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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Ocean Watch: Assessment and Promotion of Progress in the Implementation of the 1992, 2002, and 2012 Global Commitments On Oceans, Coasts, and Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

    Description
    Description
    The continued assessment, policy dialogue, and reporting of the progress (or lack thereof) in meeting global commitments related to oceans, coasts, and SIDS will ensure continuous exchange of information, sharing of best practices, and provide the opportunity to develop novel approaches to fill gaps in past commitments, and to address new and emerging challenges. This serves to maintain a high public and political profile, and to mobilize the ocean community to achieve effective implementation of commitments.This builds on the work undertaken by the GOF and partners, in the report Oceans at Rio+20: Summary for Decision Makers, available online.
    Implementation of the Project/Activity

    The systematic tracking of commitments will be undertaken by the GOF network of experts and collaborators through Global Ocean Conferences, dialogues, and policy analyses. These multi-stakeholder interfaces have proven to be a valuable tool for mobilizing action and highlighting the crucial role of the oceans in the lives of much of the world. Assessment of progress in the implementation will be patterned on the report cards developed prior to Rio+20, which helped to set the agenda of decision-makers in the Rio+20 process, and elevated oceans and coasts to one of the major themes of the Rio+20 Conference. These efforts, in addition to sustained discussions and information sharing through Oceans Days at related fora, including the CBD and the UNFCCC, will support the production of a report in 2017 (5 years after Rio+20) on Oceans in the Post-Rio+20 World: How Well Are We Doing in Meeting the Commitments from the 1992 UNCED, 2002 WSSD, and the 2012 UNCSD.These assessments will continue periodically every 5 years, serving to maintain a high public and political profile on the commitments made at UNCED, WSSD, and Rio+20, to identify key gaps in implementation, and to identify pathways for assisting nations in filling implementation gaps.

    Partners
    Global Ocean Forum (GOF)
    United Nations Development Program
    Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO
    Ocean Policy Research Foundation, Japan

    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

    Hold the 6th Global Ocean Conference, including the preparation of policy briefs, which will address the implementation of commitments related to oceans, coasts, and SIDS made at the Rio+20 Conference and the earlier sustainable development summits
    Feature progress made on global commitments related to oceans, coasts, and SIDS and promote accelerated implementation among high-level decision-makers, especially at the 6th Global Ocean Conference.
    Produce a major report on Oceans in the Post-Rio+20 World: How Well Are We Doing in Meeting the Commitments from the 1992 Earth Summit, the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development, and the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development
    Undertake periodic assessments (every 5 years) on progress made on major commitments on oceans, coasts, and SIDS from UNCED, the WSSD, and the Rio+20 Conference, keeping these ocean issues high on the agenda of national, regional, and global decision-make
    Staff / Technical expertise
    Expert staff on policy issues related to sustainable development and oceans, coasts, and SIDS
    In-kind contribution
    Facilities, network of over 2,500 ocean leaders and collaborators from intergovernmental, governmental and non-governmental organizations, research and academic institutions, and the private sector
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
    False
    Action Network
    Small Island Developing States
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    Timeline
    01 January 2014 (start date)
    01 January 2017 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Global Ocean Forum
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Global implementation, with headquarters in the USA
    More information
    Countries
    United States of America
    United States of America
    Contact Information

    Dr. Biliana Cicin-Sain, President