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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Iceland commits to reduce marine litter in its waters

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Government
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    Description
    Description
    Iceland commits to reduce marine litter in its waters over the next three years. The aim is to reduce the use and increase recycling and appropriate treatment of all plastics, especially single-use items and used fishing gear. Focus will be on the prevention of marine litter entering the ocean from land-based and sea-based sources. To this end we will work to enhance knowledge of microplastics and their effects on the marine biota and humans and the identify measures to reduce discharge to the marine environment. Monitoring marine litter on Icelands coastline will be strengthened, as the basis for meaningful action and addressing the main sources of litter.

    An action plan to reduce the use of plastic bags for the period of 2016-2018 is in place, and will be followed up. The action plan will be carried out in collaboration with the Federation of Trade and Services in Iceland, the Environmental Agency of Iceland and other relevant stakeholders. Stringent measures such as levy or a ban on plastic bags will be taken if statistics shows that set goals of the action plan and the agreement have not been achieved.

    The Government and the fishing industry will continue to cooperate on the basis of an existing voluntary agreement on recovery and recycling of fishing nets made from plastic, overseen by the Icelandic Recycling Fund. Current recovery rate of fishing nets is close to 90%, but fees can be added to the price of fishing nets in case of non-compliance.

    The Government of Iceland will focus on cooperation with stakeholders at national level as well as regional and international level to tackle the problem of marine litter. Iceland supports the UN Clean Seas Campaign and supports a ban on microbeads in cosmetics.
    Partners
    Icelandic Recycling Fund (Government), Federation of Trade and Services in Iceland (private sector), Environmental Agency of Iceland (Government), and NGOs (TBC).
    Nature
    awareness campaigns

    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.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
    Based on estimation on 105 plastic bags pr. person the aim is to reduce the use by 14% by the end of 2019 and 60% by the end of 2025 (stocktaking in 2018).
    Awareness campaigns on the negative impacts of plastics and marine litter on the environment; coastline clean-up activities will be increased, including in partnership with NGOs and the general public.
    Continued monitoring and analysis of marine litter on select coastlines for the identification of concrete measures to reduce marine litter.
    Start an effort to enhance scientific knowlegde and research in fall 2017 of the effects of plastics, including microplastics, on the marine biota and humans for informed policy-making on the reduction of plastic pollution.
    Staff / Technical expertise
    Redirecting human resources for the implementation of Iceland's commitment to reduce marine litter.
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 May 2017 (start date)
    01 January 1970 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Ministry for the Environment and Natural Resources
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Reykjavik, Iceland
    Ocean Basins
    North Atlantic
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine pollution, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    Website/More information
    N/A
    Countries
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    Contact Information

    Sesselja Bjarnadttir, Head of Division, Department of Oceans, Water and Climate