Ocean Conservation
Commitments (OCC) will
be launched in 2023

Overview of Ocean Conservation Commitments

An Ocean Conservation Commitment (OCC) is an innovative financing mechanism that helps fund the protection of 1 km² of Niue’s ocean waters for 20 years, as well as leverage the development of Niue’s broader climate resilient natural environment and blue economy

Sponsorship of one OCC costs NZD 250, which enables sponsors to become contributors to Niue’s marine conservation, climate resilience and sustainable development efforts

Capitalization of NOW Trust endowment

Immediate funding
for climate resilient blue economy conservation-related activities

In the rare and exceptional case of a natural disaster, as declared by the Government of Niue, OCC sponsorship monies may be used for habitat restoration, recovery efforts and community needs, which may not all be directly connected with ocean conservation.

An Ocean Conservation Commitment is…

An innovative mechanism valuing Niue’s existing contribution to and continued investments into the appreciation of global natural capital, enhancing ecological, socioeconomic and cultural values
A trust structure that requires that funds will be used for ocean protection, marine conservation, climate resilience, and related sustainable development
An enabler of increased, standardized monitoring & reporting on Niue’s conservation activity & Impact
A democratization of conservation finance provides the opportunity to directly support projects more accessible to a wide range of sponsors
A catalyst that lays the foundation for other SIDS and establishes independent, long-term, holistic, country and community-driven conservation strategies

An OCC is not…

A financial product that will provide financial value or returns to the sponsor
A tradeable product that can be purchased and resold to another sponsor
A legal document that represents ownership or claims over 1 km of ocean real estate in Niue
An offset to be used like carbon credits, enabling a NetZero target or requiring a verification process following international standards
A guarantee of specific impacts (beyond conservation action as described by the brochure)

What will I receive as an OCC sponsor?

OCC sponsors will receive a certificate that verifies their sponsorship. This certificate will be accessible and downloadable via your personal sponsor profile page on the NOW Trust website and can be printed for display.

OCC sponsors will receive a certificate that verifies their sponsorship. This certificate will be accessible and downloadable via your personal sponsor profile page on the NOW Trust website and can be printed for display.

1
IMPACT STORIES

2
ANNUAL REPORTS

3
Measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) OF MOANA MAHU

For OCC sponsors that opt-in to list their name in our public ledger, they can directly tie their OCC contribution to sustainability commitments, climate finance goals and policy objectives.

How do I sponsor an OCC?

You can sponsor OCCs here.

Major corporates, philanthropies and bilateral partners can reach out directly to niueoceanwide01​@gmail.com to learn more about OCCs and how to become a part of Niue’s ocean narrative.

How much is sponsorship of an OCC?

Sponsorship of one OCC is NZD 250, which represents the costs and value added for 1 km² of Niue’s marine protected oceans over 20 years.

1.

The sponsorship amount for one OCC has been derived from the annual cost and value of conservation for 1 km² of ocean, which equates to NZD 12.50

2.

The annual cost and value of conservation for 1 km² of ocean has been multiplied by 20 representing 20 years of protection to obtain the amount for sponsorship of an OCC of NZD 250

3.

The size of Niue’s Moana Mahu LSMPA is 127,000 km², creating 127,000 OCCs available for sponsorship. In addition to direct contributions and partnerships, the sponsorship of OCCs will enable Niue to raise the NZD 32M required for the NOW Trust endowment