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The livelihoods and well-being of millions of people worldwide depend on coral reefs’ ecosystem services. Reefs act as spawning and nursery grounds for economically important fish populations. They offer coastal communities protection from storm surges and erosion, both of which are set to increase in the face of climate change — in fact, coral reefs dispel an astonishing 97% of wave energy! They provide local jobs in the form of tourism, fishing, and recreational activities. Reef organisms are a hotspot for pharmaceutical compounds, including antiviral drugs and a life-saving cancer agent, and scientists tell us that thousands of other medicines derived from this powerful ecosystem may still be undiscovered. Lastly, coral reefs are closely linked to irreplaceable cultural traditions in many parts of the world. For all these reasons and more, restoring reefs and protecting what we’ve got left is one of the best actions we can take to help save the planet.