Protecting Small Island Developing States from Pollution and the Effects of Climate Change
There are few more powerful symbols of the international community's shared past and future than the ocean. From the earliest human migrations, it carried our ancestors to new continents, brought civilizations together, and opened the world to exploration and trade. It also connects us ecologically.
Achieving SDG 14: the Role of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
Oceans contribute to poverty eradication by providing opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and decent work. Over 3 billion people depend on marine and coastal resources as a means of support. In addition, oceans play a crucial role in the achievement of global food security, as well as human health and well-being.
Marine Biodiversity and Ecosystems Underpin a Healthy Planet and Social Well-Being
Marine biodiversity, the variety of life in the ocean and seas, is a critical aspect of all three pillars of sustainable development—economic, social and environmental—supporting the healthy functioning of the planet and providing services that underpin the health, well-being and prosperity of humanity.
Maintaining Healthy Ocean Fisheries to Support Livelihoods: Achieving SDG 14 in Europe
The problems of ocean space are closely interrelated and need to be considered as a whole. So says the preamble to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea-and never were those words more apt than in relation to the challenges we face today.
Foreword
This special double issue of the UN Chronicle, under the theme Our Ocean, Our World, explores many of the problems facing the marine ecosystem, with articles by 23 experts and eminent personalities actively engaged in finding solutions.
Can We Save Coral Reefs?
The collapse of coral reefs has far-reaching implications for the entire ocean, for people and, indeed, for the planet. Going forward, the focus must be on how to conserve what is left, ideally taking bold, decisive steps to reverse the unthinkable trajectory.
Achieving and Maintaining Sustainable Fisheries
However effectively fisheries may be governed and managed, they change the ecosystems in which they occur. The total biomass of fully exploited species is reduced, typically by more than 50 per cent.
The Arctic Ocean and the Sea Ice Is Our Nuna
For Inuit, the sustainable use of the marine resources and the future of the Arctic Ocean and sea ice is not a luxury—it is life itself; it is about protecting our culture. Inuit are adapting to changes and we will continue to thrive in the changing Arctic. We have much to learn and much to teach the world. We ask that you accept our invitation to discuss issues affecting our land. Our nuna, the Arctic.
A Conference to #SaveOurOcean
Despite their critical role in sustaining life in this world, our oceans are increasingly threatened, degraded or destroyed by human activities, reducing their ability to provide crucial ecosystem services.
Save a Whale, Save a Planet
Today, our oceans are under immense pressure as their waters absorb much of the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases pumped into the air by human activity, resulting in a 30 per cent increase in acidity. The progress of the human race, particularly since the Industrial Revolution, has resulted in devastating impacts to our entire climate, and those impacts are particularly prevalent in our oceans.
Portugal and the Ocean Economy
For historical, cultural and economic reasons, the ocean has shaped the lives of the Portuguese people and the ways in which we relate to others and belong to the international community. As a maritime country, the ocean is a fundamental and formative element of our identity.
The Role of the International Maritime Organization in Preventing the Pollution of the World's Oceans from Ships and Shipping
Shipping is a key user of the oceans, delivering more than 80 per cent of world trade, taking ferry passengers to their destinations and carrying millions of tourists on cruises. Annually, more than 50,000 seagoing ships carry between them more than 10 billion tons of vital and desired cargoes, including commodities, fuel, raw materials and consumer goods.