Building Blue Coalitions: Mobilising Capital for Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
Back to Blue, a joint initiative of Economist Impact and The Nippon Foundation, addresses the urgent challenge of declining ocean health.
Learn how we work with these types of clients:
→ Finance and investment
→ Philanthropy and impact
Explore the services featured in this project:
→ Qualitative research
→ Stakeholder engagement and coalition building
Objective
Commissioned by Economist Impact to augment its internal capacity, The Action Exchange conducted an assessment of how regional delivery frameworks might offer a breakthrough for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in accessing blue finance.
The aim was to move beyond high-level environmental goals to identify specific investment mechanisms, positioning the initiative as a definitive authority on the ocean economy ahead of a major global summit.
Approach
The work was built on a foundation of qualitative research, involving more than 50 in-depth interviews with decision-makers across government, investment and civil society.
This programme of stakeholder engagement and coalition building enabled a nuanced exploration of the structural barriers facing SIDS. Rather than offering a generic roadmap, the analysis focused on the practicalities of regional cooperation, translating complex institutional challenges into a coherent narrative designed to resonate with a sophisticated policy and investment
Outcome
The assessment has begun to shift the global conversation on blue finance for SIDS, providing a credible evidence base for regional delivery models that were previously under-explored.
As well as clarifying how these frameworks can bridge the financing gap for SIDS, the project has engaged an international coalition of stakeholders needed to deliver long-term impact. This work cements Back to Blue as a central participant in the discourse and provides a platform for more ambitious, evidence-led engagement with SIDS and funders.
