Seychelles Marine Spatial Plan and Debt-for-Nature Swap
Seychelles turned a debt-for-nature swap with The Nature Conservancy into a plan that protects 30% of its waters (State House Seychelles).
Image: Ron Van Oers / UNESCO via Wikimedia Commons (Aldabra Atoll, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO).
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A small island nation swapped debt for ocean protection, ten years ahead of the world.
Seychelles protected 410,000 km² of ocean, an area larger than Germany, on 26 March 2020 (State House Seychelles).
Explain Like I'm 10
- Seychelles is a country made of islands in the Indian Ocean.
- It made a deal: part of its debt was refinanced to pay for ocean protection.
- Now almost a third of its sea is protected, bigger than Germany.
The Five W's of the Seychelles plan
Who
The Government of Seychelles, with The Nature Conservancy and the GOS-UNDP-GEF programme.
What
A whole-ocean Marine Spatial Plan built from the world's first debt refinancing for ocean conservation.
When
Started in 2014; the protected areas were designated on 26 March 2020.
Where
The Exclusive Economic Zone of Seychelles, including the waters around Aldabra.
Why
The ocean is central to the people and economy of Seychelles.
Connected Solutions
- Palau National Marine Sanctuary A Pacific nation that made most of its sea a no-fishing zone.
Impact Statement
Government solution · active
From 0.04% protected to 30% in eight years. It reached the global 30% goal ten years early (State House Seychelles).
The plan took six years and over 200 consultation meetings (State House Seychelles).
How This Saves People & the Planet
For People
Sustainable-use zones let businesses vital to Seychelles' economy keep working under new rules (State House Seychelles).
For Nature
Half the new areas are Marine National Parks where almost no activity except sustainable tourism is allowed (State House Seychelles).
Support Ocean Protection
The Nature Conservancy co-designed the debt-for-nature swap.
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