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Season 3, Episode 4: Unlocking Capital for a Regenerative Blue Economy with Melissa Walsh 

How do we fix a broken system — and unlock the investment needed to save our oceans?

Despite the urgency of the climate crisis, ocean conservation remains dramatically underfunded. In this episode, we explore how to change that by building a true capital market for the ocean.

Our guest, Dr. Melissa Walsh — a global leader in blue finance and Director of Blue Finance & Scaling at ORRAA — explains why blue finance has lagged behind green finance, what’s holding investors back, and how we can redesign the system so money flows to ocean solutions at scale.

We break down:

• 🌊 Why oceans are still “invisible” in global finance
• ⚓ The risks and barriers that stop investment — and how to remove them
• 💡 How ORRAA is acting as the connective tissue between finance, insurance, governments & communities
• 🔄 Tools that de-risk ocean projects, like SCIFF and the Nautilus Blue Guarantee
• 📊 Why the world needs shared “ocean-positive” metrics to prevent bluewashing
• 🤝 The future of blue equity — ensuring coastal communities benefit from a thriving ocean economy

This episode offers a clear, hopeful roadmap for shifting from extraction to regeneration, and finally giving the ocean the investment it deserves.

 About Our Guest: 

Dr. Melissa Walsh is the Director of Blue Finance and Scaling at the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA). A leading global expert in ocean finance and the blue economy, she transitioned from a 24-year career in coral reef biogeochemistry and science management to tackle the primary roadblock she saw in conservation: a lack of capital. Today, she works to build the systems, partnerships, and financial products needed to drive investment toward a sustainable and resilient ocean. 

Learn More From Our Guest / Episode Resources: 

Learn more about the Ocean Risk and Resilience Action Alliance (ORRAA): https://oceanriskalliance.org/ 

Explore ORRAA's SeaChange Impact Finance Facility (SCIFF): https://oceanriskalliance.org/blue-finance/ 

Discover the BackBlue Initiative: https://oceanriskalliance.org/project/back-blue-ocean-finance-commitment/ 

Read about the Nautilus Blue Guarantee Company: https://www.guarantee.blue/ 

What are your thoughts on building a blue economy? Do you believe these financial tools can create the systemic change we need? Let us know in the comments below! Don't forget to like this video and subscribe for more conversations with the people on the front lines of protecting our planet.