Sessions

How can we accelerate progress on Goal 14 Life Below Water?

You can access the discussions from our event by logging in following the links below.

• Click here to read our online conversation from Session One (Asia/Europe)
• Click here to read our online conversation from Session Two (North America)

This SDG Leadership Forum comprised two live, online 90 minute sessions, featuring special guest contributors and moderated by GlobeScan.

SDG #14: Life Below Water

Oceans cover three quarters of the Earth’s surface, contain 97 per cent of the Earth’s water, and represent 99 per cent of the living space on the planet by volume. Over three billion people depend on marine and coastal biodiversity for their livelihoods.

A sustainable future depends on careful management of this global resource – healthy oceans are vital to the achievement of the SDGs. Yet there is continuous deterioration of coastal waters due to overfishing, pollution and the impact of climate change.

Concerted efforts involving multiple stakeholders are needed to deliver the challenging targets set for SDG #14. We are hosting this forum to encourage greater collaboration and explore how we can better manage our oceans to ensure they are healthy and productive.

Agenda Questions

• Setting the context: which is the most important issue to address to ensure healthy and productive oceans – climate change, pollution or over-fishing? Which is easiest to tackle?
• What are the barriers holding up progress on SDG#14, particularly on the topic of healthy and productive oceans?
• Thinking of solutions, which initiatives are making the most impact? What else could we be doing that we are not already doing?
• What can different stakeholders, organisations or individuals contribute to stopping over-fishing?
• What are the different challenges of large-scale industrial fishing and small scale fishers? Which one is more sustainable?
• What is the potential for labelling and standards organisations to contribute to solving some of the challenges faced?
• How can we accelerate action, mobilize consumers, governments and businesses, and scale up solutions?