The ocean sustains all life on Earth.
Yet it’s facing a multidimensional crisis driven by overfishing, pollution (especially plastics and nutrients), habitat loss, invasive species and climate change (ocean acidification, warming and deoxygenation).
Four of the 10 targets for Sustainable Development Goal 14, on life below water, had a deadline of 2020: sustainably manage marine ecosystems (14.2), end overfishing and illegal fishing (14.4), conserve 10 percent of coastal areas (14.5), and elimination of destructive fisheries subsidies (14.6), while 2025 is the deadline for the target on marine pollution (14.1). As of 2022, none of these SDG 14 targets have been achieved, and progress on most has been limited.
SDG 14 is estimated to receive the lowest level of investment of all the 17 SDGs. Progress on implementation must accelerate considerably, and the 2022 Ocean Conference represents a critical milestone and opportunity towards delivering this acceleration.
About UNDP’s Ocean Promise
Vision: A global blue economy that sustainably utilizes ocean resources for empowered economic development, job and livelihood creation, food security, poverty reduction and gender mainstreaming, and overall equality.
Goal: By 2030, 100 coastal countries (including all Small Island Developing States) realize the maximum potential of their blue economies through sustainable, low emission and climate resilient ocean use that grows economies, creates jobs and livelihoods, improves food security, and reduces poverty, inequity and gender inequality.
UNDP will deliver on its Ocean Promise through our Ocean Programme, which comprises a range of ongoing and new projects and initiatives dedicated to tackling the ocean crisis. We work across issues and scales, from local to global, in close partnership with Governments, communities and the private sector.