Reflecting on SDG14 in the lead-up to the 2023 SDG Summit
The Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future invited Hub Director Elisa Morgera to contribute to the “Countdown to the 2023 SDG Summit“ webinar series, which is supported by the UN Department on Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the European Union on how to enable integrated approaches to implementing the SDGs.
Morgera contributed to the seventh webinar focused on the implementation of SDG 13 (climate action) & SDG 14 (life below water), with a view to sharing recommendations for maximising synergies and minimising trade-offs with other SDGs. The webinar was held on 27 May 2023 and was attended by 187 participants
Morgera assessed progress in international ocean governance, with particular reference to the adoption of the Fisheries Subsidies Agreement under the World Trade Organisation, the new Agreement on Biodiversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), and the Global Biodiversity Framework making reference to the human right to a healthy environment. She then recommended that, in order to strengthen the coherence of international regulatory frameworks that affect marine biodiversity, including at the ocean-climate nexus, efforts should focus on policy coherence based on the indivisibility of human rights and their dependence on ecosystem services/nature benefits to people, with a view to prioritising the needs of most vulnerable in ocean science and governance. This has also implications for the responsibilities of business in the blue economy, and for climate, development and ocean funders. She also recommended supporting fair research partnerships to co-develop integrated approaches to the implementation of SDG 14.
The link to the full recording can be found here on YouTube, and an audio-only version of the event, as well as presentations can be found here.
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