Bloomberg Philanthropies Expands Support for Brazil’s Ocean and Coastal Conservation Ahead of COP30

$6.8M investment will advance Brazil’s 30×30 conservation goals by supporting protection of one of the world’s largest mangrove forests and South Atlantic coral reefs, expanding marine transparency, and strengthening community-led marine management

Nice, France – Today, at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), Bloomberg Philanthropies announced a $6.8 million investment to bolster the conservation of Brazil’s ocean and coastal ecosystems. Unveiled on World Ocean Day, this commitment will support Brazil’s efforts to expand marine and coastal protections – advancing the global 30×30 target and reinforcing the country’s leadership ahead of COP30 in Belém.

Brazil, with over 10,000 kilometers of coastline, one of the world’s largest contiguous mangrove forests, the only coral reefs in the South Atlantic, and a marine territory that covers more than 40% of the country’s area, is home to some of the planet’s most critical ecosystems for biodiversity. These areas absorb carbon, feed coastal communities, and help shield coasts from rising seas and extreme weather, making them critical for protecting people and nature.

“We cannot protect the climate without protecting the ocean,” said Ana Toni, COP30 CEO. “That’s why ocean and coastal conservation will be at the heart of COP30. We welcome this new support, which will help Brazil strengthen its commitment to conserving its vital marine and coastal ecosystems and advance progress toward the global 30×30 target.”

“Climate change poses grave threats to the ocean and to the more than three billion people who depend on it for food and income, making the need for conservation measures even more urgent,” said Patricia E. Harris, CEO of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “Brazil’s commitment to ocean and coastal conservation underscores its environmental leadership and sets a strong example for other countries in the lead up to COP30. This new support from Bloomberg Philanthropies will help Brazil strengthen coastal communities, preserve critical habitats, and create a blueprint that can accelerate progress around the world.”

This effort is part of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ broader partnership with the COP30 Presidency to support Brazil’s climate and nature agenda. It also directly aligns with Brazil’s national ocean vision, which sets a global benchmark for other countries. The vision outlines concrete actions, including the implementation of ocean-based strategies under Brazil’s Climate Plan and National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP); designation of at least 30% of its Exclusive Economic Zone as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2030; and the development of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) in an open, inclusive process that integrates coastal management across the country.

Bloomberg Philanthropies’ support will help organizations in the Bloomberg Ocean Initiative turn these ambitions into action:

• Rare, WWF-Brazil, and the Global Mangrove Alliance will partner with local and Indigenous communities in Pará, Amapá, and the Abrolhos region to conserve and restore biodiversity-rich mangrove, coastal, and coral reef ecosystems;
• The Global Mangrove Alliance’s community of experts and practitioners will provide finance and policy guidance to new national and subnational Mangrove Breakthrough endorsements at COP30 in Belém to build momentum, unlock investment, and position mangroves as a central climate solution on the road to COP31;
• Oceana will advance stronger marine protection policies to protect Brazil’s coastlines and marine area, including improving climate-resilient fisheries and increasing the effectiveness of Brazil’s MPA network;
• Global Fishing Watch will collaborate with government agencies to update Brazil’s vessel tracking regulation—a once-in-a-decade opportunity—and integrate additional fleet data into its public map to strengthen transparency, monitoring, and enforcement;
• SkyTruth will document and expose threats to Brazil’s ocean and coasts from offshore oil and gas development and related industrial activities.

“Protecting the health of our ocean requires effective, community-driven coastal and marine management. Bloomberg Philanthropies’ support for on-the-ground efforts is essential for enabling local communities and Indigenous populations to play a leading role in protecting these ecosystems. This partnership, combined with ocean participatory mapping projects like ‘Marés do Norte’, using SeaSketch in Northern Brazil, will advance transparency, foster collaborative marine management, and support Brazil’s conservation goals, all while safeguarding vital ecosystems that we depend on,” said Marinez Scherer, COP30 Special Envoy for the Ocean and Associate Professor at the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

“With support from Bloomberg Philanthropies, Global Fishing Watch is proud to partner with Brazil to bring greater transparency to fisheries management. By updating its vessel monitoring regulation and expanding public access to data on its fleet, Brazil is positioning itself as a global leader in ocean governance—and setting a powerful example for the region,” said Monica Espinoza Miralles, Head of Latin America, Global Fishing Watch.

