More Happy News: since end of September São Tomé & Príncipe is the first country with 100% of its land designated as UNESCO Biosphere Reserve! Now we are just waiting for ✍️ of the decree law by the president to establish the first MPAs in the country 👇 A lot of #oceanoptimism & #conservationoptimism

Yesterday we completed Part 1 of @blueactionfund.org visit on Príncipe Island. Thanks to @faunaflora.bsky.social & Fundacao Principe for showing us your important work on the Island. Establishing MPAs & establishing small businesses to help communities becoming more resilient. #oceanoptimism

Packed few days in Príncipe 🇸🇹 visiting the @blueactionfund.org -funded project led by @faunaflora.bsky.social, implemented by local partner Fundação Príncipe. 📸 Small-scale enterprises, grievance mechanism in action, fish catch data collection. More on the project👇 sl1nk.com/U2BAb

Great opportunity to work with a fabulous team spreading #OceanOptimism around the globe 👇

Excited to be joining some 1200 other WIO ocean enthusiasts for the WIOMSA symposium and looking forward to an exchange-rich week! @wiomsa.bsky.social @blueactionfund.org @oceanthyrza.bsky.social

Great to see @blueactionfund.org grantees meeting in real!!

We accepted invite to join the Advisory Committee of Pacifico which mobilises 💶💵💴 for marine conservation in the Central Eastern Tropical Pacific. Surely, plenty of opportunities for exchange & mutual benefit with our existing and upcoming investments in the region. #OceanOptimism

#HappyFridayNews: Today, we ✒️ €5.4 million project with @envdefensefund.bsky.social to support climate resilient MPAs and small Scale fisheries management in Lampung 🇮🇩. #OceanOptimism @oceancecilia.bsky.social

Happy Friday News 🎉New Grant Fact Sheet for Grant to Oikos working in Honduras has just been published. One more in the @blueactionfund.org portfolio - looking forward to the next years of collaboration!

Two new @unesco.org sites in 🇬🇼 & 🇲🇿 - Two @blueactionfund.org supported Marine Protected Areas #OceanOptimism maisafrika.com/noticias/ult...

Thanks @new-york-un.diplo.de for hosting 🌊ocean event at upcoming #HLPF2025. We are looking forward to contributing... @bmz.de @umweltministerium.de @oceanknigge.bsky.social

We reviewed & revised TOR for mid-term & final grant evaluations that all grants undergo, among ohters adding new social safeguard aspects. Thanks @oceanweigand.bsky.social for herding 🐈, i.e. the programme team.

And proud to announce that one of those accepted special sessions will dive into lessons learned on EbA in the WIO by @blueactionfund.org grantees in the region (more about the projects here: tinyurl.com/bdrwdj2v). Congrats to the team! #oceanoptimism

We believe in gender equity. This is why we signed the 'Women Ocean Guardians commitment', reinforcing our existing ambitions, policies, & requirements ♀️💪. Thanks for bringing such a powerful movement together @wcs.org 🥳👏#OceanOptimism ogy.de/xs5d

West Africa united for the ocean. Thank you PRCM for inviting @blueactionfund.org to the Western Africa Dinner at #UNOC3. Lots of exciting announcements re BBNJ ratification & good to see such strong partnerships. @oceanweigand.bsky.social

All set for #UNOC3

Breaking: Norway contributes additional € 6.8 million to @blueactionfund.org (total now at €17.7 million). Thanks Norway & @norad.no for spreading some #OceanOptimism at #UNOC3 & #BEFF2025 www.abcnyheter.no/nyheter/verd...

1st day at #BEFF2025, with an impressive opening speech by @christinelagarde.bsky.social, many fruitful exchanges, solution hubs including our grantee @wildtrustssa.bsky.social. One takeaway: We need more investable ready projects! Happy that @blueactionfund.org is contributing to address this!

