Globally, coral reefs harbor an impressive one-quarter of marine biodiversity despite occupying merely 1% of the ocean. However, climate-change-induced impacts such as sea surface temperature anomalies and ocean acidification have brought reef-building corals close to or beyond their bleaching threshold worldwide. Remarkably, due to the Red Sea’s unique oceanographical features and historical background, its coral reefs emerge as exceptionally resilient. In a landscape where 70–90% of global reefs face critical damage by 2050, even with adherence to the 1.5 °C goals of the Paris Agreement, the Red Sea’s highly tolerant holobionts stand out as crucial actors for the survival of marine life, demanding urgent protection. Nonetheless, the burgeoning interest in “blue” economic sectors along the Red Sea’s periphery has led to an increase in coastal development and economic activities, notably coastal tourism, the fishing industry, and shipping. These endeavors, often mismanaged, pose local threats to coral reefs as associated stressors such as overfishing, pollution, and mining bring these organisms closer to their bleaching threshold, accelerating and exacerbating the impact of climate change. Coral reefs deliver primordial ecosystem services to the Red Sea region and its societies, with particular emphasis on fisheries support, coastal and maritime tourism, coastal protection, and emerging biotechnology, all of which are economically and socially vital for the region, but also iconic values underscoring their cultural importance. With its distinctive reef assemblages, the Red Sea stands as one of the richest aquatic environments in the world. Its diverse reef morphologies host a range of commercially significant species, supporting a substantial portion of the commercial fishing industry. Additionally, the region is a premier global tourist destination, with tourism emerging as a primary source of income for numerous countries in the vicinity. The Red Sea’s extensive coral reef systems have been luring tourists for decades, while its shoreline, characterized by fringing and barrier reefs, furnishes natural coastal protection and stabilizes sediment structures, mitigating erosion and safeguarding human natural assets. In addition to their ecological and economic importance, Red Sea coral reefs also hold significant cultural value, especially by playing a pivotal role in efforts to prevent the global collapse of coral reefs, thanks to their remarkable tolerance. This iconic value highlights their intangible benefits, emphasizing their role as a major cultural asset. This chapter will commence by elucidating the ecological status of Red Sea coral reefs. Subsequently, it will underscore the urgent need for their protection through an ecosystem services approach, highlighting how coral reefs constitute a significant component of marine natural capital and play a vital role in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economy. Nonetheless, these ecosystems face multifaceted threats from climate change, overfishing, and pollution, necessitating concerted efforts to safeguard their ecological and economic benefits. Finally, the chapter will run through tools and policy recommendations aimed at coral reef protection, underscoring their contribution to realizing the objectives of the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, thereby fostering sustainable and nature-positive development for the Red Sea shore of Saudi Arabia.