Global Coral Action Plan
Emergency action for corals
Mission:
A coordinated, science-led recovery effort to prevent the global collapse of tropical coral reefs by 2030 – uniting finance, innovation and local leadership to protect and restore reefs.
THREE DELIVERY SIGNALS
Science-led recovery
Scale evidence-based protection and restoration.
Local leadership
Put regional hubs and communities at the centre.
Finance at scale
Mobilise public, private and philanthropic capital.
WHY ACTION IS URGENT
Coral reefs are running out of time
This is no longer a future risk. It is a live global emergency for biodiversity, coastlines, food security, tourism, culture and the communities that depend on reefs every day.
But collapse is not inevitable.
The science exists. The tools are advancing. The people are ready. What is missing is coordination, finance and speed.
More than half of global coral cover has been lost since the 1950s. Since 2023, bleaching-level heat stress, together with other human-induced stressors, has affected more than 84% of the world’s coral reefs.
With El Niño conditions likely to return in 2026, already weakened reefs are expected to face another wave of heat stress.
Coral reefs can recover when pressures are reduced, restoration is supported and local communities have the resources to lead.
Hope is not passive. Hope is organised action.
The future of coral reefs is not yet written.
The loss is real, but so is the opportunity. Around the world, communities, scientists, practitioners and innovators are already proving that reef recovery is possible.
The Global Coral Action Plan exists to connect these efforts, scale what works and give coral reefs a fighting chance.
WHAT THE PLAN DOES
A coordinated global mission
The Global Coral Action Plan is a unique framework that turns fragmented coral action into a coordinated global mission with a focus on pace and scale.
It unites us to:
Protect what remains
Reduce local pressures, improve water quality, strengthen reef management and safeguard critical reef ecosystems.
Restore what can recover
Scale science-based restoration, coral propagation, reef regeneration, monitoring and decision-support tools across priority reef regions.
Finance action at scale
Treat coral reefs as natural living infrastructure and mobilise public, private and philanthropic capital for urgent protection and long-term recovery.
Deliver through local leadership
Connect global coordination with regional hubs and community-led action, ensuring solutions are adapted to local reefs, cultures and economies.
TIMEFRAME
The next five years are decisive
2026-2028
Build the coalition, mobilise finance, launch priority delivery partnerships and demonstrate recovery in focus regions.
By 2030
Move from pilots to global-scale implementation across priority coral reef regions.
Beyond 2030
Maintain long-term reef resilience through monitoring, innovation, financing and local stewardship.
COALITION
Join the Global Coral Action Plan Coalition
No single organisation can meet the scale of the coral crisis alone.
The Global Coral Action Plan is building a coalition of governments, funders, researchers, scientists, NGOs, Indigenous peoples, local communities, businesses, youth networks and ocean advocates committed to one shared mission:
To protect and restore coral reefs at the scale the crisis demands.
This is an action coalition — not a statement of support.
By joining the coalition, you and/ or your organisation can:
✓ Receive the Global Coral Action Plan
✓ Join partner briefings and working sessions
✓ Share expertise, projects or regional priorities
✓ Connect with funders, scientists and delivery partners
✓ Explore opportunities to support implementation
✓ Help amplify a global message of coral recovery
✓ Be listed as a supporting partner, with permission
Partners and Coalition Members
We invite you from all sectors to join this coalition:
Science and research
Finance and philanthropy
Governments and public agencies
Implementation and restoration
Indigenous peoples and local communities
Business, tourism and innovation
Youth, culture and civil society
Ocean advocates
Coral reefs can still recover but only if we act together, and only if we act now.
Join the Global Coral Action Plan and help turn urgency into action.