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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Reducing marine debris in California watersheds and ocean waters

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Government
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#OceanAction40814
    Description
    Description
    Marine pollution is a persistent and ongoing problem in the ocean. To address this issue, The State of California has established comprehensive program to protect water quality from pollutants, including nutrients, sediment, pathogens, and metals. Additionally, California has taken ambitious steps to address trash in watersheds and marine ecosystems including: banning single use plastic-bags; adopting a policy prohibiting the discharge of trash from stormwater systems to watersheds and ocean waters; and setting a goal of requiring that 75 percent of solid waste be either source reduced, recycled, or composted by the year 2020.

    To continue addressing the impacts of marine pollution, the State of California commits to: 1) researching, developing, and validating trash monitoring methodologies to assess the effectiveness of the policy prohibiting trash discharge from stormwater systems; 2) developing a policy model for comprehensive statewide packaging materials management reform to achieve the 75 percent reduction by 2020; 3) updating the States Ocean Litter Strategy, which will include goals and priority actions that can be taken by government agencies, non-profits and others to reduce plastic pollution in waterways and improve waste management inland; and 4) continue engaging students and the general public in ongoing, annual beach and inland waterway cleanup efforts to remove accumulated trash before it can enter the ocean.

    These actions will significantly reduce marine plastic pollution from land-based activities; the products and policies developed by Californians prior and current actions can be used as a policy package by other governments to reduce and prevent marine pollution.
    Partners
    California Ocean Protection Council (Government), State Water Resources Control Board (Government), Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (Government), San Francisco Estuary Institute (NGO), CalRecycle (Government), California Coastal Commission (Government)
    Nature
    Debris monitoring

    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
    A suite of validated, scientific, trash monitoring methodologies and protocols to assess the effectiveness of prohibiting discharge of trash from stormwater systems to state waters identified by 2021.
    A policy model document outlining the components necessary for a comprehensive, statewide packaging management program. The model will be finalized following an extensive stakeholder process scheduled to conclude by December 2017.
    Californias Ocean Litter Strategy is adopted by Spring 2018.
    Conduct coastal cleanups through the annual statewide Coastal Cleanup Day on the third Saturday of each September to remove accumulated trash before it enters the ocean and to raise awareness about the importance of such actions.
    Financing (in USD)
    820000
    In-kind contribution
    For conducting coastal cleanup day
    Staff / Technical expertise
    For developing a policy model for a comprehensive statewide packaging management program; for conducting coastal cleanup day; for updating the States Ocean Litter Strategy
    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 December 2021 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Ocean Protection Council on behalf of the State of California
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Sacramento, California, United States of America
    Ocean Basins
    North Pacific
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine pollution
    Website/More information
    N/A
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Jenn Eckerle , Deputy Director, Ocean Protection Council