This analysis identifies at least four potential pathways by which international policy responses can help coral reef states address local drivers of reef loss and enhance coral reef resilience (and potential for survival) in the face of climate change: i) Maintain the current international reef-related policy framework as designed, but with a focus on accelerated implementation at the national level; ii) Strengthen the existing international policy framework; iii) Introduce new international instruments and/or governance mechanisms; and iv) Rapid support to states for policy implementation, i.e. “the coral reef-state solution”. These potential pathways provide distinct but not mutually exclusive strategic approaches to support discussion and agreement on a way forward by the Environment Assembly.