How much are countries investing in Oceans and SDG 14? estimating public sector investments in oceans and ocean science with evidence from Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, and the Pacific.

Oceans are considered an integral part of the 2030 Agenda, especially for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), also known for their status as Large Ocean States. Ocean protection is a significant narrative component of sustainability in the context of NDCs, COPs, and global events, but there is little measurement of countries’ efforts to allocate resources for SDG 14. Despite methodological difficulties in estimating the amount of resources needed for optimal ocean protection (i.e. ocean financing gap), this document compiles budget data from ocean projects financed in Colombia, Dominican Republic, Seychelles, and Fiji, to provide an overview of current public financing that is being directed towards SDG 14 and ocean science. Three strategic messages arise from looking at the data and from conversations with governments: (i) total investment in SDG 14 ranges from 0.1% to 0.9% of total national budgets. This means that oceans and ocean science are receiving less than 1% of total public budget; (ii) there is scarcity of resources for ocean action, as regulation of fishing activities, aquaculture development, and coordination and planning are the kind of activities with the most financing observed under investments in SDG 14; and (iii) beyond the observed low levels of investment for ocean action, SDG 14 and ocean science in the four countries analyzed, there remain significant institutional challenges for governments to prioritize and effectively invest in SDG 14. The alarmingly low levels of public financing for SDG 14 and ocean science contrast with the narrative impetus for conservation. Urgent action is needed to match ocean science with financing at the national and global level.