Why source-to-sea is the missing layer in blue finance. Much of the harm done to the ocean does not begin there. Around 80% of marine po lution originates from land-based activity, and an estimated 11 mi lion tonnes of plastic enter the ocean each year (UNEP, 2026a). Investor attention, by contrast, sits largely at sea. In the European Commission's 2026 BlueInvest survey, shipping and ports (46%) and blue renewable energy (41%) ranked highest for financial potential (European
