Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Goal 14 or SDG 14) is about “Life below water” and is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The official wording is to “Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development”. The Goal has ten targets to be achieved by 2030. Progress towards each target is being measured with one indicator each time by time.
The first seven targets are outcome targets: Reduce marine pollution; protect and restore ecosystems; reduce ocean acidification; sustainable fishing; conserve coastal and marine areas; end subsidies contributing to overfishing; increase the economic benefits from sustainable use of marine resources. The last three targets are means of implementation targets: To increase scientific knowledge, research and technology for ocean health; support small scale fishers; implement and enforce international sea law. One indicator (14.1.1b) under Goal 14 specifically relates to reducing impacts from marine plastic pollution.
According to the 2020 report on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, “current efforts to protect key marine environments and small-scale fishers and invest in ocean science are not yet meeting the urgent need to protect this vast, fragile resource”.
Background
Life below water is Goal 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals, set to conserve and sustainably use the oceans, sea and marine resources for sustainable development. Currently the state of our oceans are declining due to climate change factors and human behaviour.
The deterioration of coastal waters is increasing due to both pollution and coastal eutrophication. Similar factors contribute to climate change, negatively affecting the oceans and marine biodiversity which is slowly declining.[7] The threat of growing algal blooms and dead zones in the oceans are alarming; in 2018 it was stated that “without concerted efforts, coastal eutrophication is expected to increase in 20% of large marine ecosystems by 2050”.
A recent report states ocean acidification reporting stations have tripled worldwide since 2021, in addition to 1 in 5 fish caught from illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. Beach clean-ups across the coasts are shedding light on the increase in ocean plastic pollution which suffocates the seas.
Marine conservation, local livelihoods and resource sustainability measures are compromised by poor decision-making in resource management. Consistent efforts are being made to improve such management. “The sustainable management of our oceans relies on the ability to influence and guide human use of the marine environment”. To counter regression in achieving Goal 14, “swift and coordinated global action is imperative”.
| Targets | Indicator(s) |
|---|---|
| 14.1 By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution | 14.1.1 (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density |
| 14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans | 14.2.1 Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas |
| 14.3 Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels | 14.3.1 Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations |
| 14.4 By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics | 14.4.1 Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels |
| 14.5 By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information | 14.5.1 Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas |
| 14.6 By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation | 14.6.1 Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing |
| 14.7 By 2030, increase the economic benefits to small island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism | 14.7.1 Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries |
| 14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries | 14.a.1 Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology |
| 14.b Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets | 14.b.1 Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/ policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small-scale fisheries |
| 14.c Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of “The future we want” | 14.c.1 Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources |
Custodian agencies
Custodian agencies are in charge of measuring the progress of the indicators:
- For Indicators under Targets 14.1 and 14.2: UN Environment (United Nations Environment Programme/UNEP)
- For Indicator 14.3.1: Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO
- For all Indicators under Targets 14.4, 14.6, 14.7 and 14.b: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
- For Indicator 14.5.1: UN Environment World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), BirdLife International (BLI) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- For Indicator 14.a.1: Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
- For Indicator 14.c.1: Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs, United Nations Secretariat
Links with other SDGs
Climate change’s effect on marine ecosystems services directly affects a range of the SDGs. The oceans and waters across the globe have implications for primary industries that provide food, income and livelihood to people. These goals include Goal 1 ‘No Poverty’, Goal 2 ‘Zero Hunger’ Goal 3, ‘Good Health and Well-being’, Goal 5 ‘Gender Equality’, Goal 6 ‘Clean Water and Sanitation for all’, Goal 8 ‘Responsible consumption and production’, Goal 10 ‘Reduced Inequalities’, Goal 12 ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’ and Goal 13 ‘Climate Action’.
Achieving SDG 14 would help alleviate achieving the targets of these. For example, to achieve Goal 1 ‘No Poverty’, there is a need to regulate the fishing policy and control overfishing so coastal communities may survive of fishing for their livelihood. Goal 2 ‘Zero Hunger’ links to SDG 14 as it is critical to secure future food security by managing biodiversity, including that of marine ecosystems. Additionally, Goals 1 and 2 link to the SDG target 1.2, aiming to reduce poverty in half by 2030. Women are often the primary providers and rely on both fish for income and food, therefore making fisheries important for their economic stability.
