Despite global conservation and restoration efforts, coral reefs continue to die at an alarming rate. Traditional approaches like Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are essential, but not sufficient. Market-based solutions such as replanting corals may provide a pathway to success, but there is no clear funding stream and enabling policies are few and far between.
Earth Law Center (ELC) has a unique nature-centric framework for the benefit of coral reefs. Since 2018, Howell Conservation Fund has helped catalyze a team at ELC to further investigate how the framework could be practically applied inthe U.S. or abroad including a coral reef toolkit that we co-developed for reef managers. If successful, we will change the framework for coral reefs and grant them protections that can be applied for conservation success. To download a copy of the ELC Toolkit, click here.
Achievements include presenting to the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force and securing engagement from the Ministry of Natural Resources, Environment, and Tourism in the Republic of Palau to support a new bill ELC is working on for coral reef protection.
