Outcomes of the COP30 Presidency Coral Finance Meeting

During the dialogue, national leaders also highlighted concrete strategies and political resolve to integrate coral reef protection into broader development, finance, and climate agendas. Brazil highlighted the launch of its Brazil Coral Coalition, underscoring the country’s significant reef ecosystems and its intention to scale national coordination. They also stressed the important role of national development banks, like BNDES, to de-risk finance for coral reef protection and management. The representative of Indonesia outlined its coral and mangrove protection efforts as part of a wider marine corridor and blue economy strategy, emphasising the need for sustainable, rapid, and predictable financing frameworks. Solomon Islands reaffirmed the value of reef-positive enterprises and community-led approaches, announcing a new partnership with the GFCR, UNCDF, and WWF to expand support for reef-positive businesses and improve coastal livelihoods. Papua New Guinea’s representative emphasised the importance of healthy reefs for food security and local economies, highlighting its partnership with the GFCR and UNDP to accelerate women-led reef-positive enterprises and strengthen coastal livelihoods. Seychelles called for the use of credible, science-based data to ensure alignment between financing tools and effective conservation policy, underscoring the need for coherence across political and financial systems.

One of the key session outcomes was the strong convergence around the GFCR as the central multilateral instrument for coral reefs, with participants noting its growing blended finance portfolio across 22 island and coastal states, including community-led enterprises that advance sustainable aquaculture, regenerative tourism, and waste management and circular economy systems.