Back to overview

Award recognises ocean protection as key to fighting climate change and strengthening biodiversity

 - Lotterynews

President Bill Clinton and Sigrid van Aken, CEO of the Postcode Lottery Group, today awarded National Geographic Pristine Seas’ founder Dr. Enric Sala with critical funding to support the establishment of marine protected areas worldwide.

Photo: Bill Clinton and Sigrid van Aken presenting the $1.6 million Postcode Lottery Group award to marine ecologist Enric Sala at the Clinton Global Initiative 2024 Annual Meeting

The ceremony took place on the main stage of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2024 Annual Meeting, a gathering that brings together leaders to drive progress on world-changing issues such as climate resilience and health equity.

Studying the health of the ocean
The $1.6 million award from the Postcode Lottery Group, one of CGI’s longest partners, will fund Pristine Seas’ work studying the health of the ocean and creating documentaries about the people who are working to protect it. In a year that has experienced the world’s fourth global bleaching event, the funding is especially prescient.


Video: the ceremony that took place on the main stage of the Clinton Global Initiative 2024

"Our loyal players enable us to support large-scale, long-term projects like Pristine Seas"
Sigrid van Aken, CEO of the Postcode Lottery Group

“This important work is why our players are so loyal to the Postcode Lottery, enabling us to support large-scale, long-term projects like this," said Sigrid van Aken, CEO of the Postcode Lottery Group, a longstanding partner of the Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Foundation Initiative. "Everyone wants our oceans to remain beautiful and healthy, and Pristine Seas is exactly the kind of organisation we aim to support."


The true lungs of our planet
“The true lungs of our planet, the ocean provides everything from half of the oxygen we breathe and moments of wonder to jobs and food for people around the globe,” remarked Dr. Sala, National Geographic Explorer in Residence and author of The Nature of Nature.  

“We are grateful for this generous gift made possible by the millions of players from the Postcode Lottery. It will enable us to continue our urgent work to conserve the ocean through the creation of protected areas where marine life can thrive –  delivering benefits to people, economies and the climate,” continued Dr. Sala.

"We are grateful for this generous gift made possible by the players from the Postcode Lottery"
Dr. Sala, founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas

Urgency of ocean conservation
At a time when 90% of the large fish in the ocean have been fished out, the Postcode Lottery Group award recognises the urgency of ocean conservation. Its past funding to Pristine Seas supported the group to help establish new marine protected areas that add up to the 28 created since it started in 2008, spanning a total of 6.6 million square kilometers of ocean.

Most recently, Pristine Seas supported the establishment of a marine protected area in Isla de Lobos, Uruguay that will safeguard one of Latin America’s largest colonies of sea lions. As part of its Global Expedition in the tropical Pacific, scientists and filmmakers from Pristine Seas are currently in Papua New Guinea and will close out the year in the Solomon Islands.

Long-term partner of CGI
Since 2005, the Postcode Lottery Group has been a long-term partner of the Clinton Foundation and CGI. President Clinton, international ambassador of the Postcode Lotteries, has supported the unique Lottery format where communities in streets and neighborhoods win together and support charities at the same time.

At CGI 2024, Bill Clinton said: “The Postcode Lottery Group is one of the most innovative funding organisations I have ever worked with, and every year they answer CGI’s call to action. I am grateful for our extraordinary partnership and for their commitment to helping save the oceans, protect rivers, increase access to carbon markets, and more.”

"The Postcode Lottery Group is one of the most innovative funding organisations I have ever worked with"
President Bill Clinton, founder of CGI

"The Postcode Lottery Group's innovative funding model is helping mission-based organisations around the world innovate and discover new ways to drive progress on our greatest global challenges," said Greg Milne, CEO of the Clinton Global Initiative. "We are privileged to host this award on stage at CGI, recognising the remarkable difference that Enric Sala has had on the protection of our oceans."

Through its revolutionary funding model, the Postcode Lottery Group’s philosophy grants awards that are long-term, unrestricted, and based on trust. This type of funding – which is valuable and rare – enables charity partners to allocate the funds based on needs and to build long-term plans that can make a lasting impact.

Three collaborating partners


Clinton Global Initiative
Founded by President Bill Clinton in 2005, the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) is a community of doers representing a broad cross section of society and dedicated to the idea that we can accomplish more together than we can apart.

Through CGI’s unique model, more than 10,000 organisations have launched more than 4,000 Commitments to Action — new, specific, and measurable projects and programs – that are making a difference in the lives of more than 500 million people in 180 countries.


Postcode Lottery Group
The Postcode Lottery Group’s primary aim is to raise funds for good causes locally and globally. It combines business with ideals by setting up and running successful charity lotteries. The unique Postcode Lottery format uses postcodes as ticket numbers. Neighbors play together, win together and help good causes together. It’s a fun and safe way for communities to fundraise.

There are more than 14 million subscribers in the Netherlands, Sweden, Great Britain, Germany and Norway. Further growth in these countries, and future expansion into new markets, will allow millions more to show the power of postcodes by helping to build a healthier, fairer and greener world. Postcode Lottery Group donates $1 billion to good causes each year and over $15 billion has been raised since the first Postcode Lottery was launched, in the Netherlands, in 1989.

Research published in 2021 named Postcode Lottery Group as the world's third largest private charity donor, after the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.


National Geographic Pristine Seas
National Geographic Pristine Seas works with Indigenous and local communities, governments and other partners to help protect vital places in the ocean using a unique combination of research, community engagement, policy work, strategic communications and media.

Since 2008, the program has conducted more than 40 expeditions around the world and helped establish 28 marine reserves, spanning more than 6.6 million square kilometers of ocean.

Pristine Seas is part of the global non-profit, the National Geographic Society. The mission is driven by science and filmmaking — and is fully independent from National Geographic publishing and its media arm.