Looking forward to represent @blueactionfund.org together with our board member at the #BEFF….👇

Very glad to hear that @greenclimate.fund confirmed participation at our #ClimateHeroes event at #UNOC3. Essential to link climate & 🌊agendas, as examplafied in our €50m EbA funding window ogy.de/7zrf @wwf.de @bmz.de @giz.de @oceancecilia.bsky.social

Meanwhile in Honduras 🇭🇳... Excellent example of a grievance mechanism...👇 Grant fact sheet for our €4.9 million project with @rare.org ➡️https://ogy.de/2lt5

#UNOC3 is approaching fast and I am looking forward to meet partners and colleagues during the conference - best at one of these 👇events #30by30 #OceanOptimism

Thrilled to join the Leading Women for the Ocean, a global community of women leaders advancing #OceanGovernance and the #BlueEconomy. We are committed to empowering women's participation in key negotiations such as #ClimateChange and ocean protection. leadingwomenfortheocean.org #OceanOptimism

Save the date: #CoastalClimateHeroes 9 June #UNOC3, featuring several of our grants incl. in 🇧🇿 & 🇲🇬. Cohosted with @wwf.de @bmz.de & @giz.de

Welcoming new 🇩🇪 Minister for Development Cooperation on Blue Sky @reemalabali.bsky.social 🥳 . @bmz.de plays crucial role to support global south re 🌊 marine conservation & sustainable communities, incl. through @blueactionfund.org. #OceanOptimism @heikehenn.bsky.social

Thanks @jochenflasbarth.bsky.social for taking the time to discuss marine conservation, incl. @blueactionfund.org as 🗝️ funding instrument for 🌊 #30by30. @bmz.de @bmuv.de @oceanunger.bsky.social #OceanOptimism

Programme Director @oceanweigand.bsky.social and Namibia Nature Foundation presenting our programme. #LebendigeMeere

Thanks 🇺🇳 Peter Thomson & 🇩🇪 @jochenflasbarth.bsky.social for exchanging on 🌊 #SDG14 #UNOC3 & @blueactionfund.org #OceanOptimism @bmz.de @heikehenn.bsky.social

Online: We published today our 2024 Annual Report. 🌊5 new grants 🌊disbursed > € 18 million to 27 grants in 22 countries 🌊Admin costs 3% Read more📖...➡️ ogy.de/zog1 #OceanOptimism funded by 🇩🇪 🇸🇪 🇧🇻 🇫🇷 🇮🇪

How to best visualise progress of @blueactionfund.org's grant programme? @oceanweigand.bsky.social & @oceanthayne.bsky.social testing re progress in MPA management 👇... Any thoughts?

Thanks @steffi-lemke.de & @oceanunger.bsky.social for supporting a strong #OceanPact that incl. efficient financing instruments for 🌊 #30x30. With 🇩🇪 🇸🇪 🇫🇷 & 🇮🇪 (plus 🇧🇻) in the back @blueactionfund.org is worth discussing as 🇪🇺 initative that could be scaled-up further... @bmuv.de @bmz.de

Happy to report @blueactionfund.org is on track with its disbursements. #OceanOptimism

Upcoming webinar on MPA management. 27.Jan. 2025 3pm CET. Registration ➡️ ogy.de/zj1x

Open Call for Consultancy by @blueactionfund.org on the topic: www.blueactionfund.org/job-opportun...

👇one of the events you can meet us in 2025. More info about the BEFF at beff2025monaco.org#the-beff #OceanOptimism @oceanweigand.bsky.social

Kudos to @blueactionfund.org & partners for transformative and lasting investments in #ocean health & resilience.

Day 4 of @blueactionfund.org visit to the iSimangaliso project. The @wildoceanssa.bsky.social Team impresses me every day. The passion for their work and attention to detail makes a real difference for the vulnerable communities and the environment! #oceanoptimism

We got our wellies dirty today: learning about carbon stock and sequestration assessments in the mangroves of Kosi Bay in iSimangaliso Wetland Park with @wildoceanssa.bsky.social (and Nelson Mandela University in the lab). Key 'Ecosystem-based Adaptation' aspect of this project.

Meanwhile in South Africa🇿🇦...

1st day of @blueactionfund.org visit in South Africa! We had a great kick off with our grantee @wildoceanssa.bsky.social and partners in Durban. Looking forward to the field trip to see progress & impacts of our grants in iSimangaliso and uThukela! 🐬 @oceanthyrza.bsky.social @oceanpia.bsky.social

Just closed the Q&A Session for our Call on Eastern Tropical Pacific with more than 80 particpants representing smaller & larger + conservation & livelihood NGOs, with questions from match funding over MPA categories to eligibility criteria. Thanks to @blueactionfund.org Team and all participants.🌊

Great opportunity to meet with the @blueactionfund.org Team and ask all the questions you have on the Call for Proposal for the Eastern Tropical Pacific. Don't miss the chance and register!👇 🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