How Sustainable Marine Tourism is Key to Global Ocean Conservation
Following a site visit in the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area with Ceningan Divers, Minna Epps, the Head of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Ocean Programme, sat down with Reef-World's Programmes Manager, Dev Albao, to discuss the role of sustainable marine tourism, innovative financing and the importance of standards like Green Fins in achieving global conservation goals.
IUCN plays a major role in global ocean conservation. How does sustainable marine tourism fit into this work?
The IUCN’s vision and mission is a just world that values nature and people. Our mission is to influence policy, encourage people and mobilise communities to really value and protect nature.
So, in terms of marine tourism, we know that it has a significant impact on our environment, but we also know the desire and people are going to continue to pursue tourism. So, it's absolutely essential that we have sustainable tourism in order to protect nature.
We often hear that marine tourism can be both a threat and a solution for ocean conservation. From IUCN’s perspective, what needs to change to ensure tourism benefits marine ecosystems?
Absolutely! Tourism can both be a threat but also a part of the solution. So, obviously, we have to respect certain thresholds and not have too much over-capacity in tourism. We must really respect those boundaries, but then we can go further. Not just making the actual sector more sustainable, but also how potential tourism could actually work to contribute to the solution.
We often think about the solution being that they're a source of revenue in terms of paying for access that will go to the management of marine protected areas. But I think there are many more innovative ways that we can look at it, to really have more innovative finance mechanisms attached to the marine conservation sector in terms of sustainable tourism.
Dive guide giving a pre dive briefing
The diving and snorkelling industry has a unique connection to the ocean. How can industry leaders and operators be stronger advocates for ocean conservation? Is there any case study you can share which is heading directly towards supporting ecosystems through financing or other initiatives?
In terms of IUCN being a global standard setter, we have a global standard which is not only specifically for MPAs. It's called the Green List. We also have a nature-based solution standard, and what it does is it really looks at how you tackle environmental and societal problems and how you actually best address them. It provides that guidance, and one of the principles is really looking at the economic viability — how we can actually make conservation projects financially viable and even investable.
In 2018, we set up the Blue Natural Capital Funding Facility. And we know that if you look at the funding going into reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), SDG14, life below water is the least invested. Of all the SDGs, the least financing is going to Life Below Water, receiving only 1.6% of development assistance. We don't think we can solve these problems by just providing grants.
We really need to think about what the business plan is behind it and how do you ensure the integrity of the projects that we finance. So, we opened a call to look at how we can work with entrepreneurs and developers, specifically in the global south, where a lot of the marine biodiversity exists, and I think where we are right now in the Coral Triangle is a real hotspot for marine biodiversity.
So, what kind of local solutions and case studies exist? We have examples and we create these scorecards that we make available, ranging from Papua New Guinea, Palau, Colombia, etc. What it means is that we provide a small grant as a readiness support, and then we look at a grant that can then ensure implementation to test and prove this idea. The ultimate goal is obviously to have a positive ocean conservation outcome, but also to make sure it's viable and it's investable. So, that's what we're doing.
I believe, for example, the Green Fins approach that exists in several countries, which is a standard that was initiated years and years ago, that we're now really seeing that is spreading and taking off. It's a code of conduct where dive operators can be certified. And what we're trying to see is how these grounds or facilities can actually think about the business plans going forward, so it can be sustainable over a longer term.
Green Fins promotes environmental best practices in marine tourism. How do you see initiatives like this supporting IUCN’s conservation goals? In your experience and given what you’ve learned on your visit, what should the diving industry hear from your perspective?
I think it's not a homogeneous group. We have to look at different stakeholders because a business plan, if developed well, could serve as a market instrument. And usually those exist to advance and have a higher ambition, and it's on a voluntary scheme because public policies are not fast enough to keep up. So, it's an incentive to go beyond that.
What we need to see happen is from a government perspective or the public, they need to introduce certain policies. It could even be a requirement. For example, whether it's your public procurement or the tourism agency, you can say, if you're going to get a license, if a foreign tour operator wants to come to Indonesia and operate, they need to be certified to the Green Fins standard. That creates a requirement.
In terms of having a return on investment, we need to ensure this is raising awareness that comes with it, both on ocean literacy and the wider concept. Because I think a lot of tourists come to Indonesia for the marine biodiversity, for the value, for the beauty. Usually, they're quite environmentally conscious, so they want to contribute and don't want to leave a big footprint behind. But what if they don't know about the standard and certificate?
So, I think it's a two-pronged effort:
If you are a tour operator, inform your customers and your clients, and be proud that you are adhering to the Green Fins guidelines.
For the government, you can put that into your requirements, such as licensing requirements.
You have dived in the Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area. How was your experience, and how would you like that experience to influence stakeholders in the national government of Indonesia, maybe regional initiatives as well? How does that experience today contribute to whatever your message is to these larger stakeholders?
Well, I feel very privileged to start with. I've been diving for over 20 years, and I am managing a global ocean program for one of the biggest environmental networks. I'm based in a landlocked country. So, to be able to come here and see the local realities, I think that is so important not just to get inspired but also to see how reality works and how we can link that to the global policy or national policies. So, I think that's very important to actually see how it works on the ground.
And of course, I was lucky enough to go out with the Green Fins certified operator and I was very pleasantly surprised in terms of the quality of information provided and general responsibility. You know, ranging from the actual boat to the guidance and really going through some of the key criteria. So, that was a very pleasant surprise.
But obviously, the most impressive was underwater. Seeing the coral-covered areas next to the coral restoration. I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised in terms of how respectful divers were in relation to the coral, because I've been to many tourist dive spots around the world, and every time you cringe from the damage they're causing to the reefs. That was really impressive. So, I'm very pleased with that, and I'm feeling very hopeful.
If you could give one key message to dive operators, travellers and the tourism industry about protecting the ocean, what would it be?
Based on my experience with Green Fins, my call to action would be that we take this excellent experience. I generally believe in the power of good examples, and we bring this local reality and success story to the global stage. And really see how we can influence and get that much more uptake in other countries around the world. That would be my call to action.
Minna Epps, as the head of a major global conservation program, was clear that success relies on more than just goodwill. It requires policy and investable business models to scale impact.
The key takeaway for industry leaders is that initiatives like Green Fins, while voluntary, need to be amplified in two critical ways:
Policy requirement: Governments should consider making certification (or similar high standards) a licensing requirement for operators, ensuring a high, non-negotiable standard for entering the market.
Market advantage: Operators must "be proud of it" and actively use their certification to attract environmentally conscious travellers, making sustainability a competitive advantage and a badge of honour.
The IUCN recognises that standards like Green Fins are essential to protect the ocean assets that the dive industry depends on and the critical need for private sector engagement to close the SDG14 finance gap.
We invite you—whether an individual, a corporate partner, or a foundation—to join us in this mission:
Partner with us: Are you a business, government agency, or tourism board? Collaborate with Reef-World to integrate sustainable practices into your supply chain, sponsor the expansion of Green Fins into new regions, or co-develop innovative financing mechanisms for marine conservation.
Invest in our work: Your donation directly supports Reef-World's training, policy development, and on-the-ground advocacy, turning local best practices into a powerful, worldwide solution.
Let's work together to transform the marine tourism industry!
