Analysis of policies related to the protection of coral reefs : analysis of global and regional policy instruments and governance mechanisms related to the protection and sustainable management of coral reefs

Abstract

The current body of international instruments related to coral reefs is vast and broad, with commitments corresponding to almost every anthropogenic driver of change in coral reef ecosystems. There are at least 232 international instruments considered to directly or indirectly support conservation and sustainable management of coral reef ecosystems, and/or address common anthropogenic drivers of change in these systems. This body of international coral reef-related instruments has developed incrementally since the 1960s, and includes 150 global instruments, of which 29 are legal instruments (i.e. binding), under which most of the rest are ‘nested’ as voluntary instruments (i.e. non-binding). In addition, there are 82 regional instruments, 44 of which are legal. This includes a total of 32 Regional Seas instruments. The body of international reef-related instruments includes at least 591 discrete commitments to address the wide range of anthropogenic drivers of change in coral reef ecosystems.