Fondation de France launches its Ocean 2025 Initiative!  

Oceans and coastlines play a vital role in maintaining the ecological balance of our planet: they are home to up to 80% of life on Earth, regulate the climate, store carbon, and provide essential ecologic and social functions. Yet, these environments are increasingly threatened by the deregulation of the climate, pollution, overfishing, and coastal development. In response to these challenges, Fondation de France, active for over fifteen years in supporting a fair and inclusive ecological transition, is strengthening its commitment, particularly in mainland France and its overseas territories.  

Fondation de France deepens its commitment through Ocean 2025.  

At the beginning of the year, Fondation de France launched the “Ocean 2025” initiative to support projects aligned with the momentum of the Year of the Ocean and the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC). 

Key elements of this initiative include:  

• A call for Ocean 2025 projects: In 2025 alone, 12 projects have already received support, with total funding of €313,800. Notable recipients include Surfrider, Les Petits Débrouillards, Smilo, and Le Cluster Expéditions Océanes;

• A Call for Projects based on “Nature-based Solutions”: Fondation de France is currently reviewing submissions as part of the ongoing selection process;  

• Support for sustainable fishing projects, such as Pleine Mer, which aims to develop new responsible approaches for fishing and acquaculture.  

In parallel, and together with six other funds and foundations, Fondation de France, through its Ecological Transition Collective, launched a joint appeal for action last April. This call seeks to bring together a broad coalition of stakeholders to preserve water resources, protect marine and coastal biodiversity, tackle marine ecosystem disruption, encourage sustainable fishing practices, and more. 

“The Call for the Ocean reflects our commitment to working collaboratively with other foundations, supporting concrete projects, and advancing a fair and inclusive ecological transition. For Fondation de France, protecting the ocean also means promoting territorial balance, safeguarding natural resources, and supporting the communities that depend on them,” explains Laetitia Bertholet, head of the Fair and Inclusive Collective at Fondation de France. 

Aligned with this framework, Fondation de France organizes, in partnership with Un Esprit de Famille, the “For an impactful blue philanthropy” roundtable, which will take place on June 6th at the UNOC-3. The goal is to ignite a group discussion on the ways of reinforcing and structure philanthropy in favor of Ocean protection.  

The Ocean and Climate Platform: a strategic partnership 

Created in 2014, the Ocean and Climate Platform (OCP) gathers over 110 members (research institutes, ONGs, French institutions, international agencies, etc…) to ensure that scientific messages between the ocean, climate, and biodiversity are acknowledged and taken into account by both policy makers and the general public. Fondation de France has been supporting OCP since its creation, and has notably contributed to its expansion, as the OCP quickly became a vital interface between researchers, institutions, organizations, and economic and philanthropic players. As of today, the OCP is the only independent national platform that plays a coordinator role both in France and internationally, to better protect the ocean.  

Fondation de France’s support has also enabled the development of major projects such as:  

• Seat’ies, which help coastal cities and territories adapt to the effects of climate deregulation, particularly rising sea levels, by sharing practical solutions and promoting international exchange. This project is behind a global coalition of coastal cities and territories for climate change adaptation, which will be announced at the UN Ocean Conference. 

• The organization of flagship events, such as the Coastal and Seas Days. 

The “Coasts and Sea” Program: 226 projects supported since its creation in 2011 

For over fifteen years, Fondation de France has led the “Coasts and Sea” program, designed to address the specific challenges facing coastal and marine areas impacted by climate change. Between 2011 and 2024, the program supported 226 projects, representing a total of €23 million in funding, both in mainland France and overseas territories. The program has fostered local, participatory initiatives built around four main priorities: 

• Accelerating a fair and inclusive ecological transition in coastal and marine areas through sustainable management of resources, tourism, fishing, and territorial development; 

• Protecting, restoring, and enhancing the resilience of ecosystems by promoting nature-based solutions and rethinking the human-nature relationship; 

• Preventing and anticipating crises, including submersion risks, pollution, and invasive species, while adapting to the impacts of climate change (e.g. fostering a culture of risk awareness); 

• Encouraging collective action in coastal and marine territories, by facilitating collaboration among all stakeholders: businesses, local authorities, organizations, researchers, residents, and others. 

Overseas territories account for 97% of France’s maritime area, and their populations face unique challenges as small island communities, where the sea and coastlines are ever-present. In response, 50% of the projects supported through the program in 2024 specifically addressed these island-specific issues, focusing on sustainable resource management, environmental justice, ecosystem restoration, and inter-island cooperation. 

The program has also supported other emblematic projects, such as the Pamparigouste Plastic Lab (in the Étang de Berre) or the BioLit citizen science program, which connects citizens, scientists, and managers to better understand and protect biodiversity.