The Caribbean Conservation Finance Congress 2025 was held on July 30-31, 2025 and brought together a cadre of experts and key stakeholders to highlight the critical role of conservation trust funds in driving measurable impact toward global biodiversity targets at national and regional levels. This year’s focus was especially timely as the global community intensified efforts to meet the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework targets by 2030.
In a recent interview, Amy Jones, Coordinator at MAR Fund for the MAR+Invest initiative, shared how the organization is building innovative pathways for marine conservation and finance in the Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) region.
From the start, MAR Fund has focused on Coastal and Marine Protected Areas (CMPAs) as the backbone of its work, engaging stakeholders across four countries (Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras) to set priorities, design action plans, and raise funds. Their efforts tackle major threats — climate change, overfishing, and wastewater pollution — while integrating a blue regenerative economy approach to bring in private capital.
Regional collaboration remains at the heart of their strategy, creating networks like the Reef Rescue Network and facilitating knowledge exchanges to share lessons and scale solutions.
As a Conservation Trust Fund (CTF), MAR Fund is uniquely positioned to bridge gaps between conservation efforts and the private sector. Jones highlights the importance of blended finance, guarantee funds, and de-risking mechanisms, while acknowledging the challenge of aligning conservation’s long-term vision with investors’ preference for quick, high returns.
Looking ahead, Jones encourages the sector to take bold risks, think big, and pilot innovative models to drive scalable impact. Opportunities are emerging in seaweed value chains—pending regulatory clarity—and in innovative wastewater treatment solutions to support healthier ecosystems and communities.
To watch video recording, please click here.
