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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

A commitment to reduce ocean noise pollution

(
Non-governmental organization (NGO)
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#OceanAction41469
    Description
    Description
    Ocean noise pollution from human industrial activities can negatively impact marine life in many ways. Noise from various sources can interfere with communication, social functions, foraging, predator detections and degrade marine ecosystems. Noise has been generally increasing since the advent of powered marine transportation. Given that most human noise in the ocean is incidental in nature, quieting technologies are a logical approach to reduce negative impacts. Many of these modifications have little or no negative impact on industrial activities.

    Numerous measures have already been put in place, including voluntary vessel-quieting guidelines within the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Additionally, mitigation strategies related to reducing noise and ship strikes have been implemented in several jurisdictions. However, additional and sustained international collaboration and partnerships, leading to specific actions, are needed to ensure a long-term and sustained reduction of the impacts on marine life of noise pollution generated by industrial activity, particularly shipping and energy exploration.

    The Partners will establish a multi-stakeholder Working Group to agree on mitigation actions (technologies, operational management measures, area- and species-specific measures) that businesses could implement in order to minimize ocean noise emissions. Given the cross-sectoral nature of the shipping industry, breadth of noise from other sources (e.g., offshore energy exploration, military) and the global scale of this issue, collaboration and constructive dialog among diverse industry, scientific, government and non-governmental organizations will continue to be critical, as clearly demonstrated within the IMO vessel-quieting guideline development.

    The main milestones in the process will be:

    Situation analysis: this phase will generate an inventory of the primary noise sources, their geographical distribution, key industry actors, and current and best practices. This analysis will support the stakeholder analysis which will guide the membership of the Working Group originally established at the February 2017 UN Prep. Meeting, so that it will be fully representative (i.e., industry, scientific, regulatory, and conservation stakeholders). A decision-making and governance system for the process will be established by the partners early-on in the process.

    Development of commitments: the WG will develop the science-based commitments, with all parties able to share their views, values and needs. The aim is to develop a set of scientifically rigorous, cost-effective and outcome-focused commitments, the implementation of which can be objectively measured. These will include noise reduction targets for individual noise sources (e.g., 3 dB reduction compared to nominal baseline levels per ship class in 5 years and another 3 dB the next 5 years).

    Launch the commitments: Commitments will be made by industry and government participants on a rolling basis, with updates made periodically at intergovernmental fora, including at the 2018 UN Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea and at the 2020 IUCN World Conservation Congress.

    Implement the commitments: Promote the Commitments among industry players and relevant government agencies and track implementation through a publicly accessible platform. By the end of 2020 and again in 2025, industry, government, scientists and NGOs who have contributed.to the process will come together to share experiences and assess the progress made.
    Partners
    Wildlife Conservation Society (Non-governmental organization)
    International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
    International Fund for Animal Welfare (Non-governmental organization)
    Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
    Southall Environmental Associates (Private Sector)
    Douglas P. Nowacek, PhD, Duke University, Scientific Community Member
    Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)

    Goal 12

    Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns

    Goal 12

    12.1

    Implement the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Consumption and Production Patterns, all countries taking action, with developed countries taking the lead, taking into account the development and capabilities of developing countries

    12.1.1

    Number of countries developing, adopting or implementing policy instruments aimed at supporting the shift to sustainable consumption and production

    12.2

    By 2030, achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources

    12.2.1

    Material footprint, material footprint per capita, and material footprint per GDP

    12.2.2

    Domestic material consumption, domestic material consumption per capita, and domestic material consumption per GDP

    12.3

    By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses

    12.3.1

    (a) Food loss index and (b) food waste index

    12.4

    By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment

    12.4.1
    Number of parties to international multilateral environmental agreements on hazardous waste, and other chemicals that meet their commitments and obligations in transmitting information as required by each relevant agreement
    12.4.2

    (a) Hazardous waste generated per capita; and (b) proportion of hazardous waste treated, by type of treatment

    12.5

    By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse

    12.5.1

    National recycling rate, tons of material recycled

    12.6

    Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle

    12.6.1
    Number of companies publishing sustainability reports

    12.7

    Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities

    12.7.1

    Number of countries implementing sustainable public procurement policies and action plans

    12.8

    By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature

    12.8.1

    Extent to which (i) global citizenship education and (ii) education for sustainable development are mainstreamed in (a) national education policies; (b) curricula; (c) teacher education; and (d) student assessment

    12.a

    Support developing countries to strengthen their scientific and technological capacity to move towards more sustainable patterns of consumption and production

    12.a.1

    Installed renewable energy-generating capacity in developing and developed countries (in watts per capita)

    12.b

    Develop and implement tools to monitor sustainable development impacts for sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products

    12.b.1

    Implementation of standard accounting tools to monitor the economic and environmental aspects of tourism sustainability

    12.c

    Rationalize inefficient fossil-fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption by removing market distortions, in accordance with national circumstances, including by restructuring taxation and phasing out those harmful subsidies, where they exist, to reflect their environmental impacts, taking fully into account the specific needs and conditions of developing countries and minimizing the possible adverse impacts on their development in a manner that protects the poor and the affected communities

    12.c.1

    Amount of fossil-fuel subsidies (production and consumption) per unit of GDP

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    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 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

    Name Description
    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
    14.2 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
    14.5 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.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
    The Working Group is formed; Funding Proposal Developed to support activities.
    Public reporting platform for industry commitments goes live.
    Situation analysis is completed.
    Commitments are finalised and submitted to the IUCN World Conservation Congress for endorsement as an IUCN Resolution.
    Staff / Technical expertise
    In kind staff expertise
    Title Progress Status Submitted
    Partnership Progress 2019-10-15 On track
    False
    Action Network
    Ocean conference wheel logo
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    Timeline
    01 June 2017 (start date)
    01 December 2025 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Wildlife Conservation Society
    SDGs
    Other beneficiaries
    Marine environment
    Industry (oil and gas, commercial shipping)
    Government (military)
    Private sector (tourism)
    Ocean Basins
    Global
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine pollution, Marine and coastal ecosystems management, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    Website/More information
    N/A
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Howard Rosenbaum, Director, Ocean Giants Program, WCS