The concept of Sustainable Development can be interpreted in a variety of ways, but at its heart, it is a
method of Development that seeks to balance many, often conflicting needs opposing the consideration
of our societal's environmental, social, and economic constraints. All too often, development is driven by
a single need without fully considering the broader or longer-term implications. From sometime we are
facing the pitfalls of this strategy, from large-scale fiscal crises resulted by irresponsible banking to global
climatic problems induced by our reliance on fossil fuel-based energy sources. The longer we pursue
unsustainable development, the more likely its effects will become more frequent and severe, which is
why we must act now.
Do we lose out now because sustainable development focuses on the future?Certainly not. Finding better ways to do things now and in the future is important to sustainable
development in life below water. Although we may need to adjust the way we work and live now, this
does not imply that our quality of life will suffer. In the short to medium term, a sustainable development
approach can provide numerous benefits, such as life on earth will also be better after improvement of
ecosystem in Marine life.
Government has saved over £60 million as a result of SDC inspection by boosting efficiency across its
estate. Switching to walking or cycling for short excursions instead of driving will save you money, improve
your health, and is often just as quick and convenient.
Sustainable development is the most pressing concern of the world community and the central goal of
the post-2015 development agenda. ECOSOC operates at the hub of the UN system’s efforts on the three
pillars of sustainable development as economic, social and environmental. It serves as a coordinating
platform for integration, sustainable development action, and follow-up and review.
Project
Contribute to ongoing wildlife conservation projects with the Galapagos National Island animals
A quick glimpse
Volunteer as a conservationist on the Galapagos Islands. Plant tree saplings and look after Giant Tortoises.
Galapagos National Park is only accessible by boat. A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to study, assist, and
explore.
You'll reside in shared lodgings on San Cristobal Island with other volunteers.Goals to SDS
▪ ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND RESTORATION
▪ REDUCE ACIDIFICATION IN THE OCEAN
▪ FISHING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
▪ CONSERVE COASTAL AND MARINE AREAS
ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND RESTORATION
To achieve healthy and productive oceans, sustainably manage and conserve marine and coastal
ecosystems by 2020 to avoid substantial negative consequences, particularly by building their resilience
and taking action for their restoration.
REDUCE ACIDIFICATION IN THE OCEAN
Reduce the effects of ocean acidification and address them, especially through increased scientific
cooperation at all levels.
FISHING FOR SUSTAINABILITY
To recover fish stocks in the shortest time possible, effectively regulate harvesting and prevent
overfishing, illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and damaging fishing practises by 2020, and
implement science-based management plans.
CONSERVE COASTAL AND MARINE AREAS
Conserve at least 10% of coastal and marine areas by 2020, in accordance with national and international
legislation and based on the greatest scientific data available.
ECOSYSTEM PROTECTION AND RESTORATION
To achieve healthy and productive oceans, sustainably manage and conserve marine and coastal
ecosystems by 2020 to avoid substantial negative consequences, particularly by building their resilience
and taking action for their restoration.
For sustainable development, conserve and sustainably utilize the oceans, seas, and marine resources.
For sustainable development, conserve and use the oceans, seas and marine resources.Healthy oceans
and seas are necessary for our survival.
They span 70% of our world and provide us with food, energy, and water. Nonetheless, we have wreaked
havoc on these priceless resources. We must immediately begin to sustainably manage and safeguard all
marine life around the planet by eradicating pollution and overfishing.
Globally, the market value of marine and coastal resources and industries is estimated at $3 trillion per year.
Stabilization of ecosystem means to sustain the biolife below the water and to save the life of plants and
animals because normal ecosystem is quite essential for the life on the earth as well.
The ocean is at the heart of the global processes that keep the Earth habitable for humans. The sea
provides and regulates our precipitation, drinking water, weather, climate, coastlines, much of our food,
and even the oxygen in the air we breathe. Careful management of this crucial global resource is a key
aspect of a sustainable future. However, due to pollution, coastal waters are currently deteriorating, and
ocean acidification is having a negative impact on ecosystems and biodiversity. Small-scale fisheries are
also suffering as a result of this. The preservation of our ocean must remain a top concern. Marine
biodiversity is essential for human and environmental health. Marine protected zones must be properly
managed.
