IMPACT
GLOBAL CONSERVATION STRATEGY
DEVELOPED & DEPLOYED by
As an implementation vehicle for the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water, the Global Fund for Coral Reefs (GFCR) Coalition is enhancing the resilience of coastal reef ecosystems, communities and economies by unlocking new public and private resources that accelerate sustainable businesses and financial solutions. Hosting both a Grant Fund and an Investment Fund, the GFCR resilience-focused portfolio includes market-based solutions spanning 23 countries, including waste treatment and recycling, coral reef insurance, sustainable aquaculture and agriculture, ecotourism, blue carbon credits, and mechanisms for sustainable Marine Protected Area (MPAs) finance.
With capitalisation underway, by 2030 GFCR aims to support over 400 reef positive businesses and sustainable financial mechanisms; the resilience of over 20 million community members and 3 million hectares of coral reefs (representing 20% of the Coral Reef Breakthrough target); and the sustainable financing of 7.5 million hectares of MPAs. GFCR’s investments will aim to leverage $2-3 billion USD in public and private finance for the benefit of marine ecosystems and coastal communities.
The GFCR Coalition is a public-private partnership driven by more than 50 Member States, UN Agencies, financial institutions, philanthropies, impact investors, and conservation organisations.
The International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) is a global partnership between Nations and organizations which strives to preserve coral reefs and related ecosystems around the world.
ICRI emerged out of the recognition that coral reefs and related ecosystems found in tropical and sub-tropical regions are facing serious degradation, primarily due to anthropogenic stresses. Many nations face similar threats to coral reefs and related ecosystems as well as similar management problems.
The Initiative was founded in 1994 by eight governments: Australia, France, Japan, Jamaica, the Philippines, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. It was announced at the First Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity in December 1994, and at the high level segment of the Intersessional Meeting of the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development in April 1995. ICRI now counts over 100 members.
Academy for Coral provides state of the art training free of charge to coral practitioners in coral-rich, low income countries, bringing the latest science and technology needed to the people who need it most to give coral reefs a chance. The Academy offers courses spanning basic coral reef ecology to advanced training for those already working with corals including:
A centralized virtual hub of quality science & information that can be accessed freely from any part of the world.
Regional approach allows us to provide advanced education closer to home for thousands working in the coral space who often don’t have the financial resources to travel to a centralized location. The regional approach also helps our scientific team adapt training to deal with specific stressors or site specific criteria.
Train the trainer program helps to put more well-trained hands in the water within local communities around the world.
State-of-the-art online and in-water courses.
Faculty consisting of the world’s top coral scientists.
Access to fellow students and scientists across the planet.
Monthly “Ask a Scientist” interactive live stream that is accessible to any of our students and graduates, allowing for rapid dissemination of the latest science and data related to conserving coral reefs
A place to mobilize & deploy rapid rescue teams in the event of oil spills or other emergencies that threaten coral reefs.
A snapshot of projects making an impact around the world.
PROJECTS
Gulf of Aqaba Resilient Reefs
The Gulf of Aqaba Resilient Reefs Programme aims to catalyse greater private investment into reef-positive enterprises for the benefit of Aqaba’s uniquely resilient coral reefs, marine life, and communities.
Micronesia Coral Reefs
This program represents over 1 million hectares of coastal ecosystems with improved management including 175,141 hectares of coral reefs.
Sri Lanka Coral Reef Initiative
The Sri Lanka Coral Reef Initiative (SLCRI) aims to focus on protection of climate ‘refugia’ coral reefs that have the potential to withstand climate impacts through the scaling of 12 sustainable reef-positive enterprises.
Fi Wi Riif (Our Reef)
The Fi Wi Riif Programme aims to protect and recover the health of resilient coral reef sites in Colombia’s Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, representing over 232,000 hectares of protect reefs under improved ecological management.
Seychelles Ocean’s Resolve
The Ocean’s Resolve programme aims to generate sufficient critical mass in establishing a dynamic and sustainable blue economy around coral reef ecosystem protection and regeneration, as well as that of related ecosystems so as to open up a diversified range of impact investment opportunities for capital seeking promising opportunities.
MALDIVES RESILIENT REEFS & ECONOMIC FUTURES
The Maldives RREEF resilient program aims to establish sustainable financing mechanisms to support coral conservation and facilitate the development of, and investment in, projects and businesses that sustainably contribute to the resilience of coral reefs and the communities living on these atolls.
MESOAMERICAN REEF FINANCIAL FACILITY
The Mesoamerican Reef (MAR) region, encompassing Belize, and the Caribbean coasts of Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico, is home to the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, stretching almost 700 miles.
Responsible Investments in Marine Protected Areas
To enhance the management of the MPAs, the GFCR supports Mamuhunan sa mga MPAs programme (Responsible Investment in MPAs), an 8-year project led by Blue Alliance Marine Protected Areas.
SUSTAINING INDONESIAN REEFS THROUGH BANKABLE CONSERVATION
The KORALESTARI programme is the second GFCR programme in Indonesia, and represents over 166,000 hectares of protected reefs under improved ecological management and coral cover targets.
A Healthy Future for Indonesian Coral Reefs
Indonesia’s coral reefs, located in the heart of the Coral Triangle, are among the largest, most diverse, and resilient in the world.
Investments in Sustainable Reefs
Led by GFCR Convening Agent WCS, the Miamba Yetu programme covers the coastlines of Kenya and Tanzania including the Zanzibar archipelago with a focus on the proposed Transboundary Conservation Area identified by WCS scientists as a coral climate refuge.
Good Oceans, Good Business
This project establishes a Blue Economy Enterprise Incubation Facility to accelerate sustainable livelihood opportunities linked to the marine environment in Papua New Guinea.
Investing in Coral Reef & The Blue Economy
This project, which invests in Coral Reef and the Blue Economy (ICRBE), co-funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund, is on a mission to catalyse positive change in Fijian coral reefs and the communities dependent on them.