IISD - To follow-up on outcomes from its World Ocean Conference, held in June 2017, the UN launched nine thematic multi-stakeholder “Communities of Ocean Action.” The communities are meant to generate new voluntary commitments and support collaboration across the many stakeholders implementing the Sustainable Development Goal on the ocean (SDG 14 on life below water).
The Communities are open to stakeholders that have registered voluntary commitments. Registration of new voluntary commitments are welcomed on an ongoing basis here: https://oceanconference.un.org/commitments. They are each be guided by two focal points who work in coordination with the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, Peter Thomson and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
By its conclusion in June 2017, the UN Ocean Conference generated over 1,400 voluntary commitments towards sustainable use and conservation of the ocean. The commitments address the range of targets listed under SDG 14, reinforcing the ‘Our Ocean, Our Future: Call for Action,’ the major outcome document from the Conference.
You can join a UN Community of Ocean Action by registering a voluntary commitment on one of the following nine issues here: Mangroves; Coral reefs; Ocean acidification; Marine and coastal ecosystems management; Sustainable fisheries; Marine pollution; Sustainable blue economy; Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology; Implementation of international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
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