Clare Brook: From Sustainable Finance to Ocean Impact in the Blue Economy

About this episode

Clare Brook discusses her transition from sustainable finance to leading an NGO focused on ocean protection and innovative financing mechanisms for marine conservation.

In this episode, Paul Moody interviews Clare Brook, a veteran of 24 years in sustainable finance who now leads Blue Marine Foundation. In their conversation Clare reflects on her journey from managing ESG funds and co-founding an investment firm to running an NGO dedicated to protecting the blue planet. Clare and Paul dive into innovative ways finance can accelerate marine conservation. They discuss cutting-edge mechanisms like blue bonds and debt-for-nature swaps that can funnel significant funding to ocean protection in countries that need it most . Clare also introduces the idea of biodiversity credits, a new tool for valuing restored ecosystems and attracting investment into projects from seagrass meadows to coral reefs . She explains how blending public, private, and philanthropic capital can help scale these solutions, even as she acknowledges the challenges of aligning investor expectations with conservation realities. Finally, Clare leaves listeners with an urgent yet hopeful call to action: finance professionals have a pivotal opportunity to drive meaningful impact in this space. Whether it's backing transformative marine projects or simply using their influence to raise…

People in this episode

Host: Paul Moody

Guest: Clare Brook

Topics covered

• sustainable finance
• marine conservation
• blue economy
• biodiversity credits
• ESG funds
• debt-for-nature swaps

Keywords

• sustainable finance
• marine conservation
• blue economy
• biodiversity credits
• blue bonds
• debt-for-nature swaps
• ESG funds

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Blue Marine Foundation, CFA Institute

More episodes of The Sustainability Story

• Simone Ruiz-Vergote: Decoding SFDR 2.0 for Asset Managers and Investors · January 23, 2026 · 36 min
• Sajia Ferdous: Rewriting Work in the Age of Longevity and AI · December 7, 2025 · 31 min
• Emma Harvey Smith: Mobilizing Global Capital for a Sustainable Future · November 7, 2025 · 29 min
• Bill Green: Rethinking Infrastructure Investing for a Changing Climate · October 7, 2025 · 28 min
• Daniel Warcholak, CFA: Understanding Climate Risk in Mortgage-Backed Securities · September 7, 2025 · 35 min
• Livio Stracca, PhD: Pioneering Short-Term Climate Scenarios for Financial Decision-Making · July 23, 2025 · 32 min