPREP: supporting marine spatial planning and innovative awareness campaigns, including educational comics
“SIDS are among the most affected by climate change, but they are also powerful stewards of ocean spaces” said DIEUDONNÉ NSADISA FAKA - OACPS, highlighting the need for timely and tailored financial instruments to empower their leadership.
