Blue Nature
Like any living organism, a seascape has its own critical features (or “organs”) that need to be protected and restored (or “healed”) if the rest of the seascape is to stay healthy. This pillar therefore focuses on securing the integrity of critical ecosystems by accelerating and upscaling the restoration and conservation of critical blue ecosystems by driving the implementation at scale of Nature-based Solutions.
Blue nature ecosystems—mangroves, seagrasses, tidal marshes, and coral reefs—are among the planet’s most biodiverse and life-sustaining environments. They buffer coasts from storms and erosion, support biodiversity, secure food and livelihoods, and enhance the well-being of millions. Valued at over US$24 trillion in assets and generating US$2.5 trillion annually, their importance will only grow as the blue economy approaches US$3 trillion by 2030.
Yet these vital ecosystems are under severe threat. Unsustainable practices and the accelerating impacts of climate change are pushing them toward collapse. In the Western Indian Ocean (WIO), they underpin the prosperity and resilience of over 65 million coastal residents, but rising sea levels, coral bleaching, and declining fish stocks already jeopardize their future. WIO ecosystems contribute US$25 billion annually through jobs, income, and food security—benefits now at risk without urgent, coordinated action.
The Great Blue Wall (GBW) was conceived as a bold, unifying African response to this challenge. Its vision is to build a nature-positive world by 2030—accelerating conservation and restoration, strengthening socio-ecological resilience, and fostering a regenerative blue economy that benefits both people and planet. Anchored in IUCN’s Nature 2030 Programme and 2045 Strategy, the GBW supports global commitments including the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and UN Sustainable Development Goal 14.
IUCN plays a central role in advancing this vision—protecting and restoring coastal and marine ecosystems, tackling marine pollution, promoting climate adaptation, and supporting equitable ocean economies. At the heart of this effort lies the Blue Nature pillar of the GBW, which demonstrates that true resilience emerges when ecosystem health, science, and inclusive governance are interwoven.
By 2030, the goal is a thriving, resilient Western Indian Ocean, sustained through large-scale conservation and restoration, the scaling of nature-based solutions, and the creation of ecological corridors that deliver a net gain in ecosystem health. The Blue Nature Strategy provides the roadmap, with four priorities:
Together, these priorities chart a clear course toward renewal, resilience, and shared prosperity across the region.