Sustainable Development Goal 14

CONSERVING AND SUSTAINABLY USING OCEANS, SEAS AND MARINE RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The earth, the blue planet, is covered with more than two thirds of oceans. They form the largest ecosystem in the world.
And the health of this ecosystem is linked to the health of all ecosystems and all life on our planet. The world’s oceans provide us with food, oxygen and regulate the climate: they absorb about a quarter of the CO2 emissions we produce. The rapid increase in emissions in recent decades has thrown the ocean ecosystem out of balance. The oceans are acidifying and this threatens all marine life. But the global trade in fish and seafood also threatens the underwater habitat: overfishing and pollution are causing fish stocks to decline, and the nets of the large fishing companies are pulling other creatures out of the water in addition to the desired catch, which die unnecessarily as bycatch. So-called illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is one of the biggest threats.
But pollution is also taking its toll on the ocean ecosystem: Every year, about 10 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean. Garbage that is not biodegradable, but breaks down into smaller and smaller particles. At the end of the food chain, these plastic particles also end up in our food through the sea creatures that end up on our plates.

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What are the sub-goals?

By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce all types of marine pollution, especially from land-based activities and namely marine litter and nutrient pollution.
By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action to restore them so that oceans become healthy and productive again.
Minimize ocean acidification and address its impacts, including through increased scientific collaboration at all levels.
By 2020, effectively regulate fishing activities and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, and destructive fishing practices, and implement science-based management plans to restore fish stocks in the shortest possible time to, at a minimum, levels that provide maximum sustainable yield taking into account their biological characteristics.
Conserve at least 10 percent of coastal and marine areas by 2020, in accordance with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information.
By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies that contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and introduce no new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should form an inseparable part of fisheries subsidy negotiations conducted within the World Trade Organization.

By 2030, increase the economic benefits resulting from sustainable use of marine resources for small island developing states and least developed countries, namely through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture, and tourism.

How is the goal to be achieved?

In order to achieve SDG 14, an international law is to be implemented, which is laid down in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. This international law provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources. Small-scale artisanal fishermen should be guaranteed access to marine resources and markets in order to empower people regionally. To better understand the oceans and their connection to climate change, and to provide for their conservation, scientific knowledge will be deepened. Research capabilities will be developed and marine technologies will be transferred to be able to improve the health of the oceans. The focus will be on developing countries, small island developing states and least developed countries to be able to conserve marine biodiversity there.

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More info on SDG 14 | Lecture Series of the Virtual Academy Sustainability