Dive and snorkelling operators around the world that have committed to the Green Fins code of conduct have achieved an overall reduction of 26% in the level of environmental threat they pose – and six of them are now said to pose no risk at all.
Their progress in mitigating local threats to coral reefs amid the deepening climate crisis is recorded by the Reef-World Foundation, UK-based co-ordinator of the UN Environment Programme’s Green Fins initiative, in its just-published 2024–2025 Impact Report.
Although the Global Tipping Points Report 2025 recently made the grim announcement that warmwater coral reefs have passed the first major climate tipping point, Reef-World reckons its strategy of focusing on local threats from the marine-tourism industry is delivering tangible results.
Six Green Fins members achieved the coveted “0% risk to reefs” score during the period. Reef-World described this as “a powerful indicator of exemplary best practice”, demonstrating that a net-positive environmental impact is both achievable and in the interests of businesses.
The virtuous six
For divers looking to book holiday diving with operators that have earnt such green credentials, the virtuous six were Bubbles Dive Centre (Malaysia), Camel Dive Club & Hotel (Egypt), Ceningan Divers (Indonesia), Evolution Diving Resort (Philippines); Scuba Junkie Sipadan (Malaysia) and Slow Dive Casa Chihuahua (Dominican Republic).
“For most of the past two decades, we have often felt like we were running behind wildfire – mass tourism blazing ahead, leaving mass destruction in its wake,” commented Reef-World executive director Chloe Harvey.
“But today we know better. Six Green Fins members have now achieved the 0% risk score, proving that it is possible.
“This milestone is not an ending – it’s a beginning. We can transform mass tourism into a driver of thriving, pristine environments, giving these critical ecosystems the space to survive the deeper challenges of climate change.”
Green Fins members were also said to have achieved a 31% reduction in threats related to single-use plastics, recycling and rubbish disposal, and to have reduced direct diver contact with fragile coral reefs by 16%.
Green Fins currently has 346 active operations in 61 countries and 201 “diving hotspots”, with 1,700 dive and snorkelling staff having received in-person environmental training and 346,000 tourists having been reached with conservation messaging.
This means that the Green Fins initiative still reaches only about 4% of the estimated global market of dive and snorkelling operators – but that statistic is recognised as an opportunity in the Reef-World 2024–2025 Impact Report.
