Gathered at the Grimaldi Forum for the second edition of the Blue Economy & Finance Forum, political leaders, investors and experts showed a common conviction: the protection of the oceans is no longer just an environmental imperative, but a major economic issue. It now remains to transform speeches into massive funding. By Clément Martinet
The second edition of the Blue Economy & Finance Forum (BEFF), organized by the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation and the Oceanographic Institute, ended on Friday, May 29, 2026 at the Grimaldi Forum on a double feeling: that of a now widely shared awareness, but also that of an urgency to concretely accelerate the mobilization of private capital in favor of the ocean. Opened on Thursday, May 28, 2026 by Prince Albert II, this two-day forum brought together nearly 300 high-level participants including policy makers, bankers, sovereign wealth funds, entrepreneurs, institutional investors and international experts. The stated objective was clear: to move from a phase of reflection and awareness to an operational phase of massive financing of a sustainable blue economy.
« We built an economy the size of a big nation, and we forgot to finance it. The blue economy generates $2.5 trillion each year. Of all the capital invested in sustainable development around the world, only a tiny part reaches the oceans »
Prince Albert II
A mobilizing speech
This question remains, in the background: can protecting the environment become financially profitable? In his opening speech, Albert II laid the stone for a paradigm shift: « We have built an economy the size of a great nation, and we have forgotten to finance it. The blue economy generates $2.5 trillion each year. Of all the capital invested in sustainable development around the world, only a tiny part reaches the oceans. Prince Albert II then recalled the path traveled since the first edition: « During the first edition of this forum, a year ago, the question was still whether the ocean had its place in a financial balance sheet. I think we answered them. This year, the question is clearer and simpler. Not if we have to invest in the ocean, but how quickly, and with what audacity. He hammered that environmental constraint is not the enemy of yield, but its origin: « Investing in the ocean is no longer philanthropy, nor a marginal niche. It is an economic field in its own right, which now covers the entire spectrum of finance: venture capital and private equity, private debt and infrastructure, and instruments such as blue bonds. The prince concluded his speech with a direct and unambiguous appeal: « Invest in the ocean now. Invest on a large scale. And invest knowing what it really is: not a risk to manage, but the decisive opportunity of our time. «
Opened on Thursday, May 28, 2026 by Prince Albert II, this two-day forum brought together nearly 300 high-level participants among policy makers, bankers, sovereign wealth funds, entrepreneurs, institutional investors and international experts. The objective was clear: to move from a phase of reflection and awareness to an operational phase of massive financing of a sustainable blue economy. © Photo Princely Palace
Real advances, but still limited
In 2025, the first edition of the BEFF had generated an unprecedented mobilization: more than €25 billion in investments identified in the ocean transition and €8.7 billion in new firm commitments by 2030. This year, if many concrete projects and solutions were presented during the « Innovation corners », no new overall commitment figure has yet been communicated. Among the most prominent speakers was Pascal Lamy, former Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) from 2005 to 2013 and member of the advisory committee of the Monaco Blue Initiative. He delivered his analysis to Monaco Hebdo [on this subject, read his interview published in this issue of Monaco Hebdo – Editor’s note]: « The blue economy represents exceptional potential, provided that the economy and nature are reconciled, starting by investing in the repair of marine ecosystems that we have degraded, and thus demonstrating that this systemic transformation is possible. Asked how to reconcile economic growth linked to the ocean and the preservation of ecosystems, he said that it was possible « by applying international environmental rules where there are any, by developing them elsewhere, and by convincing economic actors that it is in their interest to protect ecosystems whose quality is essential to their success, and whose disappearance will kill their business ». Pascal Lamy was optimistic about the attractiveness of ocean restoration projects, often perceived as long to make a profit, believing that it is mainly a matter of demonstrating « the profitability, often faster than we say, of these investments, whether it is sustainable fishing or aquaculture, the protection of the coastline to reduce insurance premiums, or the decarbonization of shipping in anticipation of an inevitable increase in the price of carbon ».
« The solutions exist. Capital exists. Innovation exists. The challenge now lies in the magnitude. The magnitude of ambition. The extent of the collaboration. And the extent of the implementation »
Romain Ciarlet Director General of the Prince Albert II Foundation
The 2027 edition confirmed
Many speakers insisted on the need to better structure this still fragmented ecosystem. This desire for concrete action marked the end of the 2026 edition of this forum. Robert Calcagno, Director General of the Oceanographic Institute, even humorously asked the question that plagued many participants: « If we all say that we must act and stop talking, is it useful to organize a BEFF 3? As this forum on the blue economy and finance comes to an end, a message is clear: opposing « economic development » and « ocean protection » no longer makes sense. It was precisely this conviction that led to the creation of the BEFF. […] One thing is certain: it is time to enter a new phase: that of implementation; that of acceleration. Romain Ciarlet, Executive Director of the Prince Albert II Foundation, confirmed that the 2027 edition will take place, while insisting on the need to transform this year’s promises into concrete achievements: « We are now witnessing a growing mobilization of investors, rapid technological innovation, an unprecedented scientific consensus, and a much clearer awareness of the fact that investing in the ocean is not only necessary from an environmental point of view, but also increasingly relevant from an economic and strategic point of view. This is perhaps the most important message of this forum. The solutions exist. Capital exists. Innovation exists. The challenge now lies in the magnitude. The magnitude of ambition. The extent of the collaboration. And the extent of the implementation.
source : monaco hebdo
