Greece
Statement delivered by the Representative
of Greece to the UN
Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals
3 April, 2014
CLUSTER 6
Conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, oceans and seas
• Being a country surrounded by sea, Greece strongly believes that action is necessary in order to ensure ocean health and marine ecosystems and maintain marine biodiversity through ecosystem-based management and sustainable fisheries. In our view, some areas that could be considered as possible targets would be the following:
1) combating pollution and litter and establishment of marine protected areas, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
2) promotion of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, which are necessary for food security and biodiversity
3) combating over-fishing and overcapacity, as well as to restoring fish stocks.
• Furthermore, we would particularly welcome as a target the inclusion of full implementation of regional and international regimes governing oceans and seas. We also believe that a specific reference must be added as regards to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources.
Ecosystems and biodiversity
• As regards biodiversity, action is necessary in order to reduce the rate of loss degradation and fragmentation of all natural habitats and to prevent the extinction of threatened species. Possible areas that could be considered as targets would be:
1) addressing and eradicating wildlife trafficking and poaching
2) Biodiversity and ecosystem services must be appropriately valued and taken into account
3) Sustainable forest management. There is a need to reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide, halt the rate of loss of primary forests and increase significantly the areas of protected forests, inter alia through eliminating illegal logging and associated trade.
I thank you!
of Greece to the UN
Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals
3 April, 2014
CLUSTER 6
Conservation and sustainable use of marine resources, oceans and seas
• Being a country surrounded by sea, Greece strongly believes that action is necessary in order to ensure ocean health and marine ecosystems and maintain marine biodiversity through ecosystem-based management and sustainable fisheries. In our view, some areas that could be considered as possible targets would be the following:
1) combating pollution and litter and establishment of marine protected areas, including in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
2) promotion of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, which are necessary for food security and biodiversity
3) combating over-fishing and overcapacity, as well as to restoring fish stocks.
• Furthermore, we would particularly welcome as a target the inclusion of full implementation of regional and international regimes governing oceans and seas. We also believe that a specific reference must be added as regards to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources.
Ecosystems and biodiversity
• As regards biodiversity, action is necessary in order to reduce the rate of loss degradation and fragmentation of all natural habitats and to prevent the extinction of threatened species. Possible areas that could be considered as targets would be:
1) addressing and eradicating wildlife trafficking and poaching
2) Biodiversity and ecosystem services must be appropriately valued and taken into account
3) Sustainable forest management. There is a need to reverse the loss of forest cover worldwide, halt the rate of loss of primary forests and increase significantly the areas of protected forests, inter alia through eliminating illegal logging and associated trade.
I thank you!
Stakeholders