“The Global Mangrove Alliance is thrilled to announce this nature-first partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies. Their commitment leverages the expertise and knowledge of our members and local partners who are implementing science-based conservation and restoration across the globe. Partnerships like this generate meaningful, positive impacts for people, nature and the climate at a scale that matters,” said Emily Landis, Global Climate and Ocean Director, The Nature Conservancy on behalf of the Global Mangrove Alliance.

The support of Bloomberg Philanthropies is strategic for Brazil, enabling the collection of accurate and timely data to address the impacts of the climate emergency in one of the world’s ocean-warming hotspots—the Southwest Atlantic. This information is essential for making informed management decisions that help coastal communities protect themselves from increasing threats to their well-being. It also empowers Oceana to support the improvement and monitoring of Brazil’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) management plans, ensuring they truly contribute to the health of our oceans,” said Ademilson Zamboni, Oceana’s Vice President in Brazil.

“The communities living near and depending on Brazil’s mangroves are often their best champions, but they do not always have the rights and resources to protect them effectively,” said Monique Galvão, Vice President of Rare Brasil. “We need to back up political commitments to mangroves with resources and actions that help frontline communities steward them effectively. This investment from Bloomberg Philanthropies does exactly that.”

“We look forward to applying our investigative satellite and AI-driven digital tools to uncover threats to coastal and marine ecosystems from offshore oil and gas development in Brazil,” said John Amos, CEO of SkyTruth. “We plan to focus our research on sensitive areas such as the Amazon river mouth, which contains significant mangrove forests, as well as marine protected areas. Ultimately, we hope our findings will be used by government agencies, journalists and local civil society organizations to prevent further expansion of harmful oil and gas activities and safeguard critical marine and coastal habitats.”

“This is a defining moment for Brazil’s marine and coastal ecosystems. Safeguarding vulnerable ecosystems like coral reefs and mangroves, advancing ocean transparency, and empowering our ocean defenders are not only essential for the country’s sustainable future, but also critical to achieving global climate and biodiversity goals,” said Marina Corrêa, Oceans Lead at WWF-Brazil.

This new commitment builds on Bloomberg Philanthropies’ support for ocean conservation and climate action in Brazil, including building on longstanding partnerships with Rare, Oceana, and Global Fishing Watch. These partnerships drive sustainable stewardship of Brazil’s coastal and marine resources. Together, they advance science-based and effective fisheries management, which delivers food security, fisher livelihood, and biodiversity protection in coastal communities.

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About Bloomberg Philanthropies
Bloomberg Philanthropies invests in 700 cities and 150 countries around the world to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. The organization focuses on creating lasting change in five key areas: the Arts, Education, Environment, Government Innovation, and Public Health. Bloomberg Philanthropies encompasses all of Michael R. Bloomberg’s giving, including his foundation, corporate, and personal philanthropy as well as Bloomberg Associates, a philanthropic consultancy that advises cities around the world. In 2024, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $3.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, Threads, Facebook, and X.

Media Contact: Marshall Cohen, mcohen@bloomberg.org

About Bloomberg Ocean Initiative 
The Bloomberg Ocean Initiative is Bloomberg Philanthropies’ effort to protect the world’s ocean from climate change, overfishing, and pollution threats. Since 2014, Bloomberg Philanthropies has invested $375 million to restore and protect critical ocean ecosystems to support the global goal of protecting 30% of the world’s ocean by 2030. The Bloomberg Ocean Initiative supports local and global partners in advocating for data-driven solutions, community involvement, and policy change that can help safeguard marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, and the billions of people who depend on them. To date, these efforts have helped pass over 100 new policies at the local and national level that have strengthened the protection of over 11 million square miles of ocean – nearly three times the area of the United States. Learn more here.