Rights of Coral Reefs

A Voice for Coral Reef Ecosystems through Ecocentric Law

Coral reefs are in crisis. Rising ocean temperatures, pollution, overfishing, and destructive development are pushing these ancient, life-giving ecosystems to the brink. Rather than treating coral reefs as property or resources, what if we recognized them as living beings with legal rights?

“A Voice for Coral Reef Ecosystems Through the Rights of Nature and Ecocentric Law” is a three-part toolkit to equip policymakers, advocates, and legal professionals with bold legal strategies to protect coral reefs. The toolkit offers pathways to do so based on rights, guardianship, and ecological kinship. It details a powerful new legal approach that gives coral reefs a voice in the legal system, secures their rights to exist, regenerate, and flourish, and empowers communities to defend them in court and policy.

  • Part 1 focuses on the rights of coral reef ecosystems

  • Part 2 looks at ecocentric legal approaches

  • Part 3 gives comprehensive model legislation for the application of these concepts in practice.

Why Coral Reefs?

Coral reefs support 25% of all marine life, protect coastlines from erosion and storms, and sustain the livelihoods of over 500 million people. But these critical ecosystems, which cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, are vanishing at alarming rates. Already, half the world’s reefs are gone—and without immediate action, nearly all could disappear by 2050.

The current legal system has failed reefs. Most laws treat them as property or manage them solely for human benefit. Our toolkit enacts a paradigm shift: from exploitation to stewardship, and from anthropocentrism to ecocentrism.

Rights of Coral Reefs Toolkit

Our toolkit is designed for:

  • Policymakers drafting reef protections or constitutional amendments

  • Lawyers and advocates defending reef ecosystems

  • Governments seeking transformative climate and biodiversity strategies

  • Communities and Indigenous stewards ready to act

The toolkit includes:

  • A model law granting coral reefs legal personhood and enforceable rights

  • Guidance on creating reef guardianship councils with legal standing

  • Legal frameworks to recognize reefs as rights-bearing entities

  • Policy strategies rooted in TEK, human rights, and ecocentric law

  • Case studies from Panama, Ecuador, Spain, and Indigenous nations

Core Rights of Coral Reefs

The toolkit recommends granting coral reefs the rights to:

  • Exist, thrive, regenerate, and evolve

  • Maintain ecological integrity and biodiversity

  • Be represented by legal guardians

  • Access clean water and stable habitats

  • Recover from harm through restorative justice

These rights align with cutting-edge legal frameworks like Rights of Nature, ecocide law, and the rights of future generations, offering a bold path forward for reef resilience and ocean justice.

Model Legislation

The toolkit includes a comprehensive model law adaptable for use by national, subnational, or Indigenous governments. Jurisdictions can:

  • Protect all reefs or specific ones

  • Establish reef guardianship bodies

  • Tie legal protections to ecological health thresholds

  • Fund guardianship and restoration through legal penalties

We offer technical support for governments ready to take action.

Why Now?

Global frameworks like the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the UN Ocean Decade call for bold action. The recognition of reef rights can help nations fulfill their commitments—while centering justice for coastal communities and ecosystems alike.

Legal innovation can no longer wait. The Rights of Coral Reefs Toolkit equips decision-makers with the tools to lead, transform ocean law, and give reefs the voice they’ve long been denied.

How to take action with this toolkit:

  • Are you a government official or advocate? We invite you to discuss how to apply the Toolkit in your jurisdiction.

  • Partner with us to pilot guardianship models or rights-based legislation. 

  • Want to learn more? Download the Toolkit Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, or email us info@earthlaw.org to schedule a meeting or workshop. 

Header: Unsplash / Qui Nguyen; Photos: Unsplash / Marek Okon, Unsplash / Tomoe Steineck, Footer: Unsplash / Francesco Ungaro