Goal 14:
Life below water
Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources
SDG 14 aims to tackle the serious problems affecting our seas and oceans. There is a set of goals dedicated to fighting pollution and the acidification of marine waters, which are the central issue when we talk about conserving marine life. These aim to protect and sustainably manage marine and coastal ecosystems, with the objective of conserving at least 10% of these areas.
They also aim to preserve fishing, which is an important economic activity for many coastal areas, while regulating it under sustainable criteria and especially encouraging non-industrial fishing. Scientific knowledge and the transfer of technology will be essential to achieve this objective, and they must be given priority.
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 taking action to restore them in order to re-establish healthy and productive oceans
14.3 Minimise and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
14.4 By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based plans, in order to restore fishing stocks in the shortest feasible time, at least to levels that can produce the maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics
14.5 By 2020, conserve at least 10% of coastal and marine areas, in accordance with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
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, while recognising that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organisation fisheries subsidies negotiation
14.7 By 2030, increase the economic benefits to small island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, in particular 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 enhance the contribution of marine diversity 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
14.c Improve the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in the 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”
