The Reef That Builds a Life
SAFER Project – Strengthening Activism for Environmental Rights
Supported by the European Union, this blog-post series by Land Sea Maldives marks the beginning of our investigation into the hidden costs of environmental damage-and-how-they-relate-to-livelihoods. This piece in the series, focusing on coral-reef systems in the Maldives and exploring how reef health underpins jobs, incomes and community resilience.
Introduction
In the Maldives, coral reefs are far more than scenic marine features — they are foundational to the livelihoods of many island communities. Reefs support tourism, fisheries, coastal protection and local commerce. But when reefs degrade, the economic and social consequences ripple throughout communities.¹ This post explores how reef ecosystems support livelihoods, where hidden costs are emerging, and what growth opportunities lie in restoring reef-linked services.
How Reefs Support Livelihoods
Coral-reef ecosystems deliver essential services for island communities:
They act as natural breakwaters, reducing wave energy, protecting coastlines, beaches, infrastructure and tourism assets.²
They provide nursery habitats for reef fish and marine life, supporting fishers whose catches depend on healthy reef systems.³
They form part of the tourism value-chain — guest-houses, dive operations, reef tours depend on vibrant coral ecosystems for visitor appeal and community employment.¹
A review of Maldivian reefs highlights that reef health is tightly linked to human wellbeing and development in this high-exposure island nation.³ In short: reef condition = jobs + incomes + growth potential.
Threats, Hidden Costs & Livelihood Impacts
Coral reefs in the Maldives face climate-driven stress, local-pollution and development-impacts. One assessment warns that even under 1.5 °C warming scenarios, Maldives may experience 70–90 % loss of coral reef cover.²
The hidden costs to livelihoods include:
Declining fish stocks as reef habitat degrades, reducing income for fishers and affecting food security.³
Loss of reef protection which accelerates shoreline erosion, damages tourism infrastructure and raises repair costs — negatively impacting local businesses and employment.²
Reduced visitor appeal as reef quality falls, undermining tourism revenue streams, local services and growth opportunities.¹
Thus the cost isn’t just ecological — it is economic and social: lost earnings, fewer jobs, fewer growth paths.
Response & Recovering Value
Recognising this, the Maldives has adopted a roadmap for reef-resilience which explicitly links reef health to livelihoods, infrastructure and food security.²
Key strategies include:
Investment in coral-restoration, reef-management and protecting reef services.²
Engaging island communities in reef-conservation programmes that provide jobs, training and income.³
Incorporating natural-asset value into planning and development to bring hidden costs of reef damage into the open.¹
Questions for Island-Level Investigation
Has your local reef shown signs of bleaching, reduced biodiversity or damage? How has this affected local fishers, tourism operators or service-providers?
Are guest-houses, dive-centres or local businesses reporting lower visitor numbers or income linked to reef decline?
What reef-restoration or conservation projects exist on your island? Are island-residents involved and gaining from these in terms of jobs, training or business?
Are growth-opportunities being missed because reef-services are undervalued in planning (for example reef-based tourism, local restoration enterprises, enhanced fisheries)?
Conclusion
Coral reefs in the Maldives are not simply natural wonders — they are livelihoods, growth engines and protective systems for island life. When reefs decline, hidden costs emerge: fewer jobs, lost income, stunted local growth. Under the SAFER Project’s investigative lens, we ask: environmental damage → livelihood disruption → growth constraint. Protecting and valuing reefs is not optional — it is central to sustaining island economies, enabling future opportunities and maintaining resilience.
References
Hilmi, N. (2023). The pressures and opportunities for coral reef preservation in the Maldives. Frontiers in Environmental Economics, (1110214). https://doi.org/10.3389/frevc.2023.1110214
International Union for Conservation of Nature & others. (2021). Climate-change impacts on health and livelihoods: Maldives assessment. https://www.climatecentre.org/wp-content/uploads/Climate-change-impacts-on-health-and-livelihoods-MALDIVES-assessment_April-2021_.pdf
World Bank. (2024). Roadmap for fostering coral reef resilience in Maldives. https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099120224122531951/pdf/P180529-cfd196cd-80e4-498d-a2d4-8d1030d906de.pdf
United Nations Development Programme. (2025, June 30). Why the Maldives can’t afford to lose its coral reefs. https://www.undp.org/maldives/blog/reefs-revenue-and-resilience-why-maldives-cant-afford-lose-its-coral-reefs
