The world has lost 14% of its coral reefs since 2009. Investing in a blue economy gives us a shot at saving the rest.

• Coral reefs are one of the world’s most valuable, yet most threatened ecosystems.
• The Coral Reef Breakthrough calls for investments of $12 billion by 2030 from public and private sources to safeguard the future of drastically underfunded coral reefs.
• Investing in coral involves interventions and enterprises that address local drivers of reef degradation, unlock sustainable conservation funding, and increase coastal communities’ resilience to climate impacts.

A World Economic Forum article authored by Francis Staub, Global Coordinator at ICRI, and Yabanex Batista, Deputy Director of the GFCR (UN Global Team), sheds light on the urgent challenges coral reefs face worldwide and the innovative investments needed to bridge the coral reef funding gap. The article highlights the GFCR country programme in Fiji as a case study, including its comprehensive investment strategies covering sectors such as waste management, sustainable aquaculture, and ecotourism.