Coalition of Philanthropic Funders Unveil More Than $250 Million Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance to Supercharge Ocean-Based Climate Solutions
Investment from Ballmer Group, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Builders Vision, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust, Oak Foundation, Oceankind, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Rivian Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Vere Initiatives, and others will advance ocean-climate and marine-based initiatives.
Dubai, UAE – Today, at COP28 at the Ocean Pavilion, Bloomberg Philanthropies CEO Patti Harris, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy on Climate John Kerry, UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean Peter Thomson, and others announced the formation of Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance (ORCA) by leading climate and ocean institutions. With an initial pledge of more than $250 million, Ballmer Group, Bloomberg Philanthropies, Builders Vision, the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Jeremy and Hannelore Grantham Environmental Trust, Oak Foundation, Oceankind, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Rivian Foundation, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, Vere Initiatives, and others have come together to form a funder collaborative focused on advancing ocean-based solutions to fight climate change. Earlier that day, during the World Climate Action Summit, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion for COP28 H.E. Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak highlighted the importance of elevating ocean solutions to fight the climate crisis in her opening remarks.
“In June 2025, France, together with Costa Rica, will be hosting the Third UN Ocean Conference in Nice. We will need concrete solutions and commitments to enhance the power of our ocean to fight climate change. This new coalition serves as a testament to the collective strength achieved when we unite, mobilising the necessary funding to support on-the-ground actions and drive progress for our ocean and planet,” said French President Emmanuel Macron.
“I’m very glad to see several of our private donor partners including Bloomberg Philanthropies, Builders Vision, Oceankind and many others announce a major new infusion of funding into ocean-climate solutions,” said H.E. Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High Level Champion for COP28. “The Ocean Resilience Climate Alliance is an ambitious, collaborative global funding effort that will help us to both protect the oceans from harm and better understand the role they play in climate change. It will invest in protections for vulnerable marine areas – helping us reach the U.N. goal of protecting 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030.“
ORCA will help tackle the global climate crisis through coordination and collaboration within the ocean community. Its mission in part will focus on how philanthropy can play a leading role in unlocking capital that can help scale ocean-based solutions. Over the past two years, members of the ORCA coalition led by Oceankind and Builders Vision, have worked with trusted partners across civil society to identify high-impact opportunities to catalyze funding into global programs that accelerate the role of the ocean sector in fighting climate change.
The ocean is one of our most powerful yet often overlooked allies in the battle against climate change. Studies show that ocean-based interventions could account for nearly half of the necessary carbon solutions needed to keep global warming below 2°C. Strengthening coastal resilience efforts is also critical to protect the well-being of the nearly 1.4 billion people around the world living in low-lying areas. Despite this, funding to climate mitigation receives just 2% of total philanthropic giving, and ocean conservation receives less than 1%.
The coalition combines the collective power of philanthropies, nonprofit organizations, local communities, and Indigenous Peoples to make ocean ecosystems more resilient and balanced and help ensure that solutions are just, equitable, and center the frontline coastal communities that are most impacted by ocean-climate issues. Additionally, as governments work toward the 30×30 target, a global initiative that aims to protect at least 30% of the planet’s land and ocean by 2030, ORCA represents a uniquely significant injection of funding that will help achieve that goal.
“Science has shown just how powerful a role the ocean plays in staving off the impacts of rising emissions,” said Patricia E. Harris, CEO of Bloomberg Philanthropies. “It’s a tremendous ally in the climate fight, but it’s also under siege – and we have to step up to protect it. Together with an incredible group of philanthropic partners, we’re doing just that by investing in ocean-based solutions that fight the climate crisis, from off-shore wind power development to marine habitat restoration.”
“The Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance is an opportunity to advance groundbreaking research about ocean science and project work that will help further demonstrate the viability of oceans to fight climate change, build resilience strategies for frontline communities, and bring more investment to ocean-climate solutions,” said Lukas Walton, Founder and CEO of Builders Vision, an anchor investor in ORCA. “This coalition was formed because we all believe in what oceans can do for the health of our environment and society at large. We are proud to anchor this effort alongside partners who understand the urgency of the climate crisis and share our passion and commitment for building a more humane and healthy planet.”
“This is a pivotal moment for ocean and climate funders joining forces to harness the power of the ocean to mitigate climate change and strengthen community resilience. We know that equitable and sustainable ocean and climate solutions are possible when we center the communities who depend most on a healthy ocean,” said Meg Caldwell, Ocean Director at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
“The Ocean Resilience and Climate Alliance is a timely contribution and a unifying effort for reviving the planet’s health. It advances our shared commitment to address the climate crisis while supporting ocean health and conservation, and the people who depend on marine resources for their livelihoods and food security. These people and communities, especially those who have been historically marginalized from decision-making, have the expertise, solutions, and power to inspire and foster lasting and durable environmental change,” said Imani Fairweather Morrison, Programme Officer at Oak Foundation.
“Our oceans contain immense and untapped power to help solve the climate crisis – if we can act together with urgency,” said Rivian Foundation President & Trustee Anisa Kamadoli Costa. “The Rivian Foundation exists to support the builders of a thriving future our kids deserve, including global collaboration to realize the areas of greatest impact and highest need for investment. Ocean-based climate solutions are a prime opportunity. We’re excited to help this new coalition strengthen humanity’s ability to harness the incredible potential of our oceans – plus the ingenuity of innovators, advocates, and local communities – to put our planet on a better path.”
