Coral reef conservation gaps under a socioeconomic perspective

Despite their ecological importance and the essential ecosystem services they offer, coral reefs are under unprecedented threat from climate change and human pressures. The socioeconomic significance of these ecosystems should be analyzed with particular attention paid to their roles in fisheries, tourism, cultural heritage, and coastal preservation. Case studies, like the Red Sea's climate-resilient coral reefs, highlight the necessity of specialized conservation tactics. Aspects such as gender equity, interdisciplinary partnerships, and community-based restoration projects might improve conservation results. Furthermore, the importance of deep-sea coral reefs-which are frequently disregarded-must be considered. Emerging frameworks, such as the IPBES (The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) "Nature Futures Framework," may offer integrated approaches to align biodiversity protection with socioeconomic benefits. Importantly, it was underlined that identifying and evaluating ecosystem services are essential to increasing public awareness, guiding policy choices, and luring private-sector investment to close the funding gaps in coral reef conservation. By combining different viewpoints, the paper emphasizes how urgently inclusive, scalable, and sustainable conservation initiatives are needed to protect these important ecosystems and the populations that rely on them.