The Reef-World Foundation Impact Report 2024-2025

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The Reef-World Foundation’s mission, “to inspire and empower people to act in conserving and sustainably developing coastal resources, particularly coral reefs and related ecosystems,” has enabled them to achieve a significant and lasting impact over the years:

More than 1,500 marine tourism businesses have actively reduced local threats through their Green Fins membership.
Their conservation efforts have reached over 85 countries and more than 400 diving hotspots worldwide.
Over 2,500 dive professionals and recreational divers have received environmental training, with more than 100 awarded scholarships.
More than 1.4 million tourists have engaged with Green Fins dive and snorkel centres over the past 10 years.
Over 200 resource managers from the public and private sectors have been trained to manage the ecosystems on which they depend.

The Reef-World Foundation leads the global implementation of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, which focuses on driving environmentally friendly scuba diving and snorkelling practices across the industry globally.

Green Fins, a Conservation Management Approach

Through its Green Fins initiative, implemented in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) for over 20 years, The Reef-World Foundation collaborates directly with the marine tourism sector to promote more sustainable practices. This work safeguards coral reefs and ensures the long-term viability of the tourism industry that depends on them.

The Green Fins Code of Conduct outlines 15 environmental standards that marine tourism operations are expected to adopt. It encompasses best practices for both above and below-water activities and considers the roles of managers, operator staff, and tourists. Although designed around protecting coral reefs, these standards can apply to all marine environments (e.g., seagrass meadows, mangroves, kelp forests, etc.).

Coral Reefs and Scuba Diving Tourism

The Reef-World Foundation Impact Report 2024-2025 Beyond their ecological significance, coral reefs underpin a substantial global industry: scuba diving tourism. This sector alone generates an estimated US$8.5 billion to US$20.4 billion annually and directly supports up to 124,000 jobs worldwide, with a remarkable 80% of these jobs held by local nationals. With 9 to 14 million marine diving tourists participating each year*, this industry’s prosperity is intrinsically tied to the health of coral reefs. The Reef-World Foundation works to ensure that this significant economic activity becomes a force for good, aiming to align economic growth with sustainable marine management and contributing to the global Blue Economy.

“Coral reefs are facing an existential threat, with the scale and pace of climate-related impacts accelerating beyond anything we’ve seen before. The role of small, agile organisations like Reef-World working directly with communities, governments, and industry to protect reef ecosystems is vital. But to continue this work at scale, we need a more joined-up, global response that recognises the urgency of the climate crisis and the critical need to fund frontline conservation efforts.” Says Vic Hancock Fell, Chair of The Reef-World Foundation in the report.

Green Fins Global Coral Bleaching Response Toolkit

The toolkit was designed to assist marine tourism businesses in monitoring coral bleaching in their local sites and feeding that crucial data back to a global database. The toolkit is compiled from a mix of freely available resources from multiple organisations, as well as Green Fins materials, in order to help conserve and manage coral reefs in light of the growing impacts from climate change. The toolkit will be continually updated as new and relevant information becomes available. Explore the toolkit here.

GSTC Member’s Webinar: “Diving into Sustainable Tourism: How Green Fins Transforms the Dive and Snorkel Industry” on the 26th of November, 2025.

This closed webinar for GSTC Members will dive deep into how the Green Fins initiative has shaped the industry over the last 20 years, enabling businesses to strengthen their environmental performance while meeting the growing demand for responsible and eco-conscious marine tourism experiences.

Participants learnt about Green Fins Membership, e-courses, and digital tools, and how these empower operators to strengthen their businesses, elevate sustainability standards, and safeguard ecosystems through responsible tourism practices. If you are a GSTC Member, click here to register for this webinar held on the 26th of November, 2025.

If you are interested in becoming a GSTC Member, click here.

Sustainable Marine Tourism Class: at #GSTC2025 Fiji

GSTC 2025 Fiji - Reef World During the GSTC2025 Global Sustainable Tourism Conference in Fiji last August, a Sustainable Marine Tourism Class was offered for tourism professionals interested in learning and exploring best practices for sustainable diving and snorkelling operations. Led by Dev Albao from The Reef-World Foundation, the session guided participants through practical steps for implementing the Green Fins standards, helping them strengthen their environmental management, reduce harmful practices, and contribute to ocean conservation.