WASHINGTON, Sept. 16, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- A groundbreaking effort led by Pacific Island leaders to safeguard the ocean took a major step forward today, with the Bezos Earth Fund announcing $37.5 million USD in grants to support marine protection across 12 countries and territories. The funding advances implementation of national and regional plans, including the Pacific’s shared vision to sustainably manage 100 percent of its ocean and protect areas of high biodiversity and cultural significance. These efforts also contribute to the global goal of protecting 30 percent of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030. If fully realized, the region’s work would form the world’s largest coordinated network of marine protected areas.
The announcement is part of the Bezos Earth Fund’s $100 million commitment to support Pacific Island nations and territories in safeguarding their ocean. This initial $37.5 million sets that vision in motion by funding the design of marine protected area networks, enforcement at sea, and long-term financing to ensure protections last. It advances “Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity" (UBPP), an initiative endorsed by Pacific leaders to sustainably manage 100 percent of their waters and protect at least 30 percent by 2030.
“The Pacific isn’t just a beautiful backdrop, it’s a lifeline,” said Lauren Sánchez Bezos, Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund. “Pacific Island nations and territories are setting the pace. We’re here to match that ambition and help turn it into protection at scale. We are so proud to be part of one of the boldest ocean protection efforts ever attempted.”
The initiative builds on diverse starting points across the Pacific. In the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu, new areas for protection will be identified through inclusive consultation and careful design. In Samoa and Fiji, the focus is on putting existing national plans into action – expanding and operationalizing marine protection across 30 percent of national waters. Meanwhile, in Niue and Palau, where protections are already in place, efforts will strengthen enforcement, advance ecological monitoring, and secure long-term sustainable funding.
“Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity is a Pacific-made finance and investment program. It is our canoe for change. With the Bezos Earth Fund's support, we are showing the world that Pacific people lead with courage and wisdom as guardians of the ocean we all share,” said President Surangel Whipps Jr. of Palau. “What makes UBPP powerful is that it supports solutions designed by our communities – solutions that protect our ocean, strengthen food security, and keep traditional knowledge alive.”
What sets this effort apart is the scale of regional coordination. Each country retains sovereignty over its waters, but the initiatives will collaborate across borders, creating a cohesive system that supports migratory species, builds climate resilience, and honors the leadership of Pacific communities.
The grants support marine protection efforts across Micronesia, Melanesia, and Polynesia. Each project was co-designed by national governments and local leaders, with regional coordination from the Pacific Community (SPC). In total, the work now underway will secure more than 835,000 square miles (2.16 million km²) of ocean through new protections, stronger enforcement, and durable financial mechanisms.
“We’re linking marine protections into a single regional system, rooted in Pacific priorities,” said Dr. Stuart Minchin, Director General of SPC. “This isn’t about drawing lines on a map. It’s about implementation. It’s about financial durability. And it’s about respecting the communities who have cared for these waters for generations.”
The Earth Fund is closely collaborating with other funders already supporting this work in the region including, the Global Environment Facility, the Australian Government, the Waitt Foundation, the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, Blue Nature Alliance, Oceans 5, Pew Bertarelli Ocean Legacy, and the Te Moana Collective.
The grants announced today are designed to unlock further support as countries reach milestones in legal designation, readiness, and community consultation. As progress builds, more countries, territories, and partners can join, expanding the network’s reach and resilience.
Here is a closer look at the grants supporting this work:
Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands | The Nature Conservancy ($6.5M) – Strengthening enforcement, management, and long-term financing across 278,000 square miles (720,000 km²) of protected ocean through the Micronesia Challenge initiative.
Fiji | Charities Aid Foundation America ($4M) – Finalizing Fiji’s Marine Spatial Plan, designating new marine protected areas, and developing a blended finance facility to support long-term ocean management and community stewardship.
French Polynesia | Oceans 5 ($4M) – French Polynesia will finalize, designate, and begin managing new large-scale marine protected areas and artisanal fishing zones, with a focus on sustainable finance and community engagement.
New Caledonia | Conservation International ($4M) – Expanding high-protection coverage of national waters in the Coral Sea Natural Park, while deploying advanced monitoring systems and bolstering the new Coral Sea Conservation Fund to support long-term conservation and community stewardship.
Samoa | Conservation International ($4M) – Strengthening marine protection across 30 percent of national waters by operationalizing nine newly designated marine protected areas, strengthening enforcement across all waters, and designing Samoa’s first long-term Ocean Financing Framework to support sustainable, community-led management.
Niue | Niue Ocean Wide Trust ($4M) – Doubling the endowment of Niue’s national conservation trust fund and supporting monitoring, enforcement, and community stewardship of its 49,035 square miles (127,000 km²) of marine protected area.
Solomon Islands | Wildlife Conservation Society ($4M) – Scaling marine protection of national waters by designating new protected areas through an inclusive planning process, while strengthening enforcement and piloting a sustainable finance mechanism to support long-term, community-led stewardship.
Tuvalu | Wildlife Conservation Society ($4M) – Expanding marine protection of national waters through a national planning process and establishing a sustainable financing mechanism to support long-term, community-driven management.
Regional Collaboration | Rare ($3M) – Supporting the Unlocking Blue Pacific Prosperity coalition of 22 countries and territories to collaborate on a regional approach to ocean protection rooted in Pacific plans and priorities, including advancing the designation of transboundary marine protected area networks.
Attachments
Hana Hodali Bezos Earth Fund press@bezosearthfund.org