World progress on life below water
The Caribbean Sea has the highest level of species diversity in the tropical Atlantic and is
considered a global hotspot of marine biodiversity, supported in particular by the region’s coral reef
ecosystems (notably the 220-kilometer long MesoAmerican Reef system) (Roberts et al. 2002; Milo-
slavich et al. 2010). According to the U.S. Geological Survey, some 0.35 percent of the entire Caribbe-
an Sea large marine ecosystem is covered by mangroves; and according to the Global Distribution
of Coral Reefs in 2010 ,some 0.64 percent is covered by coral reefs (TWAP 2015). There is evidence for
overall ecosystem degradation in the Caribbean Sea, notably in coral reef and mangrove systems
(Burke et al. 2011; Burke and Maidens 2004; CLME Project 2011). Caribbean mangrove coverage has
declined steadily over the past decades at the rate of approximately 0.08 percent per year (Hamilton
and Casey 2016). Coral coverage in the region has dropped significantly in recent decades, with
some 75 percent of all Caribbean reefs considered to be at risk from anthropogenic impacts (Burke
and Maidens 2004).
IV
Goals’ illustrations
https://youtu.be/0Zzyfi_a-S8
Although this is a positive trend, increasing the size of protected areas does not necessarily indicate how
successfully species and habitats are being safeguarded. In fact, the EU currently lacks a comprehensive
overview and assessment of the management plans linked with designated MPAs in EU regional seas. The
European Court of Auditors recently stated in a special report on the marine environment that EU MPAs
provide inadequate protection in practice
i
.
Information on MPA connectivity, status, and conservation measures implementation is needed to have
a clearer understanding of the MPAs. The Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 mandates the Commission to
develop criteria and procedures for the identification and designation of additional protected areas, as
well as for coordinated management planning, in collaboration with Member States and the EEA.ii As
expected by the Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, the Commission is also creating an Action Plan to conserve
fisheries resources and protect marine ecosystems to be implemented by the end of 2021.
V
Example of companies working on SDGs
Private enterprises continue to express their support for the execution of Sustainable Development Goal
14 (life below water). Albertsons Companies and Calysta are the most recent companies to announce how
they would assist the international community in meeting ocean-related goals. Their activities, which
target marine plastic waste, focus on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture in particular, and join
announcements from other industry leaders such as Dell, Adidas, and the New Plastics Economy.
Albertsons Companies, one of the major supermarket chains in the United States, has pledged support
for SDG 14. During the UN Ocean Conference, it joined the Seafood Task Force and signed the promise on
Committing to Social Responsibility in Global Fisheries and Aquaculture, a voluntary commitment made
by the business sector, NGOs, and the UN. The Seafood Task Force was founded to address issues of forced
labour, illicit fishing, and human trafficking in Thailand’s seafood supply networks, and it hopes to serve
as a model for worldwide supply chains.
Moreover, during the Oceans Conference, which took place in New York from June 5 to 9, 2017, Dell and
Adidas made commitments to limit the impact of plastic pollution. Dell has established the world's first
commercial ocean plastics supply chain, and it plans to use plastic gathered from beaches, coastal areas,
and rivers as packaging for its products. In 2017, Adidas plans to produce one million pairs of ocean plastic
shoes, equal to 11 million plastic bottles, and five million pairs in 2018.
References
Image of colors 1
https://datatopics.worldbank.org/sdgatlas/goal-14-life-below-water/
Image 2
https://www.unoosa.org/oosa/en/ourwork/space4sdgs/sdg14.html
image 3
https://plasticoceans.uk/
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170605005054/en/Calysta-Commits-Support-
Sustainable-Development-Goals
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/albertsons-companies-commits-to-united-nations-
sustainable-development-goals-joins-influential-seafood-task-force-300469024.html
Transboundary Water Assessment Programme (TWAP). 2015. Caribbean Large Marine Ecosys-
tem: Transboundary Water Assessment. UNEP, Kingston.
Burke, L., and J. Maidens. 2004. Reefs at Risk in the Caribbean. Washington, DC: World Resource Insti-
tute. pdf.wri.org/reefs_caribbean_full.pdf.
Burke, L., K. Reytar, M. Spalding, and A. Perry. 2011. Reefs at Risk Revisited. Washington, DC: World
Resources Institute.
CLME Project. 2011. Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Regional Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis.
http://iwlearn.net/iw-projects/1032/reports/clme-regional-tda-1.
Hamilton, S. E., and D. Casey. 2016. “Creation of a High Spatio-temporal Resolution Global Da-
tabase of Continuous Mangrove Forest Cover for the 21st Century (CGMFC-21).” Global Ecolo
gy and Biogeography 25 (6):729-738. doi:10.1111/geb.12449. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/
doi/10.1111/geb.12449/abstract.
i European Court of Auditors (2020), Special Report 26/2020: Marine environment: EU protection is wide but not
deep.
ii European Commission (2020), EU Biodiversity strategy for 2030, COM(2020) 380 final, Brussels
