SDG 14 Ocean Conference
The United Nations Conference “Our oceans, our future: partnering for the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14”, was held on 5-9 June 2017 in New York (2017 SDG 14 Conference), co-chaired and co-funded by Sweden and Fiji.
HELCOM SHOWCASING THE ADDED VALUE OF REGIONAL COOPERATION AT THE OCEAN CONFERENCE
HELCOM Heads of Delegation agreed on the importance of showcasing at the SDG 14 Conference the added value of regional cooperation in Regional Sea Conventions, including the Baltic Sea being an exemplary region for policy making based on best available science, for stakeholder involvement, and for establishing partnerships for integrated management of human activities. This is supported by the recently released EU communication “International ocean governance: an agenda for the future of our oceans”.
VOLUNTARY COMMITMENTS
Voluntary commitments are one of the core elements of The Ocean Conference, aiming to accelerate the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 and its seven targets.
CEAN CONFERENCE SIDE EVENTS WITH HELCOM CONTRIBUTION
HELCOM contributed to several side events during the Oceans Conference. Read more about the side events below and on the Conference website.
Oceans in the 2030 Agenda: The role of regional governance
6 June – Agenda
Lead organizers: German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety; Swedish Ministry for the Environment; UN Environment
Co-organisers: Insitute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), TMG – Think Thank for Sustainability
Environmentally Sound Waste Management as Action Against Marine Litter
6 June – Agenda
Lead organizers: Sweden and the World Bank
Collaboration in Public Private Partnership for a sustainable maritime future
8 June – Agenda
Lead organizer: Ministry of Transport and Communications of Finland (including Finnish Transport Safety Agency)
Co-organizers: World Maritime University (WMU), WWF, industry representatives: Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), Norsepower Oy Ltd, Wärtsilä Corporation
SDG Conference HELCOM and CLIA.jpg
Monika Stankiewicz, HELCOM Executive Secretary, and Donald Brow, Vice President, Maritime Policy at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).
Regional Marine Protected Areas networks in action
8 June – Agenda
1:15 – 2:30 PM
Lead organiser: Mediterranean Protected Areas Network (MedPAN)
Co-organisers: CaMPAM, RMPAO, NAMPAN, WIOMSA, HELCOM, UN Enivronment/MAP, French Biodiversity Agency
See Ecological coherence assessment of the Marine Protected Area network in the Baltic Sea, 2016, BSEP No. 148 (PDF)
PREPARATORY PROCESS IN HELCOM
The HELCOM High-level segment, held on 28 February 2017 on the occasion of the 38th Meeting of the Helsinki Commission, adopted “HELCOM’s Implementation Outlook of the Ocean-related SDGs in the Baltic Sea – A Roadmap to Agenda 2030”.
The High-level segment highlighted that HELCOM targets are well aligned with SDGs and that HELCOM can significantly contribute to the implementation of marine related SDGs in the Baltic Sea, also in a cross-cutting manner. HELCOM should take a coordinating role for these SDGs and make its active role visible. (see paragrapts 2.1-2.7 in the HELCOM 38-2017 Outcome (PDF))
A new report “Measuring progress for the same targets in the Baltic Sea” identifies how HELCOM work supports the implementation of SDGs.
The global “Our Ocean” 2017 Conference will be hosted by EU on 5-6 October 2017 in Malta. The Conference will build on the issues of the ocean and climate change, marine pollution and sustainable fishing.
The next possible occasion to follow up on SGDs and commitments is the HELCOM Ministerial Meeting to be held under the EU Chairmanship in 2018. The Ministerial Meeting could decide on a renewal process of the HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan.
