Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment he has made of the long-term sustainability of projects supported through the Blue Planet Fund once UK funding ceases.

Through the Blue Planet Fund (BPF), the UK is committed to protecting marine ecosystems and increasing resilience in climate-vulnerable coastal communities.

Under the BPF, long-term sustainability is consistently considered throughout each programme’s lifecycle. Long-term impacts are considered from the outset, and progress is monitored through evaluation frameworks to assess lasting environmental, social and economic outcomes. All programmes are expected to incorporate clear exit and sustainability strategies.

Recognising the global finance gap for the ocean, and in alignment with UK policy on nature and climate finance, the BPF actively focuses efforts on mobilising and scaling accessible finance for sustainable ocean outcomes and poverty reduction through its portfolio of marine Official Development Assistance (ODA) programmes. This is in line with wider development reforms set out by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office earlier this year.