Goal 14 in the 2030 Agenda is dedicated to protecting the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Let's discover it in detail! Sea protection: why it is important and how to implement it In 2015, Italy, along with 193 other countries, signed up to the the 2030 Agenda drawn up by the UN for sustainable development. A set of objectives to be achieved to give a better future to the Planet and its inhabitants. Within this action plan Objective 14 is entirely dedicated to the oceans and marine resources. The care of the seas is fundamental to development that can guarantee the necessary sustenance for future generations. The waters of the seas are important economically, food-wise and for the ecosystem of humans. Let's find out how Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda aims to protect them. WHY DO OCEANS MATTER? Before explaining in detail Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda it is necessary to make a premise. One must understand why an entire section of the 2030 Agenda is dedicated to oceans. A central aspect to take into account is their importance at ecological, economic and food levels: at the economic level marine companies cover about 5% of global GDP and more than 200 million people are linked to work in marine fish industries; at the ecological level the Oceans Ecologically, the Oceans absorb about 30% of carbon dioxide, contributing significantly to reducing the impact of global warming; at the nutritional level, marine waters are the most important source of proteins in the world and for more than 3 billion people they are the primary resource of proteins. Directly linked to all these points is a fundamental aspect to protect and preserve: marine biodiversity. The oceans cover three quarters of the earth's The oceans cover three quarters of the earth's surface and their waters account for 97% of all the water on the planet; in their vastness they are home to millions of living species of which only about 200,000 have been identified. Marine and coastal biodiversity is indispensable to human beings, who are seriously undermining it, heedless of the consequences. Let's see how. MARINE POLLUTION AND HUMAN BEINGS Due to the activities of mankind on the planet, 40% of marine waters are affected by: diminishing and depleting fish stocks; destruction and loss of entire natural habitats; pollution of which human beings are one of the main causes. causes. In recent years, fish consumption has increased exponentially, making overfishing a serious problem that is significantly reducing fish stocks. This aspect is accompanied by practices that are disrespectful of the natural habitats of living species: aggressive and destructive fishing methods make the seas inhospitable. In parallel, the problem of marine pollution is becoming more and more urgent.marine pollutionEvery year the oceans receive between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic. Marine creatures die because of this waste, which is only used a few minutes a day, but remains in the oceans for hundreds of years, causing irreparable damage. years, causing irreparable damage. Increasingly alive is the issue of microplastics, small particles also resulting from the deterioration of the material that enter the food cycle of different species. These factors have made it urgent to act on the protection of the seas, that's why it was drafted Objective 14 of the 2030 Agenda. GOAL 14: THE TARGETS Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda opens with a note on the importance of the oceans and mankind's negative impact on them. However, the most important part is the part that outlines the goals to be achieved for the protection of these precious waters. Here is what it states. By 2020 we should have: protect and restore the marine ecosystem marine ecosystem; regulate fishing by reducing excesses, illegality and combating fishing methods that do not respect the ecosystem; eliminate subsidies to intensive and environmentally unfriendly fishing; protect coastal and marine areas and marine areas by preserving at least 10%. There are other targets that are due in the next few years: reduce pollution marine; Support developing countries economically by encouraging sustainable use of marine resources and give small-scale artisanal fishermen and marine markets access to resources; Combat theocean acidification. OBJECTIVE 14: SOME BENCHMARKS PU Objective 14 concludes by giving two reference points to follow and apply. One is international law found in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Sea to be applied to enhance conservation and sustainable use of the oceans. oceans and their resources. The other reference is the guidelines of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission on the Transfer of Marine Technology that call on us to: develop marine technology through research and dissemination; increase scientific knowledge improve the health of the ocean; increase the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of emerging countries. ACTING ON MARINE POLLUTION Faced with these objectives, we may think that only international powers can act and obtain significant results. But this is not the case, in our daily lives we can reduce the amount of waste we produce and reduce marinepollution pollution. For example we can: use reusable shopping bags, even when we go shopping; avoid fruit and vegetables packed in plastic, go to the greengrocer and bring cloth bags instead of using disposable bags; we reuse jars of products that we can refill or buy loose. In this sense R5Living comes to our aid proposing some Kit for home cleaning composed of reusable bottles and refills where both the packaging and the sponges are biodegradable. Objective 14 of the 2030 Agenda accompanies us along a path of awareness. It explains how important the oceans are economically, food-wise and ecologically, and proposes goals and targets to achieve. Finally, in this article, we wanted to give a concrete and applicable in everyday life to feel an active part of the change. The World Oceans Day is celebrated every year on 8 June and offers the opportunity to reflect on the benefits that the oceans can provide and on the duty of each of us (as individuals and communities) to interact with the oceans in a sustainable way, so that current needs are met without compromising those of future generations. This year the goal is to protect at least 30% of our blue planet for a healthy ocean and climate. Only then will it be possible to protect life support systems, particularly the interconnections of ocean, climate and biodiversity Achieving sustainability is a journey we must take together! #WorldOceanDay #WeAreOceanic #OnlyOneEarth