To reach Goal 6, ‘Clean water and Sanitation for all’, there must be more regulation on plastic pollution, reducing the release of micro-plastics into water sources and agricultural soils.
Goal 13, ‘Climate Action’ links to Goal 14 as the effects of climate change and global warming directly effects the ocean, e.g. through sea level rise and ocean acidification.
Sustainable Development Goal 14 has been incorporated into the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
Some trade off and controversy between SDG14 and social justice is required, linking with Goal 5, ‘Gender Equality’. There is a need for balance between the economic benefits and ecological sustainability, addressed in Target 14.5 through Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). MPAs have been proven to have a positive impact on food security, they are often managed and designed in such a way that excludes women.
Global and Local Challenges versus Opportunities
“Blue Economy (BE)” has become a very popular concept and framework towards strategizing the conservation and preservation of global coastal and marine resources. While Blue Economy in general refers to the economic dimensions of resources related to fisheries and allied sectors, the wider objective is to provide the roadmap for planning economic activities within the limits of ocean and marine ecosystems on a long-term basis. For example, the problems of by-catches and the IUU largely impact the sustainability of marine ecosystems and hence their economy on a long-term basis. It is necessary to detail such threats and tipping points which help to govern the successful implementation of the SDG 14 targets. Thus, although the SDG framework recognises the challenges and the current scenarios that require monitoring and evaluation with respect to the targets and indicators specified therein, there remains the scope to extend these efforts into transformative development in other spheres of development.
For example, to resolve the conflicts arising due to the differential roles and expectations of stakeholders belonging to diverse sectors, which are, however, inherent in achieving the targets of SDG14, it is important to first recognise and address threats which can make implementation ineffective due to the perception of unilateral ‘compromise’ of national/ sub-national actions on the targets towards either social, economic conservation or political pressures. While the solutions lie in embracing the collective knowledge professed by scientific advancements as per the SDG indicators to prioritise the restorative or management efforts, it has been felt that the identification of the scope and boundaries of the BE framework alongside SDG 14 targets is quite vague even challenging in terms of stakeholder approaches and delivery of BE vs SDG14 solutions. While both BE and SDG 14 aim for long term ocean sustainability the relevance and alignment of stakeholder targets need to be established in order to effectively link the implementation of tasks related to BE and SDGs. Research on the interconnectedness of SDGs has revealed the close relationships between the targets of SDGs 14, 15,16 and 17. With respect to the stakeholder perspectives, SDG 14 is quite intricately linked with SDG 3 Good Health & Well-Being and SDG 8 Decent Work & Economic Growth, expanding into the BE context as well.
From the scientific perspective, in India, understanding the environmental characteristics of the coastal areas has received increasing attention from researchers in the past few years. This interest has stimulated a scientific investigation of the coastal ecosystems, which have been studied from the physical, chemical, biological and ecological points of view (for e.g., Ray, 2013). A study of the nutrient fluxes (e.g., terrestrial loading, atmospheric deposition, exchanges at the land-sea axes (Wollast, 1998; Thomas et. al., 2009) is necessary not only in understanding the net nutrient transport to the ocean but also in answering the question whether estuaries and lagoons are sinks or sources of nutrients (Smith and Atkinson, 1994). Biogeochemical processes can be inferred from the imbalances of the nutrient fluxes. The nutrients are significant in coastal ecosystems because of their role in primary production by phytoplanktons, the bottom of the food webs (Thayer et al., 1978). Determining the relationships among the environmental factors (such as pH, salinity, D.O, temperature etc.) in shaping an ecosystem, is crucial to address the eco-management or nature based solutions to a wide range of contemporary problems (Santhanam and Kundu, 2022).
The goals and targets cover the social, economic and scientific challenges in the conservation of the ocean resources at both global and the national levels.
SDG 14 specifies the issues in conservation and utilisation of marine and coastal resources and deals with the indicators of changes undergone by the marine and coastal ecosystems.
The present decade being the UN Decade of Oceans, the spotlight has shifted towards managing the challenges in the implementation of the SDG 14 goals
FOR MORE DETAIL DISCUSSION ON SDG 14 – LIFE BELOW WATER, LISTEN TO THE PODCAST EPISODE ON ‘RESEARCH WITH NJ’.
Naman Jain 