“At Vere Initiatives, we are thrilled to join forces with peer organizations to champion the health of our ocean. The vitality of our ocean is crucial not just for marine life but also our climate and well-being. Through dynamic investments in ocean-based solutions, and in the people and communities closest to the impact, ORCA is propelling the planet toward a healthier, stronger future for us all,” said Natasha Ziff, Co-Founder of Vere Initiatives.
The initial $250+ million investment from ORCA will infuse new capital into seven core areas over a five-year period, poised to drive significant transformation for the ocean and climate. These areas include high-impact measures in emissions reduction, such as rapidly scaling offshore wind development, with the potential to alleviate over 7% of emissions necessary to curb global warming below 2°C. Additionally, efforts will be directed towards decarbonizing the shipping industry, aiming to prevent a potential increase in carbon emissions from shipping to 1.5 Gt CO2e by 2050.
Other key areas include safeguarding the Arctic for the people, marine life, and global climate functions it supports; bolstering strategic ocean diplomacy for a unified ocean-climate agenda; scaling community-led action in the Global South to ensure climate-affected coastal communities lead and drive ocean-based solutions; advancing ocean carbon research; and expanding the pipeline of habitat restoration and conservation efforts to enhance ocean carbon capture. ORCA has identified lead grantees for each focus area, entrusted with advancing strategies and enlisting additional partners to support these efforts.
ORCA will be governed by a steering committee of participating funders who will oversee operations. Their key responsibilities will include leading ongoing conversations with funders and grantees to share learnings and future collaboration opportunities, establishing monitoring and reporting protocols for ORCA, seven core areas, and its grantees, and ensuring shared transparency and accountability with the broader ocean and climate community.
ORCA’s founding members are established champions of ocean conservation. Collectively, they’ve worked to advance ocean-based solutions, uplift coastal communities, and advocate for vital policies aimed at restoring and protecting ocean ecosystems. This historic collaboration not only builds upon their existing efforts but also strengthens the crucial partnerships that are required to achieve meaningful change.
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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 five key areas for creating lasting change: 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 pro bono consultancy that works in cities around the world. In 2022, Bloomberg Philanthropies distributed $1.7 billion. For more information, please visit bloomberg.org, sign up for our newsletter, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Media Contact: Marshall Cohen, mcohen@bloomberg.org
About Builders Vision:
Builders Vision is an impact platform dedicated to supporting people and organizations building a more humane and healthy planet through philanthropy, investment, and advocacy. The organization aims to shift markets and minds for good by offering a range of tools to help seed and scale sustainable solutions to societal and environmental issues across three key focus areas: Oceans, Food & Agriculture, and Energy. Builders Vision includes three teams totaling nearly 100 diverse specialists, grant makers, and investors, who expertly deploy capital across the capital spectrum — Builders Initiative, S2G Ventures and Builders Asset Management. You can learn more at www.buildersvision.com.
Media Contact: Rachel Coleman, rcoleman@buildersvision.com
About the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation:
Gordon and Betty Moore established the foundation to create positive outcomes for future generations. In pursuit of that vision, we advance scientific discovery, environmental conservation, and the special character of the San Francisco Bay Area. www.moore.org
About Paul M. Angell Family Foundation:
The mission of the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation is to advance society through the conservation of the world’s oceans, the performing arts, and the prevention and alleviation of poverty. Visit pmangellfamfound.org/about-us/ for more information.
About Oak Foundation:
Oak Foundation commits its resources to address issues of global, social, and environmental concern, particularly those that have a major impact on the lives of the disadvantaged. Through our grant-making, we support others to make the world a safer, fairer, and more sustainable place to live. For more information visit https://oakfnd.org.
Media Contact: Virginia Ruan, Director of Communications
About Oceankind:
Oceankind’s mission is to improve the health of global ocean ecosystems while supporting the livelihoods of people who rely on them. We seek to advance the policy, science, and technology necessary to reverse the growing threats facing our oceans. www.oceankind.org
About the David and Lucile Packard Foundation:
The Packard Foundation envisions a just and equitable world where both people and nature flourish. We work with people and communities to create enduring solutions for just societies, and a healthy, resilient natural world. www.packard.org
Media Contact: Nicole Kravec, nkravec@packard.org
About the Rivian Foundation:
Rivian Foundation’s mission is to protect nature and a rich diversity of life for future generations, while also seeking to help advance a just transition to a clean mobility future. It supports the builders of a thriving future, working to drive solutions in the intertwined areas of nature, climate, and social equity. The Foundation will launch publicly with a dedicated website in early 2024. https://rivian.com/forever
Media Contact: Adam Fetcher, media@rivian.com
About Vere Initiatives:
Vere Initiatives seeks to both create and inspire change that meaningfully impacts the future of the planet. We look for opportunities in conservation, biodiversity, and advocacy that target the root causes of the climate crisis. We scout out partners engaging in robust scientific research, policy solutions at every level, and community power-building. www.vere.org