Lawyers across multiple practice areas at nearly a dozen firms helped the Central American country of Belize launch a groundbreaking sovereign debt restructuring that will simultaneously finance marine conservation.

Through the deal, which forms part of The Nature Conservancy’s Blue Bonds for Ocean Conservation program, Belize has secured $180 million to help protect 30% of its ocean territory, which includes coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves and other vital marine habitats along the country’s Caribbean coast.