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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Facilitating learning an sharing of good practices within and beyond UNESCO Biosphere Reserves How do UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in the Baltic Sea Region contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda?

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Local / Regional Government
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#OceanAction41792
    Description
    Description
    Rationale:
    The publics awareness and engagement is a prerequisite for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. While addressing the Agenda, conflicts of interest may arise between goals and targets. UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are places where these conflicts are addressed, where needs are identified and analysed, where synergies are explored and where communities are included in finding solutions to sustainability challenges. With small means and little formal power have biosphere reserves achieved a range of results by connecting local initiatives to national and international strategies, by connecting people and nature, and by stimulating new knowledge development as well as education for sustainable development. The success of the biosphere reserves is based on collaboration, learning and a holistic view on people and nature connecting local and global perspectives. Their thorough experience of integrated work with sustainable development in practice make them interesting as strategic areas to learn from, invest in, and support the implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

    There are seven countries involved in the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) around the Baltic Sea and at least nine biosphere reserves that are in direct context of the Baltic Sea. This means that there is a potential good source of interdisciplinary approaches that has generated experiences connected to for example water quality management, sustainable fisheries, processes for community engagement, ecosystem based management, sustainable certification schemes and much more.

    Aim:
    The aim of the project is to facilitate learning from biosphere reserves (BRs), both within the UNESCO MAB Programme and with other networks, organizations and stakeholders. In order to better share good practices and inspiring activities with regards to implementing the SDGs, the project also aims to extract stories and communicate these to different target audiences.

    Project description:
    Work package 1: Facilitate learning
    - Inventory of other groups, networks, constellations of interest
    - Start-up conference: BRs, National commissions, MAB National committees, Central authorities
    - Thematic workshop during Baltic Sea Future 2018, March 6-7th in Stockholm
    - Thematic workshop during Havs- och vattenforum, May 2018, in Gteborg

    Work package 2: Sharing good practices
    This work package will communicate the experiences and lessons learned for global diffusion and application. All actions are linked to SDGs.
    - Inventory of projects of implementing SDGs in BRs: Collect and chose examples
    - Conduct interviews, scouting of websites, etc
    - Produce booklet: Summary of good practices
    - Show case via websites, visitors centers, social media
    Partners
    Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management (Government)
    Swedish National Commission for UNESCO (Government)
    UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme in Sweden (Other)

    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
    14.3 Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
    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
    14.5 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
    14.7 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.b Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
    Start-up conference
    Booklet: Summary of good practices
    Thematic workshop 1
    Thematic workshop 2
    Financing (in USD)
    115000
    In-kind contribution
    Biosphere Reserves
    In-kind contribution
    Swedish MAB
    Title Progress Status Submitted
    Partnership Progress 2020-06-11 Completed
    False
    Action Network
    Ocean conference wheel logo
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    Timeline
    01 August 2017 (start date)
    01 December 2018 (date of completion)
    Entity
    UNESCOs Man and the Biosphere Programme in Sweden (MAB Sweden)
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Stockholm, Sweden
    Other beneficiaries
    National Commissions of UNESCO, Union of the Baltic Cities, NordMAB (Thematic network within MAB), National and Regional Authorities, NGOs, National Parks, Nordic Council of Ministers, International Center for Water Cooperation (UNESCO Category II institu
    Ocean Basins
    North Atlantic
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine pollution, Ocean acidification, Marine and coastal ecosystems management, Sustainable fisheries, Sustainable blue economy
    More information
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Johanna MacTaggart, National MAB Coordinator