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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Navigating the sustainable use of coastal ecosystems and decarbonization of maritime activities through data innovation, data science, and evidence-based policy formation

UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) (
United Nations / Multilateral body
)
#OceanAction57536
    Description
    Description

    This Voluntary Commitment shall strengthen selected small island developing States' capacities to develop policies suited to reduce environmental degradation of coastal ecosystems and cut GHG emissions from ocean-based activities - including maritime trade and fisheries - while ensuring continued further integration into global and regional trade, sustainable production, economic development, inclusive societies and social welfare. It will focus in particular on strengthening the evidence base for those policies by introducing modern accounting frameworks for the valuation of environmental flows and assets, based on SEEA, and leveraging novel data sources, such as satellite data on vessel movements from the Automatic Identification System, using state-of-the art data science methods. The project partners will also assist in using those new statistics for policy analysis and informed policy formation. This Voluntary Commitment will be implemented by UNCTAD and UNDESA in four pilot countries in the Caribbean in collaboration with the partner organizations. The insights obtained from the project will be published on a dedicated dissemination and visualization platform and discussed with a wider community in a regional dissemination and lessons-learned workshop. Guidelines, training materials and e-learnings developed under the Commitment will make the applied statistical methods available to statistics compilers and users all around the world and facilitate the implementation of the same approach in other countries and regions.

    Partners

    UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) (lead agencies)
    Partners:
    - UN Environment (UNEP) (United Nations)
    - Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) (United Nations)
    - Caribbean Community (CARICOM) (Intergovernmental organization)
    - International Maritime Organization (IMO) (United Nations)

    Goal 9

    Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

    Goal 9

    9.1

    Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all
    9.1.1

    Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road

    9.1.2

    Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport

    9.2

    Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

    9.2.1

    Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita

    9.2.2

    Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment

    9.3

    Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets
    9.3.1

    Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added

    9.3.2

    Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit

    9.4

    By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

    9.4.1

    COemission per unit of value added

    9.5

    Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending
    9.5.1

    Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

    9.5.2

    Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants

    9.a

    Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States
    9.a.1

    Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure

    9.b

    Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities
    9.b.1

    Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added

    9.c

    Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

    9.c.1

    Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology

    Goal 13

    Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts

    Goal 13

    13.1

    Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries

    13.1.1

    Number of deaths, missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000 population

    13.1.2

    Number of countries that adopt and implement national disaster risk reduction strategies in line with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015–2030

    13.1.3

    Proportion of local governments that adopt and implement local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national disaster risk reduction strategies

    13.2

    Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning

    13.2.1

    Number of countries with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    13.2.2

    Total greenhouse gas emissions per year

    13.3

    Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning

    13.3.1

    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

    13.a

    Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible

    13.a.1

    Amounts provided and mobilized in United States dollars per year in relation to the continued existing collective mobilization goal of the $100 billion commitment through to 2025

    13.b

    Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing States, including focusing on women, youth and local and marginalized communities


     

    13.b.1

    Number of least developed countries and small island developing States with nationally determined contributions, long-term strategies, national adaptation plans and adaptation communications, as reported to the secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

    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
    14.5 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.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.b Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets
    - Guidelines, training materials and e-learning on the compilation of environmental accounts for coastal ecosystems, using artificial intelligence, and of statistics on GHG emissions in maritime transport and trade and in fisheries using satellite data fr
    - An analytical study on the sources and levels of GHG emissions from ocean-based activities and the state of coastal ecosystems in selected Caribbean countries, based on new statistics, setting out relevant policy recommendations for decarbonizing extern
    - Dissemination and visualization platform on the state of coastal ecosystems and GHG emissions from maritime transport and trade and in fisheries in selected Caribbean countries
    - A regional dissemination and lessons-learned workshop in the Caribbean to raise awareness of the outputs of the projects and share lessons learned
    Financing (in USD)
    US$1 Mio. from the United Nations Development Account
    Staff / Technical expertise
    Expertise in project management, maritime transport, oceans economy, international trade, economic development, data science
    In-kind contribution
    AIS data from the UN Global Platform and training material for their use, online statistical compilation and dissemination systems, generic online training modules, web-publishing tools and project management support systems
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 March 2025 (start date)
    28 February 2029 (date of completion)
    Entity
    UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)
    SDGs
    Other beneficiaries
    Indirectly: the Caribbean Region
    Ocean Basins
    North Atlantic
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine and coastal ecosystems management, Sustainable fisheries, Marine pollution, Sustainable blue economy, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    More information
    Countries
    Barbados
    Barbados
    Belize
    Belize
    Dominican Republic
    Dominican Republic
    Trinidad and Tobago
    Trinidad and Tobago
    Headquarters
    Geneva, Switzerland
    Contact Information

    David José, Chief of Section, a.i.