Can Blue Bonds really save the world's oceans? – An original article by The Nature ConservancyTrouble in ParadiseThere’s no longer any denying that our oceans are in a dire state. Overfishing has decimated global fish populations; climate change and ocean acidity are pushing coral reefs to the brink of extinction; and the loss of those reefs and other ecosystems has left coastal communities more vulnerable to the impacts of storms and rising sea levels.Indeed, for many island and coastal nations, these are matters of life and death. Leaders of these nations want to protect the ocean—but too often they are struggling to manage their countries’ debt and unable to invest in the conservation efforts that would make their environments and economies more resilient.The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has an audacious plan that can help these countries address their debt challenges, benefit more than 40 million people and conserve 15 percent more of the world’s oceans than are currently protected—in just the next five years.We’re calling it: Blue Bonds for Conservation.What Are Blue Bonds?Blue Bonds for Conservation are an opportunity for island and coastal nations to reinvest in their natural resources by refinancing their national debt in a way that secures funding for conservation work that also benefits their economies.Here's how it works: